Noriega en route to France to face new trial
Those who feared the return of Manuel Noriega to Panama because of possible revelations of their connections with him can rest easy.
The former dictator has said “au revoir” to the South Miami-Dade prison cell he has occupied for 20 years.
He is on his way to France after losing a fight to avoid extradition. Noriega had wanted to return to Panama, which did not want him back.
A shackled Noriega was seen being escorted onto an Air France plane Monday afternoon, and US State department spokesman Noel Clay confirmed that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has signed his extradition order.
A man appearing to be Noriega was brought to Air France Flight 695, headed for Paris, but the US Marshal’s service, which would handle a prisoner transfer such as this, would not confirm Noriega is on board.
But CBS News says it has confirmed Noriega is on the plane. A federal law enforcement source told CBS News that US Marshals escorted Noriega to Miami International Airport and placed him on the Air France flight. The source said Noriega was calm and cooperative during the transfer.
One month ago, U.S. District Judge Paul Huck issued an order clearing the way for his extradition, two days after the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not reconsider Noriega’s request to stop his extradition on money laundering charges.
French authorities say Noriega used drug money to purchase apartments in Paris.
Noriega was arrested by the US military during the 1989 invasion.
President George H.W. Bush ordered the Panama invasion in 1989 to capture Noriega after he made threats against the US. After he was taken into custody, he was flown to South Florida for his trial.
Following his conviction to US Federal Court in Miami, Noriega was held at a low-security federal prison in South Miami Dade as a prisoner of war, one of the few legal battles his attorneys won on his behalf. He completed his US sentence but was held in prison while his extradition issue was fought in the courts. {jathumbnail off}