HL Deb 18 November 2003 vol 654 cc278-9WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What were the reasons given to the Bow Street Magistrates' Court that led them to extend the date by which a decision must be reached as to the issue of an Order to Proceed in the matter of the Argentinean request for the extradition of Mr Hadi Soleimanpour. [HL5499]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)

The court's deadline for receipt of an Order to Proceed in Mr Soleimanpour's case was initially set as 23 October. Shortly before that date, the Home Office received a substantial amount of further material in support of the Argentinean extradition request. To enable that material to be carefully considered, the court acceded to an application under the Extradition Act 1989 for the Order to Proceed deadline to be extended to 13 November. It was decided on 11 November not to issue an order and to cancel the warrant for Mr Soleimanpour's provisional arrest.