Critics also say it is unfair the US authorities need only to outline the alleged offence, and provide "evidence or information that would justify the issue of a warrant for arrest in the UK" whereas British police must provide the American courts with evidence of "probable cause" if it wishes to extradite someone.
Meanwhile, Palestinians have expressed anger at the issue of a warrant for the arrest of Marwan Barghouti, the head of Mr Arafat's Fatah movement in the West Bank, by an Israeli court.