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Tom BatemanUS State Department correspondent<\/p>\n
Is Trump threatening to commit a war crime?published at 03:42 BST<\/p>\n
03:42 BST<\/p>\n
Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump’s threat to blow up electricity plants, oil wells and water desalination plants in Iran could amount to a threat to commit potential war crimes, according to international treaties and conventions on the laws of war.<\/p>\n
The deliberate destruction of energy infrastructure could have a devastating effect on civilian life – even if the plants are also argued to have a military or government purpose.<\/p>\n
Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – to which neither the US nor Iran are party – told me that Trump’s bombing of Iranian power plants, as well as attacks by both Iran and Israel on energy infrastructure, would not amount to legitimate targets.<\/p>\n
Under the Rome Statute, established by the court, “intentionally directing attacks at civilian objects… which are not military objectives” is a war crime, Moreno Ocampo said.<\/p>\n
Trump has previously said he doesn’t “need international law” and is guided by his “own morality”.<\/p>\n
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about this issue of potential war crimes last week and rejected the notion. <\/p>\n
“Of course, this administration and the United States armed forces will
\nalways act within the confines of the law. But with respect to achieving the
\nfull objectives of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump is going to move
\nforward unabated. And he expects the Iranian regime to make a deal
\nwith the administration.”<\/p>\n