Belgium Chamber OKs War Crimes Law Change

[Rose Siding]

Belgium Chamber OKs War Crimes Law Change

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Belgium's lower house approved a revision of a war crimes law Tuesday, removing provisions that were used to file complaints against President Bush over the Iraq war.

Current law allows Belgium to prosecute wars crimes suspects regardless of where the alleged offenses occurred or the nationality of those involved.

After it was used to lodge complaints against Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in connection with the war in Iraq, U.S. officials protested strongly and threatened to move NATO headquarters out of Belgium unless the law was scrapped.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's government has worked to revise the measure, hoping to have the new law in place by the weekend.


Newsday