close
Friday March 29, 2024

Britain seeks extradition of US diplomat’s wife

By AFP
January 12, 2020

LONDON: The British government announced on Friday that it has formally requested the extradition of the wife of a US diplomat who left the country after being involved in a car accident that killed a teenager.

The US State Department responded by saying such an extradition would be "an abuse" because the woman had diplomatic immunity.

"Following the Crown Prosecution Service’s charging decision, the Home Office has sent an extradition request to the United States for Anne Sacoolas on charges of causing death by dangerous driving," a Home Office spokesman said.

"This is now a decision for the US authorities."

The case of Anna Sacoolas, 42, has been a thorn in London’s close relations with Washington, stirring up debates over the limits of diplomatic immunity in cases unrelated to national security.