Exclusive: Former US military pilot working in China arrested in Australia, faces extradition.
SYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A former US military pilot and flight instructor working in China was arrested in Australia and faces extradition to the United States, Australian court documents and company records show.
Australian Federal Police arrested 54-year-old Daniel Edmund Duggan on Friday in the rural town of Orange in New South Wales, and he appeared in court there the same day, court records show and two police sources and his lawyer confirmed.
Two sources said his lawyers appeared by videoconferencing, and Duggan was denied bail and taken to nearby Bathurst jail.
Duggan is a former US citizen and federal police were working on a US request for his arrest ahead of possible formal extradition proceedings, said one of the police sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Duggan's next court appearance to consider any bail application will be in Sydney in November. The details of the US arrest warrant and the charges against him have been sealed. An aviation source told Reuters the FBI was looking for Duggan because of his work in China. His attorney, Nieman, Gibson and Dennis Miralis of Miralis, said he could not comment.
After a decade in the US military, Duggan moved to Australia and started a business called Top Gun Tasmania, which included former U.S. military personnel. And British military pilots were recruited to offer tourists pleasure in fighter jets, company records show and aviation sources.
Exclusive: Former, US military, pilot working, in China arrested, in Australia, faces, extradition
Duggan also flew former military aircraft at the Australian Air Show, three pilots told Reuters.
Top Gun Tasmania's website says that Duggan has taken the U.S. The Marines flew Harrier jump jets and was an aerial combat instructor.
He moved to Beijing in 2014 and soon after selling Top Gun Tasmania, filing in Australia for the company show.
Duggan's LinkedIn profile stated that he has been working in Qingdao, China since 2017, as managing director of AVIBZ Ltd, which has been characterized as "a comprehensive aviation consulting company with a focus on the rapidly growing and dynamic Chinese aviation industry". has been described in.
Hong Kong company records show that AVIBIZ Limited was registered by Australian passport holder Daniel Edmund Duggan in 2017 and dissolved in 2020.
Under Australia's extradition treaty with the United States, the US government will have 60 days to make an extradition request. Treaty allows Australian citizens to be extradited
Under Australia's extradition treaty with the United States, the US government will have 60 days to make an extradition request. Treaty allows Australian citizens to be extradited
After a decade in the US military, Duggan moved to Australia and started a business called Top Gun Tasmania, which included former U.S. military personnel. And British military pilots were recruited to offer tourists pleasure in fighter jets, company records show and aviation sources
Duggan also flew former military aircraft at the Australian Air Show, three pilots told Reuters
Exclusive: Former, US military, pilot working, in China arrested, in Australia, faces extradition
He moved to Beijing in 2014 and soon after selling Top Gun Tasmania, filing in Australia for the company show.
Duggan's LinkedIn profile stated that he has been working in Qingdao, China since 2017, as managing director of AVIBZ Ltd, which has been characterized as "a comprehensive aviation consulting company with a focus on the rapidly growing and dynamic Chinese aviation industry". has been described in.
Hong Kong company records show that AVIBIZ Limited was registered by Australian passport holder Daniel Edmund Duggan in 2017 and dissolved in 2020.
Under Australia's extradition treaty with the United States, the US government will have 60 days to make an extradition request. The treaty allows Australian citizens to be extradited.
Exclusive: Former, US military, pilot working, in China arrested, in Australia, faces extradition
