US-UK extradition law explained

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Page last updated at 14:06 GMT, Thursday, 15 March 2012

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By Ben Mundy
Newsbeat reporter David Cameron and Barack Obama

The prime minister and President Obama have agreed to look at how extradition laws work between their two countries.

David Cameron says he wants to look into the formal agreement that puts British suspects on trial in America in the light of recent controversial cases.

Newsbeat has been looking at the deal.

What is the current extradition agreement?

The deal was originally drawn up after the 9/11 attacks in the US and was designed to try to make sure terror suspects could be extradited.

Both a British court and the home secretary have to approve an extradition.

Those safeguards are in place to prevent someone being sent to America who shouldn't.

What's the problem?

Critics say existing rules make it easier for UK nationals to be sent to the US because the authorities in America have to produce less evidence.

There are twice as many Britons extradited to America as come the other way and there are fears that the system is biased against Britain.

In recent months concerns have been raised the deal is being overused for less serious cases though.

What are those cases?

There have been three controversial cases in the past year.

Sixty-five-year-old Christopher Tappin was sent to America last month, accused of planning to export batteries for Iranian missiles.

He denies that and says he's been set up by the FBI.

There's also the case of Gary McKinnon who faces extradition over claims he hacked into military computer systems.

And just this week 23-year-old Richard O'Dwyer was told he'll be sent to the US to face trial accused of breaking copyright laws.

What happens now?

The coalition government ordered a review of the treaty shortly after coming to power.

A senior judge concluded the deal was fair to British citizens last year though and that makes it tricky for another one to happen because it would mean a review of a review.

So David Cameron has now asked Barack Obama if they can look at the agreement between the two countries.