DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Senior military official to be extradited to United States

 SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP):

A former senior official in the Dominican military and anti-drug agency yesterday abandoned his bid to fight extradition and agreed to be sent to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Francisco Hiraldo, a retired Navy admiral and former chief of operations for the National Drug Control Agency, had previously refused to sign the extradition agreement and vowed to clear his name, hiring a prominent defence lawyer. He did not explain his change of strategy at a hearing of the Supreme Court, which must review requests to extradite citizens of the Dominican Republic.

"I have not received any pressure to go voluntarily," Hiraldo told the court.

His attorney, Ramon Pina, said yesterday that he still maintains his innocence and will fight the charges in the United States.

The extradition is expected to take place within days.