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Will pursue extradition of Huawei's Meng Wanzhou, confirms US justice department

WION Web Team
Washington, DC, USAUpdated: Jan 23, 2019, 04:52 PM IST
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File photo of Meng Wanzhou. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Meng, 46, was released on bail last month but she continues to be under surveillance and is barred from leaving Canada. 

The US government today confirmed that it would be seeking extradition of Huawei's top executive Meng Wanzhou who is hauled up in Canada over charges of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions thereby working against US sanctions.

"We will continue to pursue the extradition of defendant Ms. Meng Wanzhou, and will meet all deadlines set by the US/Canada Extradition Treaty," said Justice Department spokesperson Marc Raimondi.

As Meng's extradition looms, Canadian ambassador to China John Mccallum said she had a good defence case. 

"One, political involvement by comments from Donald Trump in her case. Two, there's an extraterritorial aspect to her case, and three, there's the issue of Iran sanctions which are involved in her case, and Canada does not sign on to these Iran sanctions,"  Mccallum said, adding,"So I think she has some strong arguments that she can make before a judge."

Meng, 46, was released on bail last month but she continues to be under surveillance and is barred from leaving Canada. 

China meanwhile has once sprung to her defence, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said the US should drop  extradition request to Canada since it was a "serious mistake" and violated  Chinese citizen's safety and legitimate rights and interests."

Canadian law allows 60 days for the US to make extradition request for Meng Wanzhou and January 30th is the deadline. David MacNaughton, Canadian ambassador to the United States, said the United States has told Canada it will extradite Meng, but American authorities have yet to formally make that request.

Relations between Canada and China have nosedived since Meng's arrest with Chinese authorities detaining two Canadian nationals -  Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor - amid growing tensions.

A China Daily newspaper had said Canada "could lose the trust and cooperation of most developing countries" over the matter.