Letting them pass through

Jack Straw explains why he's contemplating changes in the law that will make it possible for British courts to try those alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity elsewhere - at least since 1991. At the same time, he explains why he thinks this should apply to suspects who are resident in the country, not to those merely passing through. 'We are not offering the UK as an alternative international court,' Straw says. The question here is why Straw should want to cut off the opportunity of apprehending and bringing to justice someone suspected of crimes under international humanitarian law on a major scale. Suppose it were a Pinochet passing through. See this column by Ken Macdonald.