Panama's Noriega Loses
Another Round
Judge Paul C. Huck of
United States District
Court in Miami denied a
request by lawyers for
the former Panamanian
strongman Manuel Antonio
Noriega to block his
extradition to France to
face money laundering
charges.
The lawyers said France
had offered insufficient
guarantees that Mr.
Noriega would be
repatriated to Panama
after his legal process
was completed in Europe.
But the judge said
France had made
assurances that he would
be accorded all the
rights of a prisoner of
war, including
repatriation to Panama,
even though it did not
intend to designate him
as one.
The judge also rejected
an argument that Mr.
Noriega’s status as a
prisoner of war in the
United States prohibited
his extradition. The
lawyers said they would
appeal.
Mr. Noriega, who in
September completed a
15-year prison term in
Miami, will remain in
American custody until
he exhausts all his
appeals.
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