28 Apr 2010

Former Panama dictator extradited

9:58 pm on 28 April 2010

United States officials say Panama's former dictator has been extradited to France.

Manuel Noriega has been convicted there in his absence of laundering cocaine profits through French banks and using the money to buy luxury apartments.

However, he can seek a new trial once he arrives in France.

The former army general, who is 76, finished an American prison sentence for drug trafficking two years ago but has remained in a jail cell in Florida while fighting his extradition to France.

His attorneys argue that as a prisoner of war, he must be sent back to Panama.