Former US military pilot accused of illegally training Chinese army to be extradited

An Australian pilot accused of illegally training Chinese fighter pilots is set to be extradited to the US in early 2025 after the Australian government approved his surrender.

Daniel Duggan, 56, has been in a maximum-security prison for over two years, fighting the extradition. He faces charges related to training Chinese fighter pilots in South Africa between 2009 and 2012, including conducting carrier-arrested landings, in violation of arms trafficking laws.

He was arrested in Australia in October 2022. His arrest followed an investigation by Australian authorities into the practice of former military personnel being offered lucrative contracts to train pilots in China.

Mr Duggan, who maintains his innocence, could face up to 60 years in prison if convicted.

His family expressed their devastation at the decision, with his wife, Saffrine Duggan, saying: “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 family is considering their legal options, including requesting specific reasons for the government’s decision. “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.

“It is very difficult to explain to the children why this is happening to their father, especially now, at this time of year. We are all terrified that we may not see him for a very long time. My children are very, very sad.”

Attorney general Mark Dreyfus, on Monday confirmed he had approved Mr Duggan’s extradition to the US.

“Acknowledging the public interest in this matter, I confirm that on 19 December 2024 I determined under section 22 of the Extradition Act 1988 (Cth) that Daniel Duggan should be extradited to the United States to face prosecution for the offences of which he is accused,” Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.

“Mr Duggan was given the opportunity to provide representations as to why he should not be surrendered to the US. In arriving at my decision, I took into consideration all material in front of me,” he said.

“To ensure the safety of all persons involved and to uphold the integrity of the surrender process, as a matter of longstanding practice, the Australian government does not comment on operational matters relating to extradition, including the timing of, and specific arrangements for, a person’s surrender.”

Earlier, the father of six had made a final effort to avoid prosecution in the US, submitting an 89-page document to Mr Dreyfus detailing reasons why the extradition should not proceed.

Mr Duggan, a former US Marine who served for over a decade, moved to Australia in 2005 and founded a flight school in Tasmania. He has been an Australian citizen for nearly 13 years but is now set to be extradited by February next year.

In 2014, Mr Duggan moved to China to work as an aviation consultant for the Test Flying Academy of South Africa.