FRISBIES, CROISSANTS, AND STATE TERRORISM

In: Peace review: the international quarterly of world peace, Band 7, Heft 3-4, S. 371-375

Abstract

IN JUNE 1992, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HELD THAT, IN THE CASE OF THE UNITED STATES VERSUS ALVAREZ-MACHAIN, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S KIDNAPPING OF A MEXICAN CITIZEN DID NOT PREVENT HIM FROM BEING TRIED IN AN AMERICAN COURT FOR VIOLATIONS OF CRIMINAL LAWS. ALTHOUGH THE USA AND MEXICO ARE PARTIES TO A BILATERAL EXTRADITION TREATY, THE USA FORCIBLY ABDUCTED ALVAREZ-MACHAIN WITHOUT INVOKING IT. THIS AND OTHER RECENT ABDUCTIONS HAVE CAUSED INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS TO CONDEMN STATES, SUCH AS THE USA AND ISRAEL, FOR DISREGARDING INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THEIR BILATERAL EXTRADITION TREATIES. THIS BLATANT DISMISSAL OF EXISTING TREATIES CALLS FOR A SELF-EXECUTING MULTILATERAL EXTRADITION TREATY DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO REGULATING STATE-SPONSORED KIDNAPPING AND ASSASSINATION.