MELBOURNE, Australia — MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan on Thursday appealed his extradition from Australia to the USA over allegations that he illegally educated Chinese language army aviators greater than a decade in the past.

Duggan is accused of coaching Chinese language army pilots whereas working as an teacher for the Check Flying Academy of South Africa in 2012. He appeared on the courtroom in Canberra to file the enchantment together with his lawyer after touring 350 kilometers (218 miles) from a jail in Wellington, New South Wales state.

Australian Federal Courtroom Justice James Stellios will announce a verdict on a date but to be set following a one-day listening to within the nationwide capital Canberra.

A 2016 indictment from the U.S. District Courtroom in Washington, D.C., which was unsealed in late 2022, alleges Duggan conspired with others to supply coaching to Chinese language army pilots in 2010 and 2012, and probably different occasions, with out making use of for an acceptable license.

Prosecutors allege Duggan obtained about 9 funds totaling round 88,000 Australian {dollars} ($61,000) from one other conspirator in addition to journey to the U.S., South Africa and China for what was generally described as “private growth coaching.”

Duggan has denied the allegations, saying they had been political posturing by the U.S., which unfairly singled him out. He has been held in most safety prisons since he was arrested in 2022 at a grocery store close to his household dwelling in New South Wales.

Australia’s then Legal professional-Basic Mark Dreyfus accepted the 57-year-old’s extradition in December, however his legal professionals argued in courtroom Thursday there had been authorized flaws within the extradition course of.

Dreyfus was changed as lawyer normal in Could by Michelle Rowland, who has not reviewed her predecessor’s choice to ship Boston-born Duggan again to the U.S.

“The federal government notes the proceedings within the Federal Courtroom as we speak relating to Mr. Duggan,” Rowland’s workplace stated in an announcement, including that additional remark was not acceptable as a result of the case stays in courtroom.

Duggan’s spouse and mom of his six kids, Saffrine Duggan, instructed supporters exterior the courtroom Thursday that Rowland “might set Dan free at any time.”

“He’s getting used as a pawn in an ideological conflict between the USA and China and the Australian authorities companies have allowed this to occur and are keen contributors,” Saffrine Duggan stated. “My husband broke no Australian legislation and he was an Australian citizen when the alleged pilot coaching occurred.”

Daniel Duggan’s lawyer, Christopher Parkin, instructed the courtroom it was “extraordinary” that somebody could possibly be extradited from Australia, accused of breaking U.S. legal guidelines, for an motion in South Africa.

Duggan served within the U.S. Marines for 12 years earlier than migrating to Australia in 2002. He gained Australian citizenship in January 2012, giving up his U.S. citizenship within the course of.