Former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan has been deemed eligible for extradition to the United States by an Australian magistrate, setting the stage for Attorney General Mark Dreyfus to make the final decision on his fate. Duggan, who is accused of illegally training Chinese military pilots, has spent 19 months in maximum-security detention since his arrest in rural New South Wales in 2022.
Magistrate Daniel Reiss ruled on Friday that Duggan meets the conditions for extradition, ordering him to remain in custody while the US government awaits approval from the attorney general for his removal. Duggan has 15 days to seek a review of the order. Outside the court, Duggan's wife, Saffrine, accompanied by their six children, made an emotional appeal to Australian authorities to intervene.
"We are absolutely heartbroken and still don't understand how this could be happening to us," she said, as supporters held signs reading "Free Dan Duggan." She described her husband as "a good man, a great father, a wonderful friend and husband," emphasizing that he faces no charges in Australia and has no criminal background.
The legal proceedings have drawn considerable public attention, with Friday's hearing at Downing Centre Local Court experiencing significant delays due to protests that required a change of venue to a smaller, crowded courtroom. Further disruptions occurred when Magistrate Reiss asked the floor-sitters to leave, warning that anyone disrupting the proceedings could be prosecuted for contempt of court.
#UPDATE: Ex-fighter pilot Daniel Duggan has been found eligible for extradition to the US, where he’s wanted on suspicion of training Chinese fighter pilots.
Duggan has denied doing anything wrong, with his family telling #60Mins that the allegations against him are ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/aNHv3EzqWN — 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) May 24, 2024
Duggan's extradition case stems from a 2017 indictment alleging that he trained Chinese military pilots between November 2009 and November 2012, when he was still a US citizen. The indictment claims Duggan conspired with others, including the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), to export defense services in violation of an arms embargo on China. TFASA has denied any wrongdoing, stating that Duggan only undertook a single test-pilot contract for the company in South Africa in 2012 and did not participate in any training mandates in China.
Duggan maintains that the individuals he trained were Chinese civilians, including aviation enthusiasts and those with aspirations in the civilian aviation industry. His supporters argue that he has been unfairly targeted due to the tense geopolitical climate between the US and China.
Bernard Collaery, Duggan's lawyer, acknowledged that there were no legal grounds to challenge the magistrate's ruling but expressed hope that the attorney general would carefully consider the broader implications of the case. "The attorney will give us sufficient time, I'm quite sure, to ventilate all of the issues that under the Extradition Act are not capable of being run in an Australian court," Collaery told reporters.
The Australian attorney general's office has not commented on the matter, adhering to its policy of not discussing extradition cases publicly. However, under Australia's Extradition Act, Duggan is entitled to appeal directly to the attorney general to argue why he should not be extradited to the US.
In a 2016 indictment from the US District Court in Washington, D.C., unsealed in late 2022, prosecutors allege that Duggan provided training to Chinese military pilots without the necessary licenses. The indictment details that Duggan received approximately 88,000 Australian dollars ($61,000) in payments and international travel for what was sometimes described as "personal development training."
Duggan, who immigrated to Australia in 2002 and renounced his US citizenship in 2012, has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as politically motivated. He asserts that the US is using him to send a message to former military personnel.
