Former US fighter pilot, who is a marine, fails in attempt to halt extradition process due to claims of training in China.
In a brief court hearing on Friday, Magistrate Daniel Reiss determined that Duggan fulfilled the requirements for extradition and mandated he be relocated to prison while legal representatives for the US wait for Attorney General Mark Dreyfus to endorse his extradition.
Duggan possesses 15 days to petition the court for a review of the ruling, which follows over a year and a half after his apprehension in rural New South Wales, shortly after he rejoined his kinfolk in Australia from China.
Outside the courthouse, Duggan's spouse Saffrine assembled her six children, demanding intervention from the Australian authorities.
"We are utterly devastated and still can't fathom how this is occurring to us," she lamented as onlookers brandished placards proclaiming "Free Dan Duggan."
"My husband is a wonderful human being, a dedicated father, an exceptional friend and partner. He's facing no Australian charges and has a non-existent criminal history whatsoever. However, he's currently being held captive by the diktat of the American government," she added.
Referring to Friday's proceedings, she characterized them as "nothing but a routine."
"At this stage, we respectfully urge the attorney general to revisit this situation and return my husband home," she concluded.
A 2017 indictment asserts Duggan trained Chinese military pilots between November 2009 and November 2012, during the period he was a US citizen. Duggan encountered his Australian wife in 2011 and acquired Australian citizenship the next year.
The indictment alleges Duggan colluded with others, including the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), to illicitly export defense services in violation of an arms embargo against China.
In 2023, TFASA released a statement to CNN, guaranteeing its adherence to the bylaws of every region it operates in. The statement stated Duggan accepted one test-pilot assignment for the company between November and December 2012 in South Africa and "never performed any task for TFASA on any of its training undertakings in China."
Duggan insists the individuals he instructed were Chinese civilians, comprising plane devotees and individuals with aspirations within the civil aviation industry.
His advocates claim he has been ensnared in geopolitics during a period of strained relations between the US and China and accuse authorities of using him to convey a message to former military personnel.
Procedings at Downing Centre Local Court were hindered for approximately an hour due to demonstrations necessitating a transfer to a more confined courtroom. The space was consequently overflowing, prompting some spectators to sit on the floor.
Additional delays emerged when Reiss exhorted the floor-sitters to vacate the premises, cautioning that anyone who failed to maintain decorum could be prosecuted for contempt of court.
An Australian attorney general's representative declined to comment on extradition matters.
According to Australia's Extradition Act, Duggan has the prerogative to substantiate to the attorney general why he shouldn't be dispatched to the US. There is no predetermined time limit for the attorney general to render a decision, though it must be made as soon as possible per the law.
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In her plea for intervention, Saffrine expressed her concerns about their situation, stating, "My husband is a beloved member of our world community, having lived in Australia since leaving China." Later, she mentioned their family's ties to the land down under, saying, "He's currently being held captive by the dictates of the American government, but he's an Australian citizen now, like the world we both call home."
Source: edition.cnn.com
