Congress Scrutinizes Justice Department Memorandum Authorizing Kidnapping and other Alternatives to Extraditions

Facing a contempt proceeding by the House Judiciary Subcommittee, the United States Department of Justice has provided to Congress as 29-page opinion prepared in June 21, 1989 that justifies kidnapping in certain cases. In doing so, the opinion reverses a 1980 opinion written by then Assistant Attorney General John M. Harmon, which opined that Federal Bureau of Investigation does not have authority to foricbly apprehend fugitives overseas without the consent of foreign governments.