France, Panama Ask U.S. to Extradite Noriega

The U.S. currently faces the dilemma of competing requests from Panama and France for the extradition of former Panamanian head of state Manuel Noriega. On July 17, 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an extradition complaint in U.S. District Court, advocating that Noriega be sent to France following his release from U.S. prison to confront money laundering charges for which he was convicted in absentia in 1999. According to the U.S. complaint, filed on behalf of the French government, Noriega would obtain a new trial if extradited … [more]