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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/oct/09/harry-dunn-parents-civil-action-anne-sacoolas
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| Harry Dunn: parents to start action to return crash suspect to UK | Harry Dunn: parents to start action to return crash suspect to UK |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The parents of a motorcyclist killed in a crash, who are seeking the return to Britain of an American suspect, have announced they will start a civil action to try to remove her diplomatic immunity and force her back to the UK for questioning. | The parents of a motorcyclist killed in a crash, who are seeking the return to Britain of an American suspect, have announced they will start a civil action to try to remove her diplomatic immunity and force her back to the UK for questioning. |
| The announcement came after the family ended a 45-minute meeting with the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, that they said left them frustrated and feeling like it had “just been a publicity stunt”. | The announcement came after the family ended a 45-minute meeting with the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, that they said left them frustrated and feeling like it had “just been a publicity stunt”. |
| Harry Dunn, 19, died when his motorcycle collided with a car on 27 August. | Harry Dunn, 19, died when his motorcycle collided with a car on 27 August. |
| On Wednesday night a Downing Street spokesman said that Boris Johnson had discussed the case in a call to Donald Trump. “The prime minister urged the president to reconsider the US position so the individual involved can return to the UK, cooperate with police and allow Harry’s family to receive justice.” | |
| Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a CIA operative, left the UK days after the crash, with the US state department claiming she was covered by diplomatic immunity. Dunn’s parents have been urging the UK government either to challenge that claim or to put more pressure on the US to waive immunity. | Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a CIA operative, left the UK days after the crash, with the US state department claiming she was covered by diplomatic immunity. Dunn’s parents have been urging the UK government either to challenge that claim or to put more pressure on the US to waive immunity. |
| This would allow her to return to the UK to face questioning by Northamptonshire police over the incident. A Volvo car allegedly driven by Sacoolas struck Dunn after leaving RAF Croughton. | This would allow her to return to the UK to face questioning by Northamptonshire police over the incident. A Volvo car allegedly driven by Sacoolas struck Dunn after leaving RAF Croughton. |
| The Downing Street spokesman said that Trump was aware of the case and expressed his condolences to Dunn’s parents in his call with Johnson. “The leaders agreed to work together to find a way forward as soon as possible,” he said. | |
| Raab met Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, and his father, Tim Dunn, on Wednesday afternoon after having talks with the US ambassador, Woody Johnson, on Tuesday. | Raab met Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, and his father, Tim Dunn, on Wednesday afternoon after having talks with the US ambassador, Woody Johnson, on Tuesday. |
| Charles told reporters afterwards: “I can’t really see the point as to why we were invited to see Dominic Raab. We are no further forward than where we were this time last week. Part of me is feeling like it was just a publicity stunt on the UK government side to show they are trying to help. But, although he is engaging with us, we have no answers. We are really frustrated that we could spend half an hour or more with him and just come out with nothing.” | Charles told reporters afterwards: “I can’t really see the point as to why we were invited to see Dominic Raab. We are no further forward than where we were this time last week. Part of me is feeling like it was just a publicity stunt on the UK government side to show they are trying to help. But, although he is engaging with us, we have no answers. We are really frustrated that we could spend half an hour or more with him and just come out with nothing.” |
| Radd Seiger, the spokesman for the family, said of the meeting: “To say we are disappointed with the outcome is an understatement.” Accusing Raab of being cold in the meeting, he said that following conversations with lawyers expert in the field of diplomatic immunity, it was not right to suggest her claim of diplomatic immunity was not open to challenge. | |
| He said the law on immunity was outmoded and understood by only a handful of experts. The family felt let down by Raab simply repeating the US assertion that it never allowed waivers on diplomatic immunity, he said. | He said the law on immunity was outmoded and understood by only a handful of experts. The family felt let down by Raab simply repeating the US assertion that it never allowed waivers on diplomatic immunity, he said. |
| Seiger added on Sky News: “One of the things the world should know is that these parents are determined to seek justice for Harry and they will do anything they can lawfully to achieve those ends. There is not just a steely determination; there is a fiery determination, and wherever the answers are or wherever the justice is, whether it is here on this side of the Atlantic or the other, that is where they are determined to go. | Seiger added on Sky News: “One of the things the world should know is that these parents are determined to seek justice for Harry and they will do anything they can lawfully to achieve those ends. There is not just a steely determination; there is a fiery determination, and wherever the answers are or wherever the justice is, whether it is here on this side of the Atlantic or the other, that is where they are determined to go. |
| “We do not believe this lady has immunity and we know for certain that waivers are almost always granted. We are perplexed, confused, angry.” | “We do not believe this lady has immunity and we know for certain that waivers are almost always granted. We are perplexed, confused, angry.” |
| He said Tim Dunn “is angry with the foreign secretary – he does not feel the meeting was handled well. He felt it was cold and there was not much warmth, and I have to say I cannot blame him. It was a strange meeting.” | He said Tim Dunn “is angry with the foreign secretary – he does not feel the meeting was handled well. He felt it was cold and there was not much warmth, and I have to say I cannot blame him. It was a strange meeting.” |
| He said the family did not know much about the law around diplomatic immunity. “This is a complicated area of law with outdated laws, and many lawyers struggle to understand. The parents don’t know the law. They do not understand much of this, but this a right/wrong situation.” | He said the family did not know much about the law around diplomatic immunity. “This is a complicated area of law with outdated laws, and many lawyers struggle to understand. The parents don’t know the law. They do not understand much of this, but this a right/wrong situation.” |
| Raab has also spoken by phone to the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, as well as the US ambassador. The Foreign Office said it was in no doubt that Sacoolas’s family was covered by diplomatic immunity under the Vienna convention, and that it could not challenge that fact. | Raab has also spoken by phone to the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, as well as the US ambassador. The Foreign Office said it was in no doubt that Sacoolas’s family was covered by diplomatic immunity under the Vienna convention, and that it could not challenge that fact. |
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