Interpol Issues Wanted Notice For U.S. Diplomat’s Wife Sought Over Fatal Crash: Report

LONDON (Reuters) ― Interpol has issued a wanted notice for Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a U.S. diplomat, who is wanted in Britain over a fatal car crash in a case that has caused friction between London and Washington, ITV reported on Monday.

“An Interpol Red Notice has been issued for 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a U.S. intelligence official charged with causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn by dangerous driving,” ITV reporter Adam Clark said on Twitter.

Interpol’s website says a Red Notice is “a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.” Interpol issues such requests at the request of a member country, and they are not an international arrest warrant.

Interpol said it did not confirm red notices other than those listed on its website. Sacoolas was not listed publicly.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service did not confirm the ITV report but said in a statement that it still wanted Sacoolas to stand trial in Britain over last August’s crash.

“We will continue to do everything we can to seek to ensure that happens. We are unable, however, to give any explanation of what steps may or may not be taken, because to do so may compromise operational effectiveness,” the spokesman said.

The United States in January rejected a formal request from Britain for the extradition of Sacoolas saying she had diplomatic immunity and that to extradite her would set “an extraordinarily troubling precedent.”

“Secretary (of State Mike) Pompeo’s decision in that regard was final,” a State Department spokesperson on Monday said but did not specifically say whether a Red Notice was issued or not.

“Since the tragic accident occurred, the United States has been closely engaged with the UK government, and we have been transparent about our positions on legal and diplomatic matters concerning this accident,” the spokesperson added.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman reiterated criticism of the United States for refusing to extradite Sacoolas, saying it was a “denial of justice” and she should return to the UK.

The case prompted an intervention from President Donald Trump in October last year, when he hosted Dunn’s parents at the White House and tried unsuccessfully to persuade them to meet with Sacoolas, without having given them prior notice that she was in the building.

Asked about the ITV report, the police force local to the incident said it was in the hands of extradition specialists and declined to comment further.