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A former fighter pilot being held in a maximum-security prison at the behest of the FBI is “a shadow of himself,” his wife said.
Daniel Edmund Duggan, 54, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention and Reception Center in Sydney’s western suburbs since his arrest in October last year.
Duggan was arrested in Orange, in central New South Wales, where he had lived with his family since he renounced his US citizenship, at the request of the FBI.
US authorities are seeking to extradite the former US Navy pilot to face charges of allegedly violating arms export control laws and money laundering more than a decade ago.
He is alleged to have trained Chinese fighter pilots to land fighter jets on aircraft carriers through a flight academy in South Africa between 2010 and 2012.
Daniel Edmund Duggan, 54, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention and Reception Center in Sydney’s western suburbs since his arrest in October last year. He is pictured with his wife Saffron.
Duggan has repeatedly denied the allegations and maintains his innocence.
His wife, Saffron Duggan, said the couple remained determined to fight the “injustice” of the extradition order.
‘I was surprised when I saw Dan recently. He is a shadow of himself,” he said.
‘They’re trying to break it and they should be ashamed.
‘Daniel is being held in a 2 meter x 4 meter cell, with no previous or current conviction, in conditions normally reserved for the most violent criminals.
Daniel Duggan, formally ran Top Gun Tasmania, a flight training school in Tasmania before moving to Orange.
“This is unprecedented and an affront to Australia’s rule of law and US manipulation of the Australian legal system, at the expense of the Australian taxpayer.”
Speaking to reporters in January, Duggan’s lawyer, Dennis Miralis, claimed that his client was a pawn in a “politically motivated” lawsuit.
“It seems to us, without a doubt, that this allegation was brought at a time when the US administration was entering into a geopolitical competition with China and was seeking to use criminal law to further US foreign policy. “, said.
In January, a Sydney court heard that Attorney General Mark Dreyfus had accepted a request for Duggan’s extradition the previous month.
Mr. Miralis stated that his client would continue to fight the extradition order, noting that he would “vigorously defend himself every step of the way.”
Speaking to reporters in January, Duggan’s lawyer, Dennis Miralis, claimed that his client was a pawn in a “politically motivated” lawsuit.
Duggan’s arrest on October 21, 2022 coincided with warnings by Australian authorities about the practice of offering ex-military pilots lucrative contracts to train foreign pilots.
In November, Defense Minister Richard Marles ordered his department to review laws governing the conduct of retired military personnel.
The move came amid reports that former ADF members have been approached to provide training to China.
In January, a Sydney court heard that Attorney General Mark Dreyfus had accepted a request for Duggan’s extradition the previous month.
Ms Duggan has described the ongoing imprisonment of the father of her six children as “inhumane” and an “offensive” against Australia’s sovereignty.
The retired pilot served more than a decade flying in the US Marine Corps before moving to Australia and becoming a citizen in 2012.
He has requested the intervention of the United Nations human rights committee, saying that the harsh conditions in his custody violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“We desperately seek continued support and respectfully ask people to demand that our government protect and uphold the rule of law, due process and Australian sovereignty,” he said.
A petition started by Ms Duggan calling for her husband’s immediate release has attracted almost 10,000 signatures.
The retired pilot served more than a decade flying in the US Marine Corps before moving to Australia and becoming a citizen in 2012.
He has spent 128 days in custody since his arrest.