Space Travel News
MILPLEX
Danish court to rule on gun-runner's India extradition
Danish court to rule on gun-runner's India extradition
By Camille BAS-WOHLERT
Copenhagen (AFP) Aug 29, 2024

A court in Denmark is to decide Thursday whether a Danish arms smuggler who air-dropped weapons to Indian villagers in 1995 can be extradited to India for trial.

Niels Holck, 62, has admitted to parachuting four tonnes of weapons into the state of West Bengal to help locals fight government authorities.

He was the only one of seven smugglers who managed to escape after the Indian Air Force intercepted their returning plane.

The others, five Russians and a Briton, were sentenced in Kolkata to life imprisonment in 2000, but all were eventually released.

India regards the Dane, also known as Kim Davy, as the mastermind of the operation, which saw the delivery of hundreds of assault rifles, pistols, anti-tank grenades, rocket launchers and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

New Delhi has relentlessly pursued attempts to have him stand trial in India, and the affair has been a stumbling block in Danish-Indian relations.

Holck was arrested in Denmark in April 2010 after Danish authorities reached a deal with India over the terms of his extradition, including a promise that he would not be given the death penalty and would serve any sentence in Denmark.

But a Danish district court in 2011 overturned the authorities' decision, saying he risked mistreatment in India.

An appeals court later upheld the district court's ruling.

Holck's lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, told AFP this week that his client would appeal if the Hillerod district court on Thursday orders him extradited.

"He's frustrated that the case has dragged on for so long," Christoffersen said.

"Now he's hopeful that it will come to a close and that once it has gone through the Danish legal system, it will be clear that he will never be extradited to India."

"He is going on with his life, but he cannot travel. He has his life in Denmark but it's a burden on him," he said. "He's been called a terrorist without any factual merit for 28 years."

In his 2008 autobiography titled "They Call Me a Terrorist", Holck recounts the delivery of the arms during a flight that left from Bulgaria.

Prosecutors are expected to appeal if the court does not order his extradition.

The Hillerod district court's decision is expected around 1:00 pm (1100 GMT).

Related Links
The Military Industrial Complex at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
MILPLEX
Canada says Ukraine can use donated tanks in Russia
Washington DC (UPI) Aug 16, 2024
Ukraine's armed forces are now authorized to use donated Canadian military equipment inside Russian territory, Canada's Department of National Defence confirmed. Canadian officials made the comments Thursday, joining several other countries that have already given Ukraine the green light to use donated weapons inside Russia's territorial border. Canada donated eight Leopard 2A4 tanks, several dozen armored combat support vehicles, hundreds of armored patrol vehicles and 4,200 M72A5-C1 ro ... read more

MILPLEX
MILPLEX
The means for mapping Martian meteorites

Western researchers help identify origins of Martian meteorites

Rocket Lab Prepares Twin Satellites for NASA Mars Mission Launch

An oasis in the desert on Mars

MILPLEX
Proposed technique for large-scale water production on the Moon

NASA Calls for Industry Input on Lunar Logistics and Mobility Systems

Potential seen for US-China space relations

Rare 'Supermoon Blue Moon' begins Monday; 1st of 4 upcoming supermoons

MILPLEX
Juice trajectory reset with historic Lunar-Earth flyby

NASA's Juno Mission Maps Jupiter's Radiation Using Danish Technology

Juice captures striking image of Moon during flyby

Ariel's Carbon Dioxide Indicates Potential Subsurface Ocean on Uranus' Moon

MILPLEX
Citizen scientists confirm new warm Jovian-class exoplanet

The evolution of the Trappist-1 planetary system

A Baby Planet Reveals Its Hiding Place

UK Space Agency Backs Missions to Study Stellar Influence on Habitable Worlds

MILPLEX
SpaceX Polaris Dawn launch pushed back after helium leak

SpaceX shows off Dragon capsule for Polaris Dawn flight

SpaceX sends 22 Starlink satellites into orbit using new first stage booster

Polaris Dawn Mission Set for August 26 to Advance Commercial Space Exploration

MILPLEX
Shenzhou-18 Crew Tests Fire Alarms and Conducts Medical Procedures in Space

Astronauts on Tiangong Space Station Complete Fire Safety Drill

Shenzhou XVIII Crew Conducts Emergency Drill on Tiangong Space Station

Beijing Unveils 'Rocket Street' to Boost Commercial Space Sector

MILPLEX
Scientists trace dinosaur-extinction asteroid to outer solar system

Asteroid That Wiped Out Dinosaurs Came from Beyond Jupiter

Evidence of Hydration Found on Asteroid Psyche by SwRI-Led Team

NASA near-Earth defense telescope retired after more than a decade

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.