INTERPOL Granted Diplomatic Immunity In the US

ShakaUVM writes "A couple of weeks ago without any fanfare or notice in the media, President Obama granted INTERPOL full diplomatic immunity while conducting investigations on American soil. While INTERPOL has been allowed to operate in the US in the past, under an executive order by President Reagan, they've had to follow the same rules as the FBI, CIA, etc., while on American soil. This means, among other things, the new executive order makes INTERPOL immune to Freedom of Information Act requests and that INTERPOL agents cannot be punished for most any crimes they may commit. Hopefully the worst we'll see from this is INTERPOL agents ignoring their speeding tickets." Update: 01/05 02:57 GMT by KD : Reader davecb pointed out an ABC News blog that comes to pretty much the opposite conclusion as to the import of the executive order.

Re:How's this different from embassies?

[bcmm]

Indeed, and the reason that diplomatic immunity is not a "do whatever you want" license is that any laws you break result in embarrassing complaints to your home country, who will recall you and punish you in their own system.

Re:About time to arm ourselves

[Pinky's Brain]

It's wrong ... but it's wrong in an even more absurd way.

Interpol DOES have diplomatic immunity ... because REAGAN GAVE IT TO THEM.

Likely in response to illegal kidnapping by USA

[deksza]

In December of 2009 the FDA duped Interpol to achieve illegal kidnapping and deportation of herbal formulator Greg Caton: http://www.naturalnews.com/027750_Greg_Caton_FDA.html [naturalnews.com] Whatever you may think of Greg Caton and his herbal products, this was an illegal kidnapping by US officials. This executive order was likely to cover their asses after the fact.

Re:Riddle me this...

[Ungrounded Lightning]

How is Interpol (or another international organization) going to harm an ordinary citizen ...

When you can't bring them to justice? Any way they want.

Just like any other police functionary in a situation where he is himself beyond the reach of the law.

There are LOTS of examples of such behavior, historical and current, domestic and foreign. Most of the laws and legal precedent put in place to stop or redress this behavior are exactly what just got waived. ... in the course of their official duties?

How do you prove they were acting OUTSIDE their "official duties" when you can't bring the legal system to bear?

Re:About time to arm ourselves

[moosesocks]

This country soverignty has been slowly eroded over the years. The founding father's effort is now all lost. Time to fight the 2nd Independence war in 2012.

Reading a bit much Ayn Rand, have we?

1) RTFA, and read the rest of the comments in this thread. The overall effect of this executive order is essentially nil. Also read up on what INTERPOL's actual function is -- it hardly threatens our sovereignty (direct these complaints toward NATO, the UN, and any other alliances that we have entered)

2) The "founding fathers" set up a pretty decent government. However, they were not infallible, and provided avenues to amend their documents for that very reason. I imagine that most of them would balk at the godlike status with which they are treated today.

Re:Right-wing propaganda

[Anonymous Coward]

You don't like a supposedly right-leaning document (I didn't bother to read it), so you go and find the most publicized, left-leaning document that America has to offer: The NY Times.

Bravo.

If you read the act, then you see a different story:

(b) International organizations, their property and their assets, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall enjoy the same immunity from suit and every form of Judicial process as is enjoyed by foreign governments, except to the extent that such organizations may expressly waive their immunity for the purpose of any proceedings or by the terms of any contract.