Daniel Edmund Duggan was arrested in October in Australia as requested by the U.S. for his alleged role in training Chinese military pilots on at least three separate occasions.
A former U.S. Marine pilot has been accused of breaking an arms control law by training Chinese military pilots how to land on aircraft carriers, according to reports.
Daniel Edmund Duggan, U.S.-born and current Australian citizen, was arrested in October in Australia as requested by the U.S. for his alleged role in training military pilots a part of the People’s Republic of China on at least three separate occasions between 2010 and 2012, according to CBS News.
According to an unsealed indictment, Duggan provided training that included "instruction on the tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with launching aircraft from, and landing aircraft on, a naval aircraft carrier," reported CBS News.
Duggan’s lawyer, Dennis Miralis, has stated that Duggan maintains his innocence and that they will fight an extradition request made by the U.S, reported The Guardian.
“He denies having breached any US law, any Australian law, any international law,” said Miralis, according to The Guardian.
Duggan’s wife, Saffrine Duggan, has created a petition aimed at Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus MP, requesting him to refuse the extradition to the U.S. and to release her husband.
According to Saffrine, the former Marine “is away from his children, his beloved family, friends and community because of an obviously politically motivated case based on a 2017 indictment that was part of the United States now disgraced ‘China Initiative’.”
Duggan moved to Australia in 2002 and began a business called Top Gun Tasmania where he took passengers to the sky to enjoy the views of Tasmania and mainland Australia, according to Tasmanian Life.
Duggan is set to be transferred to the “Goulburn Supermax” prison, which is Australia's highest security prison, as he is considered to be an “ extreme high risk restricted inmate” while he awaits the U.S to either request an extradition or be released by December 20, reported The Guardian.
