Carlos Ghosn had led Nissan for almost two decades.
Washington, United States:
The United States has given the go-ahead to extradite a former special forces soldier and his son to Japan for aiding in the daring escape of auto executive Carlos Ghosn, though a judge suspended their transfer on Thursday .
Former Green Beret Michael Taylor and his son Peter were arrested in the Boston area in May on a Japanese arrest warrant, but have appealed not to be handed over.
A court document showed Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Biegun accepted Japan’s request, saying the State Department had “carefully and thoroughly” reviewed the case.
“I confirm that the decision to hand the Taylor over to Japan complies with applicable international obligations as well as national laws and regulations,” said the letter from State Department Legal Counsel Karen Johnson.
But Indira Talwani, a federal judge from Massachusetts, suspended the extradition to give the court time to consider the Taylors’ emergency petition.
The Taylors said they received an email after 10 p.m. Wednesday informing them they would be sent on a plane from Boston to Tokyo at 1 p.m. Thursday.
The duo, working with a Lebanese, George-Antoine Zayek, are accused of posing as musicians and taking Ghosn on a private jet in a large black suitcase of the type used to carry audio equipment.
Ghosn had ruled Nissan for nearly two decades, gaining celebrity status as a rare foreign executive to thrive in Japan, until he was arrested in 2018 on allegations of financial crimes, which he denies.
Ghosn, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationality, made this daring escape when he was released on bail and showed up in Lebanon, a country that does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.
The Taylors argued that they would not get a fair trial in Japan and would face “oppressive and punitive” actions in violation of the United Nations Convention against Torture.
Lawyers for the father and son called the State Department’s decision “arbitrary and capricious” and in violation of US laws as well as the US extradition treaty with Japan, which they said lacked sufficient evidence. evidence in the case.
A State Department spokesperson did not give further details of the decision, saying he was not discussing pending extradition requests.
