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Dear Theresa,

My name is Neil Tappin and yesterday my father was extradited to the US. The last 18

months have been an incredibly surreal and horrifying experience. Saying goodbye to himyesterday was utterly harrowing. As you know, my father is now at the mercy of a foreign

legal system and I quite understand there is nothing we can do to help. However, I felt

compelled to write to you about the process of the extradition now that we have completed

this shocking journey.

Few people would question the idea that the spirit of the original treaty has been broken.

What was created to remove legal processes for extraditing terror suspects is being used

to remove people like my father - a 65 year old retired golf club president with an

unblemished law-abiding record. As far as I can see from the last Conservative electionmanifesto, this is a point of view we share.

However, I have become increasingly disheartened and rather shocked by the lack of

action on your part. I fully understand that as the head of one of the biggest government

departments you have an incredible number of issues to address. However, the current

extradition treaty, if it remains as it is, will continue to undermine the principles of fair

justice and innocence until proven guilty, that are the most basic cornerstones upon which

any good society is built.

Please can you take the time to answer me the following question - if the current

extradition agreement had not made it so easy to remove British citizens, would my

father's alleged criminal activity have taken place? The case against my father, as far as

we can tell, is one of entrapment. In this instance it has ensnared a man who has never

shown any previous interest in trading arms. A treaty that creates an environment in which

criminal activity is encouraged is clearly wrong.

It seems unlikely that just a few years prior to his retirement he would risk everything bygetting involved in allegedly agreeing to trade missile parts. Despite the nature of the case

against him and his record as nothing other than a respected businessman and law-

abiding citizen, not a single shred of evidence, for or against, was presented in a British

court.

Last Wednesday during PMQs, David Cameron said that you had been following my

father's case very closely. If that is so, then you will understand the details of the case and

should be able to respond to the question above. I understand that with the extradition

treaty as it stands, there is little you could have done. That is clear. However, the Scott-Baker review is preventing you from introducing the reform that so many people (including

the elected MPs) can see is essential. Please do not continue to dodge this issue based

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on the findings of Scott Baker.

Please can you also take a moment to explain why the documents Dominic Raab has

requested are still not being released. You have created an appearance that there is

something to hide which I sincerely hope is not the case. Furthermore, the JCHR report is

waiting, ready to be activated. It clearly demonstrates the simple changes that can bemade.

I am sure that you originally selected your career path because you wanted to do

something to make a difference. Watching my father depart for the US yesterday was

heart-wrenching and the fear of what lies ahead is consuming the whole family. You have

the power to prevent other families going through this same ordeal and all we ask is that

evidence, for and against, be shown in a UK court before extradition takes place. It's a

basic matter of human rights.

Enquiries and reports are all very well but we need actions. This extradition treaty has

cruelly ripped the heart from our family, leaving us with a real sense that our government

has turned its back on my father.

Finally, I am concerned to discover that many people have already written to you about

my father's case and I am unaware that you have responded to any of them. Please do

not throw this email in the bin, as an act of good will I would appreciate a response as we

are wrestling with many unanswered questions.

King regards