US
Embassy in Panama Practices "Green"
Diplomacy
Panama' Former
President Noriega "Can Be Sent To France"
Guatemala Agriculture, Last on List
El Salvador, Guatemala Report 70 Deaths
During Easter Holiday
Panama' Former
President Noriega "Can Be Sent To France"
A US federal appeals court says Panama's
former president, Manuel Noriega, can be
extradited to France. The US convicted
Noriega of laundering illicit drugs money in
1990 and he was sentenced to 30 years, later
reduced to 17 years on grounds of good
behaviour.
France convicted him in his absence in 1999
for laundering money through French banks,
though it says he will be granted a new
trial.
His lawyers had argued international law
required he be returned to Panama.
As a former prisoner of war following the US
invasion of Panama in 1989, they said, the
Geneva Conventions precluded his extradition
to a third country.
He also faces a 20-year sentence at home
imposed by a Panamanian court in his absence
for ordering the murder in 1985 of Hugo
Spadafora, a prominent opponent.
There had been reports, denied by Panama, of
a deal with the US allowing Noriega to go to
France, said to be partly aimed at avoiding
political problems in the Central American
country.
Noriega, who is in his 70s, led Panama from
1983 to 1989 and was a key American ally in
the region before being captured by invading
US forces.
Lawyers for Noriega indicated an appeal
against the federal court's ruling was
likely.
|
|
|
|
|
