EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 000099 SIPDIS DEPT FOR: L/LEI-DSULLIVAN, DOJ/OIA-JFAULKNER FBI PLEASE PASS TO MIAMI LIAISON JUNIOR ORTIZ SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CJAN KCRM CASC HO MORRIS ARNOLD FREDERICK SUBJECT: EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS REF: (A) STATE 156430 AUG 02, (B) E-MAIL COMUNICATION BETWEEN POST AND DOJ/OIA OCT 2001, (C) TEGUCIGALPA 02487 JUL 00, (D) TEGUCIGALPA 01784 MAY 00, (E) STATE 94048 MAY 00, (F) TEGUCIGALPA 1638 MAY 00, (G) STATE 276514 OCT 94, (H) STATE 150133 JUN 94, ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: ON OCTOBER 24, 2002, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA RULED IN FAVOR OF MORRIS, ANNULLING THE CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. THIS RULING MAKES MORRIS A HONDURAN CITIZEN AND, THEREFORE, NOT EXTRADITABLE UNDER THE HONDURAN CONSTITUTION. THE SOLICITOR GENERAL HAS FILED AN APPEAL WITH THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) ON JANUARY 9, 2003 POST LEARNED FROM STAFF MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA THAT ON OCTOBER 24, 2002 THE JUDGE HAD RULED IN FAVOR OF MORRIS ANNULLING THE CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. THE RULING WAS BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS, SUCH AS: A) THE REQUEST FOR CANCELLATION OF MORRIS' CITIZENSHIP WAS FILED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND NOT BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL; B) THE 1994 CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST HIM WAS FILED AFTER HE HAD OBTAINED HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP; C) THE 1992 CRIME WAS CLOSED BEFORE MORRIS OBTAINED HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP (HE SERVED 6 MONTHS PROBATION AND PAID A $250 DOLLAR FINE). THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FILED AN APPEAL ON NOVEMBER 19, 2002 WITH THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT. ¶3. (U) WHILE TRYING TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE- MENTIONED APPEAL, WE ALSO LEARNED THAT ON MARCH 25, 2002 MORRIS HAD FILED ANOTHER APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT ARGUING THAT THE REQUEST FOR CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL INSTEAD OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. A RULING ON THIS ISSUE HAS NOT YET BEEN RENDERED. ¶4. (SBU) DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT POST HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT, MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT'S SECRETARY GENERAL, THE SUPREME COURT, AND HAS MADE ENDLESS PHONE CALLS TO THE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS ON A WEEKLY AND MONTHLY BASIS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AND KEEP TRACK OF INFORMATION ON THIS CASE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE GOH DOES NOT PROVIDE TIMELY INFORMATION ON COURT CASES, AND THE HONDURAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE A CENTRALIZED TRACKING SYSTEM. POST IS FORCED TO RELY ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY COURT STAFF THROUGH PERIODIC PHONE CALLS, SOMETIMES THE CLERKS CLAIM THAT THERE ARE NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON THE CASE WHEN IN FACT THERE IS OR THEY PROVIDED INFORMATION WHICH IS NOT ACCURATE. THE BACKDROP TO THIS CASE IS PERSISTENT RUMORS THAT MORRIS, WHO HAS MARRIED INTO A POLITICALLY WELL-CONNECTED HONDURAN FAMILY, HAS CONTINUED TO PAY LARGE BRIBES TO JUDGES AND COURT CLERKS TO DELAY AND POSTPONE RULINGS ON HIS CASE. ¶5. (U) FYI: THE FOLLOWING IS A CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE, THUS FAR: ON MARCH 18, 1992, MORRIS ALLEGEDLY OBTAINED HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. ON MARCH 7, 1995, THE EMBASSY REQUESTED MORRIS' EXTRADITION THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ON AUGUST 16, 1996, HONDURAN SOLICITOR GENERAL REQUESTED REVOCATION OF MORRIS' HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP TO THE MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT, CONTENDING IT HAD BEEN OBTAINED FRAUDULENTLY, SINCE HE HAD NOT ADMITTED TO HIS PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY IN THE U.S. ON MARCH 7, 1997, MORRIS TRIED TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING EVIDENCE AFTER THE APPROPRIATE DEADLINE TO THE MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT. THIS IS KNOWN AS RECOURSE OF REINSTATEMENT. ON APRIL 1, 1997, THE MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT