Blair, Bush could face probe at The Hague
By Gethin Chamberlain
03/18/07 "The
Age' -- -- TONY Blair could face the prospect of
an International Criminal Court investigation for alleged
coalition war crimes in Iraq.
The court's chief prosecutor said at the weekend that he would
be willing to launch an inquiry and could envisage a scenario in
which the British Prime Minister and US President George Bush
could one day face charges at The Hague.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo urged Arab countries, particularly Iraq, to
sign up to the court to enable allegations against the West to
be pursued. Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations said that
his country was actively considering signing up.
The US has refused to accept the court's jurisdiction and is
unlikely to hand over any of its citizens to face trial.
However, Britain has signed up and the Government has indicated
its willingness to tackle accusations of war crimes against a
number of British soldiers.
Mr Moreno-Ocampo said it was frustrating that the court was
viewed in the Arab world as biased in favour of the West.
Asked whether he could envisage a situation in which Mr Blair
and Mr Bush found themselves in the dock answering charges of
war crimes in Iraq, he replied: "Of course, that could be a
possibility … whatever country joins the court can know that
whoever commits a crime in their country could be prosecuted by
me."
Human rights lawyers remain sceptical about whether charges will
ever be brought.
Some Muslim countries have criticised what they claim is the
court's reluctance to deal with offences committed by Western
governments. Sudan has called for the court to investigate
coalition actions in Iraq.
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