Jim Feton, 66, was arrested by authorities in the Middle East on a smuggling trip during a geology and archeology trip. Phyton, who lives in Malaysia, and an unnamed German were arrested when airport security found broken pottery in their luggage as they tried to leave the country, according to his children. However, they insist that they were informed that the fragments had no economic or historical value for Iraq before collecting them at a site in Eridu on March 20. They now say he is due to stand trial in the week leading up to May 8, following Eid al-Fitr in Iraq. His children, Joshua and Leila, and Leila’s husband, Sam Tasker, say Fitton could face the death penalty if found guilty and have filed a lawsuit calling on the British government to intervene. A statement read: “We have days to save him before sentencing and we need the Foreign Office to assist by intervening in his case now. “Our lawyer has drafted a motion to dismiss the case and return our father immediately, which requires the support of the Foreign Ministry to be submitted to the Iraqi judiciary.” Tasker added: “Jim often brought home small souvenirs from his travels to remember the trip and share his experiences with us. For him this was no more important than bringing home a small stone from the beach to remember a special family vacation. Evidence is widely accepted as having no value. “This is an offense that now sees my father-in-law facing a possible death sentence under Article 41 of the Iraqi Consumer Protection Act No. 55, 2002.” He said the couple was arrested after checking the group’s luggage at the airport, with 12 fragments said to have been found. Tasker is a voter of Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat from Bath, who raised the issue in the House of Commons and urged ministers to answer the “incredibly serious” question. “We understand the urgency of the case and we have already expressed our concern to the Iraqi authorities about the possible imposition of the death penalty in Mr Fitton’s case,” Secretary of State Amanda Milling said in a letter to Hobhouse.
