Q&A: Noriega extradition

Noriega's next destination is being decided by the US courts

Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega was due to be released from a Florida jail on 9 September after serving 17 years on drug-trafficking charges.

Noriega, 73, was then scheduled to be extradited to France, where he was convicted in absentia in 1999 for laundering money through French banks.

But his lawyers filed a last-minute appeal against his extradition, meaning that for now Noriega will remain in prison in Miami.

Who is Manuel Noriega?

Noriega was never the official president of Panama but he became the de facto ruler of the country in 1983, heading the Panama Defence Forces.

He was one of Washington's top allies in Latin America, and had close ties to the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Senior, and to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which he aided in its covert war against communists in Central America.

Why did ties with the US deteriorate?

By the late 1980s, relations had become extremely tense between Noriega and the US government. A US Congressional committee report concluded that Noriega was a major player in drug-trafficking in the region.

The US authorities also accused him of violating human rights and rigging elections in 1989.

Washington initially imposed sanctions, a move that was followed by a tense stand-off between US forces stationed in the Panama Canal zone and Noriega's troops.

By mid-December, the situation had worsened so much that President Bush launched an invasion, ostensibly because a US marine had been killed in Panama City, although the invasion had been months in the planning.

So why did Noriega end up in a US jail?

When the US invaded, Noriega sought refuge in the Vatican diplomatic mission in Panama City. American troops played deafening pop and heavy metal music day and night outside the building to flush him out.

Finally on January 3, 1990, Noriega surrendered and was flown out of the country to the US.

He was given prisoner-of-war (POW) status because he had been captured during a military invasion.

Noriega was found guilty of drug-trafficking, racketeering and money-laundering charges. He was sentenced to 40 years, which was reduced to 30 years in 1999.

He was scheduled for early release on 9 September for "good behaviour" after serving 17 years.

Why is he wanted by France?

France has requested his extradition for allegedly using $3m (£1.5m) in illegal drug profits to buy property. He has already been convicted in absentia and given a 10-year sentence. France says its courts will retry him.

What are the legal arguments surrounding his extradition?

Noriega's lawyers say he should not be extradited under the Geneva Conventions if his POW status is in question.

But the French authorities have insisted that he will be tried as a common criminal and not a POW.

A US judge last month rejected arguments by Noriega's defence team that his status as a US POW negated France's request. In a 12-page decision, Judge William Hoeveler said Noriega's status was not meant "to shield him from all future prosecutions for serious crimes he is alleged to have committed".

However, Judge Hoeveler subsequently blocked the extradition to allow Noriega's defence time to present a new appeal.

What about Panama's claims on him?

Noriega was convicted in his absence and sentenced to 20 years for the murder of former political opponents. But a recent change in Panamanian law means people over the age of 70 are put under house arrest rather than serving time in prison.

Various Panamanian administrations have requested Noriega's extradition from the US since 1991, but the current government of Martin Torrijos has seemingly not objected to the French request.

How is Noriega regarded in Panama?

There are mixed feelings about his possible return to his homeland.

According to a recent opinion poll in Panama, 65% of the country's people believe a deal was struck to keep him out of the country.

In the poll of 1,218 people conducted for La Prensa newspaper in July, 47% said they wanted him imprisoned in Panama and 44% said they wanted him sent to a third country.

So what happens to him now?

The US Bureau of Prisons and the US Marshals Service have said that Noriega will continue to be detained until the extradition issue is settled.

The US Bureau of Prisons, on its website, says that the release date of Noriega, prisoner no. 38699-079, is "unknown".

Attention will now switch to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, which will hear his appeal against his extradition.

The appeal hearing could take several weeks.