Christopher Tappin UK to US Extradition Today- Highlighting the Dangers of Doing Business without kn

The case of Mr. Tappin makes it quite clear that if you wish to do business in today's world, you should find out what extradition agreements are in place with your country of residence and the USA. If it is the same as the UK, then you must must make yourself familiar with how to do due diligence with any export/import activity you or your business engage in. Under American rules, you must ensure that any export is not going to anyone / country the USA does not permit business with, this includes ensuring that even if you are just a delivery/freight guy that you satisfy yourself that the company /people you are shipping to are not going to forward / re-sell to companies/people/countries on the disallowed list. In addition you need to familiarize yourself with what is classed as controlled technologies. You should be aware this can also be files / software on your lap-top, so even a visit to a trade show in the US could land you in trouble, regardless of your business.
Christopher Tappin is a Briton being extradited to the US for allegedly selling batteries for Iranian missiles described his treatment as "a disgrace" as he arrived at Heathrow.
If Mr. Tappin pleads not guilty a trial might not start for years. It would bankrupt him as there is no legal aid or reimbursement of costs in the US — he has already spent $65,000 (£41,000) on his American lawyer. He said that six British and Dutch defense witnesses would refuse to testify lest they, too, were arrested.
The Bush and Blair governments agreed on the controversial US-UK extradition treaty in 2003 to facilitate the extradition of terrorists, but it has since been deployed against all manner of people, from the industrial executive Ian Norris to the NatWest Three and the hacker Gary McKinnon.
It does not require the US to make a prima facie case against its target in a British court — a grand jury indictment suffices. A judge cannot rule that the defendant should stand trial in Britain, even if that is where the alleged offence was committed. Provided that certain statutory criteria are fulfilled, courts have little choice but to grant the extradition request.
Mr. Tappin ran a freight forwarding company, Brooklands International, and arranged the transport of anything from elephants to Tutankhamun’s treasures. In 2006, Robert Gibson, a British client, asked him to ship five industrial batteries at a cost of $25,000 from Texas to an automotive company in Amsterdam.
Per The London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association:
Unknown to Gibson, the vendor, Mercury Global Enterprises (MGE) of El Paso, was a front company set up by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to entrap businessmen engaged in the illegal export of controlled technologies. Gibson was arrested that August when he went to inspect the batteries. He was accused of attempting to send them to Iran for use in Hawk air defense missiles. Gibson named Mr Tappin as a co-conspirator, said that they were to share the profits from the battery sales, and provided allegedly incriminating evidence. He was handed a two-year sentence.

Mr. Tappin insists he had no idea that the batteries were going anywhere but the Netherlands, or that they could be used in missiles. He said that he was merely the shipping agent and that the exporter, MGE, had to obtain the export license.
Isabella Sankey, of civil rights group Liberty, said: "No British court has ever been allowed to examine any evidence against Christopher Tappin or consider whether he should be tried here.
www.bbc.co.uk...
www.lccsa.org.uk...

So we have the US security departments who are operating under a rogue government, who appear to be out of control and the british government who essentially are little more now than a consultatative body to the US government.
Makes me think that instead of Scotland's referendum on Independence the british nation should be concerning itself with independence from the US. Blair sold us out and now camiclegg are continuing our evolution into the 51st state.

reply to post by cosmickat


How is the Independance movement going ? I heard the Govt said it couldn't be considered until 2013 ????

Any Idea how much Scottish ancestory you have to have to become Scottish citizen if Scotland does break away ?

your comments reminded me of this song :
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by AliceBlackman


The " movement " is strong in Scotland Alice, always has been really, strong nationalist ideals in Scotland, but Cameronclegg will fight tooth and nail to stop us breaking away completely.

Don't really know about how much ancestory you would need to become a scottish citizen, as far as becoming british, you would< i believe> have to go through the usual immigration procedures to attain citizenship.

And unfortunatley the song would not load for me, just said that it had been blocked in my country ( copyright infringement )

I thought the interview with Tappin was interesting, where he said he has less rights than the Muslim cleric Abu Qatada, who can stay in the UK under European convention on human rights.

Angry Christopher Tappin today condemned the Government as a disgrace as he was extradited to the US to face trial over an arms deal to Iran.

Retired businessman Mr Tappin, 65, who blasted David Cameron for failing to protect him, said he had been treated worse than hate preacher Abu Qatada.

www.mirror.co.uk...

Once again we prove we are just America's poodle, blinded by our obsession with the "special relationship".

That extradition treaty need to go in the bin. Its a disgrace.

The only acceptable extradition treaty is one that is equal in both directions.

reply to post by cosmickat


Well fingers crossed for Scotland ...I'd be interested if they managed to get Independance, apparently I had a great grandparent that was Scottish.

sorry about the song, it was 51st State of America by New Model Army, now I'm showing my age !

I am totally amazed by the treaty, Brits should familiarise themselves with US Laws as well as the local ones so they can be sure to stay on the little outpost, some US jails are really quite bad, there's often news of them getting in trouble with the Feds over food and health care.