France Keeping Eye On Noriega Extradition Hearing

PARIS - France had "taken note" of a U.S. court ruling in the case of former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega but an official on Sunday declined comment on his possible extradition to Paris after his U.S. prison term ends.

Noriega, 72, was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison by a Paris court in 1999 on charges of laundering millions of French francs generated by the drugs trade through banks CIC, BNP, Credit Lyonnais and Banco do Brasil. Luxury apartments owned by Noriega and his family in Paris were also seized.

The former Pananamanian strongman is due to appear before a U.S. magistrate on France's extradition request on Tuesday after a separate U.S. judge on Friday denied him a speedy return home when he is released from prison in Florida on September 9 after serving 17 years for drug trafficking and racketeering.

A French diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Sunday France had "taken note" of Friday's ruling.

French Justice Ministry spokesman, Guillaume Didier, declined to comment, noting the legal process was ongoing.

There are suspicions in Panama that France has asked for Noriega's extradition in the hope of winning contracts to widen the Panama canal for French construction companies.

The extradition request was lodged some time this summer, according to the weekend edition of Le Monde newspaper.

"Nicolas Sarkozy has agreed to do a favor to the U.S. and Panamanian governments in order to obtain a slice of the cake of the $5.25 billion enlargement of the Panama Canal," Le Monde quoted a Panamanian academic, Miguel Angel Bernal, as saying.

Sarkozy's office declined to comment on the allegation.

Panama is also seeking Noriega's return. He has been convicted in absentia in his homeland for murder and human rights violations, including the 1985 beheading of an opponent. 

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