U.S. Extradition and National Security

An Australian judge has rejected an appeal by former U.S. Marine pilot Daniel Duggan, clearing the way for his extradition from Australia to the United States to face charges that he conspired to provide defense services — including aviation training — to Chinese military personnel without the required U.S. government license. U.S. prosecutors have charged Duggan under the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, statutes that implement a U.S. arms embargo on China first imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and which bar the unlicensed transfer of military equipment, technology or services. The court's ruling follows a protracted legal and diplomatic process in Australia and responds to U.S. requests rooted in those export‑control laws.