Australian Extradited For Breaking US Law At Home

An anonymous reader sends us a link to a report in The Age about an Australian resident, who had never set foot in the US and broke US intellectual-property laws in Australia, being extradited to the US to face trial. Hew Raymond Griffiths pleaded guilty in Virginia to overseeing all aspects of the operation of the group Drink Or Die, which cracked copy-protected software and media products and distributed them for free. He faces up to 10 years in a US jail and half a million dollars in fines.

Comments

American Empire

[Phrogman]

This is just another brick in the foundation of the American Empire. The US has more weapons, and the ability to project force anywhere in the world, so it has abrogated to itself the *right* to do so whenever its Corporate^H^H^H National Interests seem threatened. It doesn't matter if it violates international law, commonly accepted moral conduct of civilized nations, or even its own internal laws. The US has a long history of invading countries for economic reasons (see the invasion of the Dominican Republic to save US Sugar interests etc). Despite the high purpose of its founding fathers, and the inspired contents of the US Constitution, the US is currently no more than the biggest baddest asshole on the block who feels he can do whatever the fuck he wants because no one will fuck with him for fear of being killed. US Military Personnel can be accused of warcrimes, yet the US will not let them be tried in an International Court, while simultaenously insisting that members of other countries be so tried. In complete violation of the US Constituation, people are being held without trial, without legal representation, and undoubtedly in a few cases, without reason in the concentration camp at Guantanamo Bay. If US personnel don't want to engage in torture that is so extreme it violates the shredded US laws, they simply send the prisoner to some CIA camp in a country that does permit it.

Under Bush and his cronies, the US has lost all credibility internationally I think. Its hard to claim to be the bastion of the free world and democracy, when you violate your own laws, routinely violate human rights, have a mercenary army numbering in the tens of thousands (or PMCs, ie Private Military Contractors in official parlance) in the country you violently attacked and occupied for no valid reason other than one that was concocted for the purpose of justifying that invasion etc. How can the US expect to be validated as the banner holder for Freedom and Democracy when they no longera adhere to the very virtues they claim to promote?

No, I like the US, I like those US citizens that I have met, and I think it wass once a noble and daring effort in democratic representation, now its just a nation in the process of decaying into another totalitarian state - albeit one that preserves at least the facade of supporting its ideals internally, while externally projecting the worst aspects of a Fascist Dictatorship. Its sad to see a nation like Australia kowtow to the Pitbull on the block.

I sincerely hope you can toss Bush out on his ass, preferably after impeaching him for gross misconduct and violation of his countries laws, and then begin work on repairing the reputation of the US internationally. In about 20 years you might undo some of the damage. If you care to try that is :(

Re:He most certainly IS under US jurisdiction

[fyngyrz]

The Australian court system isn't crooked and corrupt, so what's the problem with having the trial in Australia under Australian law?

That is precisely the problem. How would we violate Australian citizen's constitutional rights (and make no mistake, our constitution does apply those rights to their citizens) if the trial were to take place in Australia? It is critical that the trial be held here so that we can bring to bear any of our ex post facto, section one, or 1st, 2nd and 4th to 10th amendment rights tramplings. Do they think it's easy taking people's rights away? Our congress critters work night and day to ensure that the Australian people have equal opportunity to be abused. It takes treaties, payola, and more. Australians should thank the corporations that see to it that our congress critters are elected. Those... those ungrateful wretches.