Former US Military Pilot Who Worked In China Arrested In Australia, Faces Extradition

A former American military pilot and flight instructor who worked in Beijing was arrested in Australia and now faces extradition to the U.S.

What Happened: Daniel Edmund Duggan was arrested by the Australian Federal Police on Friday in the rural town of Orange in New South Wales, Reuters reported, citing Australian court documents and company records.

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Duggan appeared in court there the same day, the court records, two police sources, and his lawyer confirmed it to the publication. The report noted that Duggan was denied bail and was taken to the nearby Bathurst jail.

The federal police took action on a request from the U.S. authorities ahead of the formal extradition proceedings, one of the anonymous police sources said.

A spokesman for the federal Attorney-General's Department said in a written statement to the publication, "An individual was arrested on 21 October 2022 pursuant to a request from the United States of America for their provisional arrest."

"As the matter is before the courts, it would not be appropriate to comment further," added the spokesperson.

Duggan's next court appearance is scheduled for November in Sydney to consider any bail application. The details of the U.S. arrest warrant and the charges he faces are sealed, the report added.

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