December 2, 2001: Collapse of Enron, the US energy giant.

June 2002: US prosecutors issue arrest warrants for David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby over a suspected £11 million fraud, allegedly committed in 2000. They are accused of advising their then employer, NatWest, to sell part of an Enron subsidiary for less than it was worth.

2003: Motivated by the September 11, 2001 attacks, Britain and America draw up a treaty aimed at speeding up the UK’s extradition system and to make it easier to deal with those suspected of cross-border offences such as terrorism and organised crime.

The main elements of the treaty were enshrined into British law through the Extradition Act, which was passed in late 2003. Under the terms of the Act, the US authorities need to outline the alleged offence and provide “evidence or information that would justify the issue of a warrant for arrest in the UK”. But they do not need to prove that there is a case for the suspects to answer.

September 2004: A judge rules that the three can be extradited to the US to face charges.

May 2005: After a judicial review, then Home Secretary Charles Clarke says the extradition should go ahead.

February 2006: The High Court upholds the extradition decision on appeal.

July 2006: The Attorney-General rejects calls for the case to be tried in the UK.

July 13, 2006: The three former bankers are extradited to the US.

January 7, 2008: Trial to commence in Houston, Texas unless charges are dropped or a plea-bargain agreed.

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