Australian Judge Rejects US Marine Pilot's Extradition Appeal
An Australian federal court judge has dismissed an appeal by Daniel Duggan, a former U.S. Marine Corps pilot, against his extradition to the United States. Duggan faces charges for allegedly illegally training Chinese military aviators in 2010 and 2012 while employed by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa. Justice James Stellios ruled that former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus made no jurisdictional error in approving the extradition order in 2024. Duggan, who denies the allegations and claims political motivation, has been held in maximum security custody since his 2022 arrest in New South Wales. Prosecutors allege he received approximately 88,000 Australian dollars for these activities. Following the ruling, Duggan’s wife stated that the legal team would consider further appeals and seek intervention from current Attorney-General Michelle Rowland. However, the Attorney-General’s office confirmed that Duggan will remain in extradition custody pending his surrender to U.S. authorities. This decision marks a significant step in a long-running legal battle involving international military training regulations and diplomatic legal cooperation between Australia and the United States.
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Australian Judge Rejects US Marine Pilot's Extradition Appeal
An Australian federal court judge has dismissed an appeal by Daniel Duggan, a former U.S. Marine Corps pilot, against his extradition to the United States. Duggan faces charges for allegedly illegally training Chinese military aviators in 2010 and 2012 while employed by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa. Justice James Stellios ruled that former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus made no jurisdictional error in approving the extradition order in 2024. Duggan, who denies the allegations and claims political motivation, has been held in maximum security custody since his 2022 arrest in New South Wales. Prosecutors allege he received approximately 88,000 Australian dollars for these activities. Following the ruling, Duggan’s wife stated that the legal team would consider further appeals and seek intervention from current Attorney-General Michelle Rowland. However, the Attorney-General’s office confirmed that Duggan will remain in extradition custody pending his surrender to U.S. authorities. This decision marks a significant step in a long-running legal battle involving international military training regulations and diplomatic legal cooperation between Australia and the United States.
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