Britain to Send 26 to Belgium for Soccer Trial

Britain today ordered the extradition of 26 English soccer fans to Belgium to stand trial on manslaughter charges for the 1985 riot at Heysel Stadium in which 39 people were killed.

Home Secretary Douglas Hurd signed the formal extradition orders for the 26 Britons despite protests from their families and some members of Parliament that they have little chance of a fair trial abroad.

The 26 were arrested mainly on the evidence of videotapes of the rioting at Belgium’s Heysel Stadium on May 29, 1985, that preceded the European Cup final between England’s Liverpool soccer team and Juventus of Italy.

Many Crushed to Death

Rowdy and drunken Liverpool supporters charged a section of the stadium seats occupied by Juventus fans, causing panic and a stampede of people that toppled one of the stadium’s retaining walls and crushed many of the victims to death.

Thirty-nine people were killed, most of them Italians, and about 400 people were injured in the rampage.

The rioting was witnessed live by millions of television viewers in Europe who had tuned in to watch one of the glamour events of the European soccer year.

The game was later played, and Juventus defeated Liverpool 1-0. But the tragic riot led to the banning of English clubs from European soccer competition--a prohibition that still stands.

Just Trial Promised

Belgian Justice Minister Jean Gol welcomed Britain’s decision to extradite the 26 Liverpool soccer fans. He has promised a just and speedy trial.

Belgian authorities said the suspects will be flown to Brussels next week in a Belgian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport airplane.

The British fans will be imprisoned in a wing of the central jail in Louvain near Brussels until all preparations have been made for the trial, according to the Belgian Justice Ministry.