US supreme court rules in favour of Noriega extradition
Published:Monday | January 25, 2010 | 5:45 PM
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from Panama\'s ex-leader, Manuel Noriega, against his extradition to France on money laundering charges.
Noriega wanted to be sent back to his country, after completing a drug sentence at a jail in Florida.
In April, a US court ruled that the former dictator could be extradited to France.
The US convicted Noriega of laundering illicit drugs money in 1990 and he was sentenced to 30 years, which was later reduced to 17 years for good behaviour.
France convicted him in his absence in 1999 for laundering money through French banks, though it says he will be granted a new trial.
His lawyers had argued international law required he be returned to Panama.