Former US Marine Could Have Been ‘Lured’ From China by Safety Companies Earlier than Arrest -Lawyer

SYDNEY (Reuters) – A former U.S. Marine Corps pilot could have been “lured” from China to Australia by safety businesses earlier than his arrest, his lawyer mentioned exterior courtroom on Monday after an extradition listening to in Sydney.

Daniel Duggan, 54, is going through extradition to the USA on prices of breaking U.S. regulation by coaching Chinese language army pilots to land on plane carriers.

He was arrested by Australian federal police in a rural city in New South Wales state in October, shortly after getting back from China, the place he had lived since 2014.

In the identical week, Britain had issued a warning to its former defence employees to not prepare Chinese language Folks’s Liberation Military pilots at a South African flying academy the place Duggan had additionally labored.

On Monday, Duggan’s extradition case was adjourned till Could, as his legal professionals search entry to paperwork from Australian authorities businesses for his defence.

Outdoors courtroom, Duggan’s lawyer Dennis Miralis mentioned the pilot had been given a safety clearance by the Australian Safety and Intelligence Organisation to begin a brand new aviation job earlier than he returned from China, however an arrest warrant was issued whereas he was on the aircraft dwelling and his safety clearance was revoked.

He mentioned such a “lure” was authorized underneath U.S. regulation, however it could be “a matter of grave significance” if Australian safety businesses had given Duggan a safety clearance to supply “a false sense that he would be capable to return to Australia”.

“We’re exploring at this stage whether or not or not he was lured again to Australia by the U.S., the place the U.S. knew he can be in a jurisdiction the place he can be able to being extradited,” he added.

ASIO didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Duggan, who’s being held in a maximum-security jail, is an Australian citizen who renounced his U.S. citizenship. Earlier than shifting to China in 2014, he had lived in Australia for a decade and has six kids in Australia.

Miralis mentioned Duggan was involved that political tensions between the U.S. and China have been affecting his case.

In a press release launched to media, Duggan mentioned he rejected the allegations in opposition to him.

“The insinuation that I’m some form of spy is an outrage,” he mentioned within the assertion.

Britain’s air power chief mentioned this month intelligence businesses in Australia and Britain had shared info to warn pilots in opposition to working for Beijing.

Australian police are investigating a former British army pilot suspected of involvement within the coaching of Chinese language army pilots at a flying faculty in South Africa, a Sydney courtroom was advised on Friday.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham. Modifying by Gerry Doyle)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.