Extradition Hearing Postponed for Former US Pilot Accused of Illegally Training Chinese Aviators
SYDNEY (AP) — An extradition hearing for a former U.S. military pilot accused of illegally training Chinese aviators has been postponed until May by a Sydney court. The decision was made as the pilot’s lawyers aim to strengthen their case. Dan Duggan, a Boston-born individual, had originally been slated to fight his extradition to the United States in November. However, the magistrate determined that more information from the Australian defense department and security agencies should be provided to the defense lawyers.
Trent Glover, the U.S. lawyer representing the case, stated that the U.S. was prepared to proceed with the extradition but agreed to the delay in order to accommodate the defense lawyers. Duggan’s attorney, Dennis Miralis, emphasized the importance of carefully considering all of Duggan’s rights under the Australian legal system since the ramifications for his client are significant. If convicted, Duggan faces up to 65 years in prison.
Duggan’s wife, Saffrine, has made a plea to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advocate against the extradition during his meetings with President Joe Biden. However, Albanese clarified that Duggan’s case was not on the agenda for his discussions with U.S. officials.
Duggan has been in custody since his arrest in October last year near his residence in Orange, New South Wales. His grounds for resisting extradition include the claim that the prosecution is politically motivated and that the alleged crime is not recognized under Australian law. The extradition treaty between the U.S. and Australia stipulates that a person can only be extradited for an offense recognized as a crime by both countries.
Duggan’s legal team expects to present additional evidence demonstrating the political nature of the extradition request. They allege that Duggan was enticed by Australian authorities away from China in 2022, leading to his subsequent arrest and extradition.
In the 2016 indictment, prosecutors allege that Duggan conspired with others to provide training to Chinese military pilots without the appropriate license, with payments totaling around 88,000 Australian dollars ($61,000) and international travel involved. Duggan maintains that the pilots he trained were civilians and that none of the information provided was classified.
As the extradition hearing has been postponed to May, Duggan’s legal team will have more time to build their case and further address the complex legal and political aspects surrounding the allegations against him. The delay allows for a thorough examination of the rights and implications involved in this high-stakes situation.
