A former United States Marine pilot, accused by Washington of illegally training Chinese military aviators, has lost his final bid to avoid extradition from Australia, setting the stage for his transfer to face serious charges.
Daniel Duggan, 57, an Australian citizen who renounced his American nationality, was arrested in October 2022 in New South Wales following a U.S. request. American authorities allege he violated arms-trafficking laws by instructing Chinese fighter pilots in South Africa between 2010 and 2012 without obtaining required U.S. government approval.
On Thursday, a Federal Court judge dismissed Duggan's appeal, upholding a previous decision by Australia's Attorney General to approve the extradition. The ruling clears a major procedural hurdle, though Duggan retains a 28-day window to lodge a further appeal.
Outside the courtroom, his wife, Saffrine Duggan, expressed profound disappointment and called for government intervention. "He is an ordinary Australian going about his business who broke no Australian law," she stated, noting her husband is currently held in a maximum-security prison.
She detailed the family's ordeal, telling reporters: "It has been 1,273 days of our family suffering terrible trauma since Dan was arrested in a supermarket car park after dropping our kids at school." The lengthy legal battle has reportedly cost the family approximately half a million dollars, compounded by financial strains after an injunction prevented them from selling their home.
Duggan's legal team had previously argued against the extradition, contending that Australia lacks equivalent laws to the U.S. charges—a standard requirement for such requests. However, the court found this argument insufficient to block the process.
If convicted in the United States, Duggan, a father of six, could face a prison sentence of up to 65 years. He has consistently denied all allegations against him.
The case underscores the complex interplay of international law, citizenship, and military export controls, placing a personal family crisis within a broader geopolitical context.