Britain's Conservatives yesterday accused the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, of hypocrisy in his treatment of Gen Augusto Pinochet, and the suspected Nazi war criminal, Mr Konrad Kalejs, writes Rachel Donnelly
The former Chilean dictator underwent a series of medical tests in London to assess whether he is fit enough to be extradited to Spain to face torture charges. The Conservatives said Mr Straw had adopted the "extraordinary position" of facilitating Gen Pinochet's imprisonment while at the same time Mr Kalejs was allowed to escape justice in Britain.
Gen Pinochet arrived at Northwick Park hospital in Middlesex shortly before 9 a.m., accompanied by a large entourage from the Chilean Embassy. The independent tests were carried out by a neurologist and two doctors of gerontology appointed by the Home Office.
They were requested by the Chilean authorities after they appealed to the Home Secretary to block Gen Pinochet's extradition on compassionate grounds.
The Home Secretary will now await the conclusions of a medical report which is expected within a week before he is in a position to decide whether to halt Gen Pinochet's extradition. However, the Spanish investigating judge, Baltasar Garzon, is expected appeal against Mr Straw's decision if he rules that extradition cannot proceed.
The shadow home secretary, Ms Ann Widdecombe, suggested Gen Pinochet's and Mr Kalejs's cases exposed an "enormous contradiction" in Mr Straw's approach. "On the one hand you have got Gen Pinochet imprisoned, the full rigours of the law having been imposed despite his medical condition . . . now we arrive at Kalejs and you have got a halfway house where the Home Secretary is taking the extraordinary position of saying I have not got enough evidence so I think I will deport him," she told the BBC's Today programme.
Meanwhile, officials in Mexico have said they will bar Mr Kalejs if, as reported in Britain, he flies to the country later today.