U.S. seeks to freeze Noriega bank accounts

Press, 28 December 1989, Page 8

U.S. seeks to freeze Noriega bank accounts

The united states, locked in a tug of war with the Vatican on the deposed Panamanian military ruler, General Manuel Antonio Noriega, plans to cut him off from more than SNZI6 million in alleged drug money, NZPAReuter reports from Washington.

The United States Justice Department said yesterday it would file legal papers in six to 12 countries, mostly European, requesting them to freeze bank accounts of General Noriega, who went into the papal nunciature in Panama City two days ago seeking political asylum after being on the run from United States troops who invaded Panama.

A White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, said the United States had told the Vatican “very directly” that it wanted General Noriega extradited to stand trial on indictments issued by two grand juries in Florida in February 1988. “The United States policy is to secure him for prosecution. We maintain that policy objective,” Mr Fitzwater said.

Yesterday CBS television quoted Government sources in the United States and Panama as saying they expected a deal to be struck “as early as tomorrow” which would allow General Noriega safe conduct out

of Panama to asylum in a third country. This would mean General Noriega would escape trial both in Panama and the United States. “Administration officials are said to be privately worried that (a trial) could reveal some highly embarrassing history about Noriega’s past relationship with the C.I.A. (Central Intelligence Agency)” CBS News reported. General Noriega is accused in the United States of using Panama to launder drug money and shelter Colombian cocaine barons. He is also charged with conspiring to smuggle marijuana into the United States.

General Noriega entered the residence of Pope John Paul Il’s representative in Panama City, Monsignor Juan Sebastian Laboa, after eluding capture by United States troops who invaded Panama last week.

A Defence Department spokesman, Pete Williams, said that United States forces were surrounding the residence to prevent General Noriega from sneaking out. In Rome, diplomatic sources said the United States Ambassador to the Vatican, Thomas Miledy, met the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, to press the United States case. The Vatican has no extradition

treaties with other States. Traditionally, it has granted at least temporary refuge to individuals claiming political or religious persecution. A Vatican spokesman declined comment yesterday except to say that talks on General Noriega’s fate would continue. The chief Vatican spokesman, Joaquin Na-varro-Valls, said on Tuesday that General Noriega had not been given asylum, but added that he did not expect him to be turned over to the United States. United States officials said they were arguing that General Noriega’s request for asylum should be turned down because sanctuary should be reserved for those fleeing political oppression or religious persecution. “Noriega does not fit either category. His fear is of prosecution in the United States on the two indictments outstanding against him,” a Justice Department spokesman said. In Miami, a senior Noriega aide, Lieutenant Colonel Luis del Cid, head of intelligence in the Panama Defence Forces, appeared in court a day after surrendering to United States forces. He was charged with drug smuggling and laundering money for Colombian cocaine cartels. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held in jail pending a bail hearing on January 2.