US court okays Noriega extradition to France

Michael Langan A US federal appeals court has given the green light for Panama's former strongman Manuel Noriega to be extradited to France where he faces money laundering charges. Skip related content
Related photos / videosIn France, former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega has been convicted of laundering drug …More Enlarge photo A1989 photo shows former Panamanian strongman General Manuel Noriega in Panama City Enlarge photo The 1990 US booking photo of former Panamian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega Enlarge photo In France, former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega has been convicted of laundering drug …More Enlarge photo Noriega, 75, completed in September a 17-year US prison term on drug charges but has remained in US custody while appealing his extradition to France, claiming he is a prisoner of war.

The former army general held sway in Panama from 1984 until he surrendered on January 3, 1990 to US troops who had invaded the country three weeks earlier.

A US Cold War ally and one-time CIA informant whose involvement with drug trafficking eventually became an embarrassment for Washington, Noriega was then flown on a military plane to Miami, where he was tried on charges of drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering.

Noriega's lawyers have sought to block his extradition and have him returned to Panama, arguing that he should be repatriated under the international Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war.

However on Wednesday the three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals 11th Circuit in Atlanta decided that the extradition could proceed.

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