08-07-2010, 09:18 AM
from http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/arti...wD9GL00100
Noriega says French laundering trial a conspiracy
By JENNY BARCHFIELD (AP) – Jun 29, 2010
PARIS — Relishing the chance to defend himself in court, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega declared Tuesday that French money laundering charges against him are trumped up and part of the same "conspiracy" that kept him in U.S. custody for 20 years.
An animated Noriega spoke for an hour as he described how he came to power in 1983, and his long, friendly relationship with the U.S. government — including the CIA.
Then he gave his take on why the relationship soured.
Noriega was deposed after a 1989 U.S. invasion and went on to spend two decades behind bars in Florida for drug trafficking. In April, he was extradited to France to face charges that he laundered profits from cocaine trafficking through French banks in the 1980s.
Those charges, he said Tuesday, were nothing more than "an imaginary financial setup."
"I am a victim of the same conspiracy that the United States brought against me," he said.
He faces up to 10 years in prison in France if convicted.
Noriega has maintained that he fought against drug trafficking and that the money in French banks came from other sources, including payments from the CIA. He had been considered a valued CIA asset for years before he joined forces with drug traffickers and was implicated in the death of a political opponent.
Given the stand Tuesday, he gave a long speech, starting with his own biography and including geopolitical comment and talk of Panama's colonial history and the Panama Canal. He described missions in which he interceded as mediator in conflicts with Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran.
After rising through the ranks to the head of Panamanian Armed Forces, Noriega said, "I set about fighting against drug trafficking with much zeal and was warmly praised by the United States, from Interpol."
Noriega said the United States turned against him when he refused to participate in a U.S. plan aimed at ousting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The leftist Sandinistas fought U.S.-backed Contra rebels in the 1980s.
His vigorous testimony contrasted with his feeble appearance at the start of the trial Monday, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably as he addressed the three-judge panel.
On Tuesday, Noriega spoke in a booming voice and gesticulated broadly. He wore a black suit with checkered tie. He is not permitted to wear his military uniform in France since he is not being treated as a prisoner of war here — an issue hotly contested by his lawyers.
Panama is seeking Noriega's extradition, bringing hope to his countrymen who want to see the former military strongman face justice at home for alleged torture and killings of opponents.
France already convicted Noriega and his wife in absentia in 1999 for laundering several million dollars in cocaine profits through three major French banks and using drug cash to invest in three luxurious Paris apartments on the Left Bank.
France agreed to give him a new trial if he was extradited. Noriega's wife, Felicidad Sieiro de Noriega, is living in Panama and faces no charges there.
Noriega says French laundering trial a conspiracy
By JENNY BARCHFIELD (AP) – Jun 29, 2010
PARIS — Relishing the chance to defend himself in court, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega declared Tuesday that French money laundering charges against him are trumped up and part of the same "conspiracy" that kept him in U.S. custody for 20 years.
An animated Noriega spoke for an hour as he described how he came to power in 1983, and his long, friendly relationship with the U.S. government — including the CIA.
Then he gave his take on why the relationship soured.
Noriega was deposed after a 1989 U.S. invasion and went on to spend two decades behind bars in Florida for drug trafficking. In April, he was extradited to France to face charges that he laundered profits from cocaine trafficking through French banks in the 1980s.
Those charges, he said Tuesday, were nothing more than "an imaginary financial setup."
"I am a victim of the same conspiracy that the United States brought against me," he said.
He faces up to 10 years in prison in France if convicted.
Noriega has maintained that he fought against drug trafficking and that the money in French banks came from other sources, including payments from the CIA. He had been considered a valued CIA asset for years before he joined forces with drug traffickers and was implicated in the death of a political opponent.
Given the stand Tuesday, he gave a long speech, starting with his own biography and including geopolitical comment and talk of Panama's colonial history and the Panama Canal. He described missions in which he interceded as mediator in conflicts with Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran.
After rising through the ranks to the head of Panamanian Armed Forces, Noriega said, "I set about fighting against drug trafficking with much zeal and was warmly praised by the United States, from Interpol."
Noriega said the United States turned against him when he refused to participate in a U.S. plan aimed at ousting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The leftist Sandinistas fought U.S.-backed Contra rebels in the 1980s.
His vigorous testimony contrasted with his feeble appearance at the start of the trial Monday, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably as he addressed the three-judge panel.
On Tuesday, Noriega spoke in a booming voice and gesticulated broadly. He wore a black suit with checkered tie. He is not permitted to wear his military uniform in France since he is not being treated as a prisoner of war here — an issue hotly contested by his lawyers.
Panama is seeking Noriega's extradition, bringing hope to his countrymen who want to see the former military strongman face justice at home for alleged torture and killings of opponents.
France already convicted Noriega and his wife in absentia in 1999 for laundering several million dollars in cocaine profits through three major French banks and using drug cash to invest in three luxurious Paris apartments on the Left Bank.
France agreed to give him a new trial if he was extradited. Noriega's wife, Felicidad Sieiro de Noriega, is living in Panama and faces no charges there.
The most relevant literature regarding what happened since September 11, 2001 is George Orwell's "1984".