Just came across this post on the extradition of the Howes family by/to the USA.

According to the website, the family ran a small business selling chemicals over the Internet from the home in Bo’ness. However two of the substances they sold were iodine and red phosphorus. The former has medical uses and the latter is often used in the manufacture of fireworks and other pyrotechnics.

Their business was perfectly legitimate, had been checked by the Health & Safety Executive and neither substance is controlled under Scots (or UK) law. However, they are ingredients in crystal meth, and as such US enforcement agencies have decided to take action.

Under the terms of the draconian extradition treaty our government has kindly signed with the United States, US law enforment agencies no longer have to provide evidence of a prima facie case in order to secure extradition.

And so, due to our efforts to fight the “war on terror”, a Scottish couple running a legitimate business have already spent 7 months on remand and may well end up spending the next twenty years of their lives doing hard time in an Arizona prison.

Which seems a little harsh, doesn’t it?