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Ruddock takes control of foreign troop cases
Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says he will personally consider any requests to stop foreign soldiers being prosecuted in Australian courts. Two US marines recently escaped prosecution for stabbing a man in north Queensland when their case was transferred to the United States. A bureaucratic delegation approved the transfer on the condition the men would be vigorously pursued in American courts.Mr Ruddock says he stands by that decision but has since disbanded the panel of bureaucrats that approved the transfer and will make future rulings himself. He says it is unfortunate the Australian victim was unable to give evidence but it would not have changed the outcome. "He was not called because it was believed the evidence was not helpful," Mr Ruddock said. "He has been debriefed by the American officials since then. My concern was it didn't happen in a timely way." Posted by: God Save The World 2005-08-09 |
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