Harry Dunn: Mike Pompeo says Interpol Red Notice refusal is 'final'

12 May 2020, 11:03

The Dunn family's advisor and spokesperson Radd Seiger has told LBC that "all right minded people know that she needs to come back to the UK now".

The alleged killer of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn is "wanted internationally" after an Interpol Red Notice was issued for her arrest, a family spokesman has said.

The notice for Anne Sacoolas means she could be arrested now if she leaves the US.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC, Radd Seiger said: "All right minded people know that she needs to come back now after this development yesterday."

The teenage motorcyclist's family were told by Northamptonshire Police on Monday that 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas was "wanted internationally" in connection with his death.

In an email to the 19-year-old's parents the force said "the wanted circulations should be enacted" if Sacoolas left the US.

Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence official based at RAF Croughton claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash which killed Mr Dunn, and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international outcry.

She was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in December but the extradition request from the Home Office was rejected the following month.

Radd Seiger also told Nick Ferrari: "It means that she is now a fugitive, on the run and if she sets foot outside of the US she is going to be arrested and returned to the UK.

"But the most important development is that the British authorities have concluded that she did not have diplomatic immunity. You don't circulate a red notice if the claim for diplomatic immunity is valid.

When asked about President Trump's position, Mr Seiger replied: "Is Donald Trump really going to be the person who harbours a fugitive as the leader of the free world?

"I have absolutely no doubt that Anne Sacoolas will be back, but I speak to the White House regularly and I don''t think they even know what kind of mood Donald Trump will be in from minute to minute. We may have to wait until he is out of office.

The US State Department has said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's decision to refuse an extradition request for Harry Dunn's alleged killer was final, amid claims of an Interpol Red Notice being issued for her arrest.

The Department has said the decision to refuse an extradition request for Harry Dunn's alleged killer was final, amid claims of an Interpol Red Notice being issued for her arrest.

A spokeswoman said the State Department maintained the position that Anne Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity from criminal jurisdiction.

She said that granting the extradition request for Sacoolas would have rendered the invocation of diplomatic immunity a practical nullity and would have set an "extraordinarily troubling precedent".

The spokeswoman added that the US has a history of close law enforcement co-operation with the UK, and values that relationship.

EXCLUSIVE: President Trump On Harry Dunn's Death

According to Interpol's website, a Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.

The Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant, but is issued for fugitives wanted for prosecution or sentencing.

The process is normally used so member countries can look out for the suspect, which usually assists with extradition proceedings.

On hearing the news, the teenager's mother said: "It's been a terrible time for us. We are utterly bereft and heartbroken and miss our Harry every minute of every single day.

"This is important news that Radd has just passed on to us and we are in pieces.

"I just want to urge Mrs Sacoolas to come back to the UK and do the right thing. Face justice and maybe then our two families can come together after the tragedy and build a bridge."

Mr Seiger said: "Northamptonshire Police have confirmed to me that an Interpol Red Notice has now been circulated worldwide in respect of Anne Sacoolas.

"It renders her a fugitive on the run and it means that she would be arrested and returned to the UK the minute she attempts to set foot out of the USA.

"Red Notices would not be served on valid diplomats. I would urge the authorities in London and Washington and Mrs Sacoolas's legal team to come together now to return her to the UK to face the English justice system where she will get a fair trial.

"I am sure that both families have suffered for far too long and it is time for her to do the right thing and come back."

On Monday, Mr Seiger tweeted: "For those slightly confused, I can confirm that Interpol have circulated a Red Notice in respect of Anne Sacoolas.

"Police forces around the world are requested to locate her and provisionally arrest her with a view to her extradition to the UK."

Lisa Nandy MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, commenting on the decision by Interpol to issue a red notice for Anne Sacoolas, said: “This is an important first step in the journey to secure justice for Harry Dunn and his family. It has been nine months since Harry lost his life and Ms Sacoolas left the UK without the permission of Northamptonshire Police. The decision to issue this notice highlights the clear and repeated failings of the Foreign Office in the handling of the case.

“It is now recognised that the decision to allow Ms Sacoolas to leave the UK – without the knowledge of the investigating police force – is a clear violation of legal protocol. It makes clear that Ms Sacoolas is wanted for crimes in the UK. Labour is working on a cross-party basis to establish a Parliamentary inquiry into how this was allowed to happen and we will continue to raise this with the United States authorities.

“The Foreign Secretary must now urgently come to the House to explain these failings, and set out how he will engage with his counterparts in the United States to resolve this situation and provide much-needed closure for Harry Dunn’s family and loved ones.”