SEPT. 30 2006 UPDATE - THE US SENATE HAS PASSED THE US UK EXTRADITION TREATY - TREATY NOW GOES TO PRESIDENT FOR SIGNATURE INTO LAW

Irish Freedom Committee Action Request

UK/US EXTRADITION TREATY

PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY

Please CALL, WRITE, or VISIT your US Senator as soon as possible to ask them to oppose the draconian and un-American UK/US Extradition Treaty which is now before the Senate for ratification.

This document [Treaty Doc. 108-23] -- signed under cover of great secrecy on March 31st, 2003 by US Attorney General John Ashcroft, and Britain’s Home Secretary David Blunkett-- permanently erases America’s symbolic image as a land where the oppressed of the world can escape to as a haven of freedom from foreign oppression.

This treaty will make possible the extradition and imprisonment of any American deemed to be “anti-Britain” or opposed to British military rule in Ireland. Under the terms of this Extradition Treaty, American citizens will be eligible for extradition to Britain to stand trial without proof of guilt and without judicial review. There is no statute of limitations to these offenses, which can be lodged on the word of a sole witness. The document at first glance upholds, but then proceeds to decimate, the political exemption clause; a cornerstone of America’s diplomatic relations since Thomas Jefferson refused the extradition of an opponent of the French Revolution. This document is by far the most extreme US Treaty yet and will have drastic effect on any person who has ever spoken out against British human rights abuses at any time in their lives.

The fact that Ashcroft and Blunkett signed this treaty as opposed to Colin Powell and Jack Straw indicates that this is being considered as a matter for law enforcement as opposed to diplomacy.

Please DON’T DELAY. Please CONTACT YOUR SENATORS and ask them to BLOCK this dangerous and un-American Treaty, written purely at the behest of the interests of a foreign government.

The Treaty needs only a TWO-THIRDS majority to pass, and according to the US Senate’s own website, the Senate has rejected relatively few of the hundreds of treaties it has considered in its history. Should the Senate ratify this Treaty, the rights that so many Americans hold dear are in grave danger of being permanently and irretrievably eroded at the behest of a foreign government.

Please DON’T DELAY. Please CONTACT YOUR SENATORS and ask them to BLOCK this dangerous and un-American Treaty, written purely at the behest of the interests of a foreign government.

>>>>SAMPLE LETTER<<<<

The Treaty needs only a TWO-THIRDS majority to pass, and according to the Senate’s own website the Senate has rejected relatively few of the hundreds of treaties it has considered in its history.

Before this Treaty reaches the individual Senate members for consideration, it will be received by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; who will either pass it or reject it. If the Senate Foreign Relations Committee rejects it, it will in all likelihood go no further.

>>NEW: If you are a resident of ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, or WISCONSIN -- the states whose Senators make up the Foreign Relations Committee-- your help is especially needed. See the additional link for more local addresses to contact if you live in these states. Senators will place more value upon the issues that come from their own constituents, and will have a greater interest in your concerns if you are potentially someone who will vote for them.

PHONE and WRITE their Washington and local offices, and visit their offices personally if you can.

Further documentation is linked below.

PLEASE DON’T DELAY!!! Your voice WILL make a difference. Please act today before it’s too late!

RECENT UPDATES

DEC. 5, 2006 - Boston IFC Member writes about the Treaty in "The Bridge" here

SEPT. 30, 2006 - FULL SENATE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES US-UK EXTRADITION TREATY more

Congressional Record report

SEPT. 7, 2006 - SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE PASSES TREATY more

SEPT. 7, 2006 - SHAME ON SEN. CHRIS DODD AND ALL SFRC MEMBERS more

AUG. 30, 2006 - IFC Joins Fax Blitz on Senate against US-UK Extradition Treaty more

AUG. 11, 2006 - TREATY RETURNS TO HEARINGS SEPT. 7th more

JULY 28, 2006 - Warning from Prof. Francis Boyle more

JULY 27, 2006 - Peter Hain seeks Irish American support - Irish Voice

JULY 25, 2006 - Key Senators in Treaty Hearings considering White House in 2008 more

JULY 25, 2006 - "The Long Game" - Mike Morley, Irish American News here

JULY 24, 2006 - IFC ACTION REQUEST - CALL SENATE - COMMITTEE HEARINGS CONTINUE more

JULY 21, 2006 - COMMITTEE HEARINGS UPDATE more

JULY 21, 2006 - SENATE COMMITTEE HEARINGS IN SESSION

read Francis Boyle testimony against US/UK Extradition Treaty (.pdf doc., 10 pgs)
read Senator Lugar's opening statement

JULY 19, 2006 - HEARINGS POSTPONED 2 DAYS - URGENT ACTION NEEDED more

JULY 12, 2006 - UK PARLIAMENT VOTES TO SCRAP EXTRADITION PACT - UPI story

JULY 12, 2006 - UK MPs protest 'lopsided' extradition treaty with US - Jurist

JULY 11, 2006 - Brit minister begs US Senate to save Brit Gov't from embarrassment UK Independent story

JULY 11, 2006 - FOREIGN RELATIONS HEARINGS ANNOUNCED for NEXT WEEK more

JULY 10, 2006 - UK minister to lobby US to ratify extradition treaty Jurist

NOV. 16 2005 - Please CONTINUE PRESSURE - send letters to Senators....sample letter

Especially needed - Constituents from states with senators on Foreign Relations Committee...more

NOV. 15, 2005 - PRESSURE WORKS!! Senate Foreign Relations postpones Hearings to 2006, citing "concern"... more

NOV. 11, 2005 - Senate Foreign Relations hearings suddenly announced!

No-Warning Hearings announced for TUES. NOV. 15 2005 - PLEASE CALL YOUR U.S. SENATOR and members of U.S. Senate Foreign Relations ..more

APR. 26, 2005 - British Parliament motions government to defer extradition of British citizens to US until US passes Extradition Treaty ... 140 MPs sign motion to repeal in opposition to Treaty ... more

APR. 23, 2004 - US/UK Treaty Transferred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee

US/UK Extradition Treaty now in line for Senate Hearings - Your help is urgently needed to block these hearings. Please call and write your U.S. Senator

MAY 19, 2004 - Could treaty with UK target U.S. founders?

APR. 23, 2004 - URGENT - US/UK Extradition Treaty in Senate

APR. 23, 2004 - White House Transfer Documents

( PDF file 643 KB ) You will need a free Adobe Reader to view this file

March 7, 2004 - "A British dagger at the heart of Irish America"

RESPONSE by Human Rights attorney Francis Boyle to US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (PDF file 631 KB ) - You will need a free Adobe Reader to view this file

	READ COMPLETE TEXT OF TREATY
	CONTACT YOUR SENATORS
	SAMPLE LETTER to SENATORS UPDATED
	MORE INFORMATION
	NEW: RECENT UPDATES
	NEW: TALKING POINTS for SENATE CALL