Obama and Cameron agree to review extradition procedures

More Britons facing extradition to the United States could be tried in UK courts after David Cameron and Barack Obama agreed to review the operation of a controversial treaty.

The development offers hope to the families of Gary McKinnon, who hacked US military computers, and Sheffield student Richard O’Dwyer, whose website the US authorities claim hosted links to pirated films and television programmes. Both are fighting extradition to the US.

The issue was raised by the Prime Minister during his visit to Washington although it is not believed individual cases were discussed. Mr Cameron is thought to want to explore the possibility of whether more cases can be heard before UK courts, although there are no immediate proposals for treaty changes.

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He said: “We have carried out an independent review of the treaty which found that it was balanced, but I recognise there are concerns about how it’s implemented in practice and that’s what our teams will look at.”

Earlier this week, Home Secretary Theresa May approved the extradition of Mr O’Dwyer, 23, a student at Sheffield Hallam University, prompting accusations from his mother Julia, of Bolsover, near Chesterfield, that he had been “sold down the river” by the Government over the case brought by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: “It is very good to hear that the Prime Minister put extradition on the agenda in the US and his comments about a further review will give hope, not just to Gary McKinnon but to families across the UK increasingly concerned by the injustices of instant extradition without evidence, compassion or common sense.”