A former US Marine, Daniel Duggan, accused of training Chinese military pilots will be extradited to the United States to face charges. Duggan, a naturalized Australian, was arrested in 2022 based on a 2017 grand jury indictment that accuses him of violating a US arms embargo. He denies the charges, claiming that US officials knew about his activities and that he was only training civilian pilots.
Attorney General Mark Dreyfus confirmed that Duggan should be extradited to face prosecution for the offenses of which he is accused. The decision comes after a magistrate approved his extradition in May. If convicted, Duggan faces a prison sentence of up to 65 years.
Duggan’s wife, Saffrine Duggan, expressed her disappointment and heartbreak over the decision, stating that they feel abandoned by the Australian government. The pilot’s lawyers have alleged that his case is a political pawn in the US-China tensions and that his extradition will send a message to Western pilots that any dealings with China will not be tolerated.
Duggan has been in custody since his arrest in 2022 and has been in a legal battle to stay in Australia. His arrest came as the US, the UK, and Australia formed a stronger security bond under AUKUS to counter an increasingly assertive China. The UK and Australia have since tightened their laws surrounding former military personnel and their post-service activities.