EU PROTESTS AS THREE ARE HANGED IN TRINIDAD

PORT OF SPAIN - A drug dealer and two accomplices were hanged for murder in
Trinidad yesterday despite last-minute manoeuvres by lawyers to stop the
first executions for five years.

Dole Chadee, 49, was hanged at 6am, in the first of nine scheduled
executions. The accomplices went to the gallows later in the morning; three
more are expected to be hanged today and a further three on Monday. More
executions are likely to follow.

Britain's high commissioner joined a protest by European Union diplomats
three weeks ago, telling Trinidad's Foreign Minister, Ralph Maraj, of their
governments' opposition to the death penalty. Germany, which now holds the
EU presidency, sent a further statement to the Trinidad government yesterday.

Chadee's hanging was the first in Trinidad since 1994 - when the convicted
man died 10 minutes before a stay of execution faxed from the Privy Council
arrived - and only the second since 1979. Chadee was convicted of ordering
the murder of a cane farmer, Deo Baboolal, 47, his wife, Rookmin, and two
children.

He was a drug dealer said to have millions of pounds in Isle of Man
accounts. One of two gang members who gave evidence against him was
murdered, and such was the fear of him that 200 possible jurors were
questioned before 12 could be found to try him.