Harry Dunn: Raab expresses ‘disappointment’ to Pompeo over extradition rejection

Dominic Raab met US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Wednesday at the Foreign Office in London, where they discussed future co-operation between the US and UK as well as the situations in Iran and Yemen.

In a statement, an FCO spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary reiterated his disappointment at the US decision to reject the extradition request for Anne Sacoolas and emphasised the importance of delivering justice for Harry Dunn and his family.”

The meeting comes after Mr Dunn’s mother said she expected Mr Raab to “not accept anything less” than the return of her son’s alleged killer after his meeting with the US secretary of state.

An extradition request for Mrs Sacoolas was refused last week.

Mr Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles told the PA news agency she had “looked (Mr Raab) in the eye and urged him to do everything he can” to bring Mrs Sacoolas back to the UK during a meeting with the Foreign Secretary on Monday.

But speaking after Mr Raab’s meeting with Mr Pompeo, Ms Charles said the family was grateful that the Foreign Secretary had delivered on his promise.

She added: “We are grateful to the Foreign Secretary for delivering on his promise to us that he would make it clear to Mr Pompeo that the UK will not accept his disgraceful decision to not extradite Anne Sacoolas and that it must be reversed.

“Our campaign will not stop until she is back facing our justice system.”

Family spokesman Radd Seiger said he expected the Government to make it clear there would be “severe consequences” if the suspect’s return continued to be refused.

Mr Dunn, 19, was killed when his motorbike collided with a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

Mrs Sacoolas, 42, the wife of a US intelligence official based at RAF Croughton, claimed diplomatic immunity after the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.

Speaking of what she hoped would come from the Foreign Secretary’s meeting with Mr Pompeo, Mrs Charles told PA: “On Monday when we met with Mr Raab, I looked him in the eye and urged him to do everything he can to bring Anne Sacoolas back so that I can keep the promise that I made to Harry on the night that he died that we would get him justice.

“As any mum or dad would understand, we won’t be able to get closure until that happens.

“Mr Raab assured me that he will not accept anything less than Anne Sacoolas coming back.”

After the extradition request for Mrs Sacoolas was refused, a spokesman for the US State Department said the request was rejected because it would render the invocation of diplomatic immunity a practical nullity and set an extraordinarily troubling precedent.

The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary have all labelled the extradition refusal a “denial of justice”.

Asked what he expects from Mr Raab and Boris Johnson in their meetings with Mr Pompeo, Mr Seiger told PA: “Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab have a huge opportunity when they meet with Mike Pompeo to make a stand for right versus wrong.

“Pompeo has ridden roughshod over the relationship by rejecting the extradition request for Anne Sacoolas and now somewhat disingenuously claims he is coming to reaffirm the special relationship.

“We fully expect our leaders to make it clear that Anne Sacoolas must be returned to face justice and that that is the only way forward or there will be severe consequences.

“We are told the UK Government is reviewing all of its options.

“Show the nation now that you have the wherewithal to stand up to this disgraceful decision and make the country proud of you by not being cowed or bullied into accepting that it is OK for Americans to come to the UK, kill our children and just get on the next plane back home.”