US refuses to extradite diplomat’s wife over teen’s death: British govt

London, January 24

The United States has rejected a request by the UK government to extradite the wife of a diplomat who was involved in a car accident that killed a teenager, the British government said on Friday.

The case of Anna Sacoolas, 42, has been a thorn in London’s close relations with Washington, stirring up debates over the limits of diplomatic immunity in cases unrelated to national security.

“We are disappointed in this decision, which appears to be a denial of justice,” a spokeswoman for the Home Office said.

“We are urgently considering our options.”

Briton Harry Dunn died in August when his motorbike collided with a car driving on the wrong side of the road near an airbase in Northamptonshire, central England, which is used by the US military as a communications hub.

Sacoolas admitted in October to being the driver, but has cited immunity while refusing to return to Britain to face justice, as Dunn’s parents demand.

The parents of the 19-year-old were informed of Mike Pompeo’s decision in a phone call with their MP on Thursday, a family spokesman said.

The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. AFP