Members of the UK Parliament are calling for the extradition of an American diplomat suspected of possessing child abuse images, who was reportedly removed from Britain by U.S. officials without the knowledge of British police.
The former U.S. serviceman, who was employed at the American Embassy in London, was taken from his home in Putney in August and flown out of the country. It is alleged that U.S. officials discovered child abuse imagery at his property during an investigation into his U.S.-based brother, who is accused of sending such material to the diplomat.
British authorities were reportedly only notified after the individual had already departed on a cargo flight to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. This sequence of events has drawn strong criticism from lawmakers and legal experts.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, described the diplomat's removal as "absolutely grotesque" and accused the U.S. government of protecting an alleged pedophile. He further stated that U.S. Marines conducting a raid on British soil, seizing one of their own diplomats, and using military resources to transport the suspect out of the country was "completely unacceptable" and a "flagrant breach of the Visiting Forces Act 1952."
Lawyer Mark Stephens, an expert in international litigation, asserted that the U.S. had "ignored international law" and shown a "heavy-handed disregard for our law," likening the action to an extraordinary rendition. Stephens emphasized that if a crime is committed in the UK, it should be tried there, noting the potential for victims of abuse within the country.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that U.S. authorities alerted them to the investigation into suspected indecent images of children on August 25, the same day the diplomat was reportedly removed. A spokesperson for the force stated, "We continue to liaise with them regarding this matter."
Evidence suggests the operation may have involved Marine Security Guards from the U.S. Embassy. Flight records indicate a Kalitta Air Boeing 747 cargo plane traveled from Chicago to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on August 24. The following day, the same aircraft departed Fairford and arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
It is understood that U.S. authorities may have obtained a court order in the United States prior to the search, as the investigation initially focused on the diplomat's brother.
The U.S. Embassy acknowledged awareness of allegations concerning an individual assigned to the embassy, stating that the U.S. government expects all personnel to adhere to the highest standards of conduct and takes such allegations seriously. The British Government has stated that they expect all foreign diplomats in the UK to abide by British laws and declined further comment due to the ongoing U.S. investigation.
The diplomatic row has reportedly reached senior levels of the UK government, with meetings involving the Met Commissioner and Home Secretary.