Seanad debates
Wednesday, 14 May 2003
Criminal Justice (Joint Investigation Teams) Bill 2003: Second Stage.
There seems to be a provision under the MLA convention not just for European police forces but also – this is specifically mentioned in the discussions, although it is not in the Bill – for similar arrangements and co-operation with the police forces of the United States of America. I am concerned about this because we have seen the way America behaved with regard to international law during the recent Iraq war. We know, for example, that the US is violating the Geneva Convention in its treatment of the prisoners at Guantanamo. The US is probably exporting certain of these prisoners to third countries where they can be properly tortured. We must be careful about the police forces with which we involve ourselves. I referred to the British in Northern Ireland and the French and I now mention my concern about the police forces of the United States of America.
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