Tony Blair was challenged by Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, to use new "fast track" extradition procedures with the United States to ensure that American soldiers involved in the death of the ITN journalist Terry Lloyd faced trial in Britain.

Sir Menzies said at Prime Minister's questions that there was a prima facie case for the soldiers to answer.

He protested that the fast-track extradition system, which was backed by MPs on Tuesday despite concern that it favoured the US at the expense of British defendants, only went "one way". Mr Blair said it would be wrong for him to comment on any action that the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, might take in the case.

An inquest in Oxford earlier this month found that Mr Lloyd was unlawfully killed by American soldiers in southern Iraq in 2003.

The troops shot the 50-year-old journalist in the head while he was in a makeshift ambulance, the coroner said.

Sir Menzies plans to write to Robert Tuttle, the US ambassador to Britain, seeking clarification on how the American government would respond to a request to extradite the soldiers involved.

Comment:
This popped up in Prime Ministers questions (Wednesday 25th October 2006) where Tony Blair indicated he had no plans to extradite those who killed Terry Lloyd. Instead, Tony Blair said we should be praising the American troops in Iraq for doing a very tough job.