Panama's Manuel Noriega extradited from US to France

Posted on Monday, April 26, 2010

The former Panamanian leader, Manuel Noriega, has landed in France after being extradited from the US, where he has served more than 20 years in jail.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier signed a "surrender warrant" after all judicial challenges ended.

Noriega was convicted in France in his absence in 1999 for laundering money but is likely to face a new trial.

Noriega is now expected to go before prosecutors in Paris to be notified of the arrest warrant against him.

The 76-year-old had wanted to be sent back to Panama after finishing his 17-year jail sentence in 2007.

But in February the US Supreme Court rejected his final appeal against extradition to France.

ANALYSIS Steve Kingstone, BBC News, Washington Manuel Noriega had been in US custody since 1990, after the US military invaded Panama during the administration of the first President Bush. Convicted of cocaine trafficking and racketeering, he served a sentence that ended three years ago. But he had remained in custody pending extradition to France, where he was convicted - in his absence - of money laundering in 1999. Noriega's lawyers say his treatment breached the Geneva Convention, as he had been classified as a prisoner of war when he was brought to the US. His legal team opposed his extradition to France, but the US Supreme Court ruled against him. His lawyers hope that once he's landed in Paris he'll at least be granted a second trial. Noriega is expected to be brought before a judge later on Tuesday; his lawyer will probably argue he should be bailed pending further proceedings, though one suspects that is extremely unlikely.

Panama's government said it respected the "sovereign decision" the state department took to extradite Noriega.

But it insisted it would seek his return to serve outstanding prison sentences there.

Noriega was escorted on to an Air France passenger jet at Miami International Airport on Monday afternoon, shortly after Mrs Clinton signed the extradition order, US officials said.

French prison officials took custody of him once he was on board.

Noriega's plane arrived in the French capital shortly before 0800 local time (0600 GMT) on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the French justice ministry, Guillaume Didier, said that Noriega would appear before prosecutors to be notified of the arrest warrant against him and a judge would decide whether to place him under temporary detention until his case was referred to a criminal court.

Mr Didier said France had been notified of the extradition two weeks ago.

But Noriega's lawyer in Miami, Frank Rubino, told the BBC he had not been notified and had only learned of his client's transfer from the media.

"Usually the government has - does things in a more professional manner and respects common courtesy and we're shocked that they didn't," he said.

"I'm surprised that they didn't put a black hood over his head and drag him out in the middle of the night," he added.

'Prisoner of war'

Noriega was Panama's military intelligence chief for several years before becoming commander of the powerful National Guard in 1982 and then de facto ruler of the country.

He had been recruited by the CIA in the late 1960s and was supported by the US until 1987.

But in 1988 he was indicted in the US on charges of drug trafficking.

WHO IS MANUEL NORIEGA? Became de facto ruler of Panama in 1983, head of defence forces Formerly one of Washington's top allies in Latin America US later accused him of drug-trafficking and election-rigging Surrendered to invading US troops in 1990 and was flown to the US Also faces a 20-year sentence at home imposed by Panama court Amazing fall from grace Q&A: Noriega extradition

After a disputed parliamentary election the following year, Noriega declared a "state of war".

A tense stand-off followed between US forces stationed in the Panama Canal zone and Panamanian troops.

By mid-December, the situation had worsened so much that President George H W Bush launched an invasion - ostensibly because a US marine had been killed in Panama City, although the operation had long been planned.

Noriega initially took refuge in the Vatican embassy, where US troops bombarded him for days with deafening pop and heavy metal music.

He eventually surrendered on 3 January 1990 and was taken to Miami for trial.

In 1992, he was convicted of drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering.

He was handed a 40-year prison sentence, later reduced to 30 years, and then 17 years for good behaviour.

Noriega was convicted in absentia in France in 1999 for allegedly using $3m (£1.9m) in proceeds from the drug trade to buy luxury apartments in Paris, and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Shortly before the completion of his US jail sentence, the French government sought Noriega's extradition.