It may have seemed at first that reports that plane-spotters had been arrested in Greece on suspicion of spying to have been a joke.

Nearly three weeks later it is clear to everyone that the case is no laughing matter bearing in mind the plan for an EU-wide arrest warrant.

The idea is simple: The police in another EU region can have you arrested in this country without a long and involved legal process, claiming that you have committed a crime in their country.

An EU magistrates' warrant is all that is required.

Agreement should be reached on implementing this warrant scheme by the time of the EU leaders' summit in Laeken, Belgium, on December 15.

However, the warrant scheme will cover much more than just terrorism.

It will be a complete replacement for extradition, and while certain exceptions have been agreed such as anti-globalisation protesters in general it will apply to offences for which the potential sentence is 12 months or more.

Sarah de Mas, from Fair Trials Abroad, was concerned that under the proposed scheme the plane-spotters would not have been safe even if they had come home.

"If it comes into place, the Greek magistrate could issue an arrest warrant at some future date, and any of the defendants could be whisked back to Greece," she said.

"That's what we're worried about."

This is another example of tyrannical EU law replacing fair British law and yet another reason why we would be "Better Off Out."

Alan S. Wood

Devizes Branch Chairman

UK Independence Party