Britain Opposes Possible Death Penalty Against Britons Held in US Base

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 23, 2002

Britain Opposes Possible Death Penalty Against Britons Held in US Base

Britain said Tuesday it would oppose any death penalty ruling against three Britons held at Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base in Cuba together with other allegedal-Qaeda fighters.

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Britain said Tuesday it would oppose any death penalty ruling against three Britons held at Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base in Cuba together with other allegedal-Qaeda fighters.

Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw said it was up to the United States to decide what court should try the men now numbering 158.

But "the British government regularly, in cases where the death penalty may be imposed on British citizens, makes our views on the death penalty very plain to the American authorities," Bradshaw said. "We are opposed to the death penalty," he added.

He also said "the basic principle is that, going back to September 11, everybody agrees that the major crime was committed in the United States, and the major victims of that crime were thousands of innocent American citizens."

"The U.S. has every right under international law to try those responsible in its own courts," he said.

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