Belgium to Scrap War Crimes Law

Human rights groups accused Belgium of caving in to the US yesterday after the country's centre-left government said it would scrap a war crimes law which has upset Washington and Tel Aviv.

The 1993 law, which allowed Belgian courts to try cases of war crimes committed by anyone, anywhere and at any time, was used to launch a number of politically embarrassing lawsuits against US politicians and soldiers.

Former president George Bush, General Tommy Franks, the secretary of state, Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf and the vice-president, Dick Cheney, were all accused of war crimes in connection with the first or second Gulf wars, under the legislation.

The law was also used against the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, in connection with a massacre of Palestinian refugees in Beirut in 1982. Tony Blair has also been targeted.

Belgium tried to water down the law to satisfy the US but Washington insisted it was repealed, threatening to boycott Nato's headquarters in Brussels. That pressure appears to have paid off. A replacement law will only apply to Belgian citizens or residents.

A spokesman for Human Rights Watch told the daily Le Soir: "It's pathetic that Belgium could not resist at a time when the Americans are waging a veritable jihad against international justice."