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Bombing suspect extradition tests EU law

The request to surrender Issac Abdus Hamdi, also known as Osman Hussain and Hussain Osman, who is wanted in Britain on suspicion of involvement in the July 21 attacks, will be a key test for the European arrest warrant, which has come into effect over the past two years as part of the European Union`s fight against terrorism.

Its aim was to speed up the interminable bureaucracy of European extradition procedures, which, under the former system could drag on for a year, experts said Monday. The arrest warrant was seen as a big step in Europe`s streamlined counterterrorism efforts.

The idea for a warrant dates to the last decade, when European leaders first discussed developing common legal requirements for Europe to complement its gathering economic and political ties. But it was given fresh momentum by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.