An Australian father who served as a US fighter pilot is set to face court in the US after his extradition was approved by federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, as his devastated family say they feel ‘abandoned’ by the government.
Daniel Duggan, 56, has already spent two years behind bars over allegations he unlawfully trained Chinese military personnel.
The father of six made a last-ditch attempt to avoid prosecution in the US, sending an 89-page submission to Mr Dreyfus after a NSW magistrate ruled in May he was eligible for extradition.
But on Monday, Mr Dreyfus confirmed he had given Duggan’s extradition the green light.
Duggan’s children were ‘very sad’ about the decision, the family said.
‘We are shocked and absolutely heartbroken by this callous and inhumane decision which has been delivered just before Christmas with no explanation or justification from the Government,’ Mr Duggan’s wife Saffrine said in a statement.
‘We feel abandoned by the Australian Government and deeply disappointed that they have completely failed in their duty to protect an Australian family.’
She said they were now considering their legal options, including whether to request the specific reasons for the government’s decision to extradite him.
‘It is very difficult to explain to the children why this is happening to their father, especially now, at this time of year,’ Saffrine added.