REFUSED THE RECOURSE OF REINSTATEMENT. ON MAY 21, 1997, MORRIS FILED AN APPEAL TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT OBJECTING TO THE FACT THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO SUBMIT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD PROVE THAT HE HAD NOT MISREPRESENTED HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY. ON FEBRUARY 4,1998, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT REJECTED MORRIS' APPEAL. ON FEBRUARY 17, 1998, MORRIS APPEALED TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT. ON MAY 18,1998, THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT RULED THE APPEAL INADMISSIBLE. ON JUNE 30, 1998, MORRIS APPEALED TO THE SUPREME COURT. ON JUNE 22, 1999, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THE APPEAL INADMISSIBLE. ON OCTOBER 21, 1999, THE MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT REVOKED MORRIS' HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. ON FEBRUARY 27, 2000, MORRIS FILED A NEW MOTION BEFORE THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN WHICH HE REQUESTS THE ANNULMENT OF THE FINAL RESOLUTION CANCELING HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. ON MARCH 7, 2000, THE CASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN THE CITY OF SAN PEDRO SULA. ON MAY 31, 2000, THE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT INFORMED THE EMBASSY THAT MORRIS WAS NO LONGER A HONDURAN CITIZEN. ON JUNE 7, 2000, THE EMBASSY SENT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS A DIPLOMATIC NOTE REITERATING OUR REQUEST FOR MORRIS' EXTRADITION, DEPORTATION OR EXPULSION. ON JUNE 19, 2000, THE HONDURAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE INFORMED THE EMBASSY THAT IT WOULD TRY TO DETAIN AND DEPORT MORRIS. ON JUNE 21, 2000, HONDURAN IMMIGRATION AND POLICE OFFICIALS WERE PHYSICALLY THWARTED BY MORRIS' ARMED GUARDS, WHEN THEY TRIED TO DETAIN AND DEPORT HIM FROM ROATAN, ONE OF THE BAY ISLANDS OF HONDURAS. ON JUNE 22, 2000, MORRIS APPEALED TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT, IN TEGUCIGALPA, FOR RELIEF UNDER THE CONSTITUTION ALLEGING THAT HIS HONDURAN CIVIL RIGHTS HAD BEEN VIOLATED. ON AUGUST 2000, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA RULED THE APPEAL OF FEBRUARY 27, 2002 INADMISSIBLE. On September 8, 2000, Morris appealed to the Court of Appeals of the Administrative Court, in Tegucigalpa, requesting the following actions: A REPOSITION OF THE RULING RENDERED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA, CONCERNING THE SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE. A SUSPENSION OF THE INTERMEDIATE SENTENCE OF THE CHALLENGED ACT. MEANING, SUSPENSION OF THE CANCELLATION OF NATIONALITY, WHILE THE ACQUISITION OF THE NATIONALITY WAS BEING CHALLENGED. THE RULING ON THIS REQUEST REMAINS PENDING. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, THE REPOSITION OF THE RULING CONCERNING THE SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE WAS DENIED. On January 5, 2001, U.S. Department of Justice informed the Department of State that the case against Morris was still pending. Officials reiterated that they wanted Morris returned to the U.S. so that he could stand trial. ON JULY 15, 2001, THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF MORRIS' JUNE 22, 2000 APPEAL BASED ON THE TECHNICALITY THAT THE MINISTRY OF GOVERNMENT HAD NOT SUBMITTED THE EVIDENCE IN A TIMELY MANNER. ON FEBRUARY 28, 2002, THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA, CONFIRMING THAT HIS CIVIL RIGHTS HAD BEEN VIOLATED. ON MARCH 25, 2002, MORRIS APPEALED TO THE SUPREME COURT ARGUING THAT THE REQUEST FOR CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL AND NOT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. ON OCTOBER 24, 2002, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA RULED IN FAVOR OF MORRIS, ANNULLING THE CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2002, THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FILED AN APPEAL WITH THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT, IN TEGUCIGALPA, OBJECTING TO THE RULING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA. ¶6. (U) THE EFFECT OF THE RULING BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA IS TO CONFIRM THAT MORRIS DID OBTAIN HONDURAN NATIONALITY, AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO BE EXTRADITED OR DEPORTED. POST WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS ON THE SOLICITOR GENERALS' APPEAL. PALMER