Swiss Say Khashoggi Will Fight Extradition

Saudi Arabian businessman Adnan Khashoggi has decided to fight extradition to the United States, where he is wanted on charges of racketeering, Swiss officials said Wednesday.

Khashoggi, a key middleman in the Iran arms-Contra aid scandal during the Reagan Administration, was arrested April 18 at the request of American officials and has since occupied a small cell in Bern’s district prison.

The one-time billionaire was indicted in March in New York on charges of fronting in illegal real estate deals for former Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda.

Will Present Arguments

The United States had 60 days to formally request extradition and the demand arrived May 31--two weeks before the deadline.

Khashoggi, reportedly in financial difficulties after amassing enormous wealth through arms deals and other transactions, could have gone at any time to the United States.

But officials said he chose to fight the U.S. demand.

Switzerland’s federal police had to make sure the request was “sufficiently documented and therefore receivable,” Swiss justice department spokesman Joerg Kistler said.

“That was the case, and Mr. Khashoggi and his lawyers will now present their arguments against extradition,” Kistler said.

“Those arguments will be considered together with the case put by the American authorities. It will take several weeks before there is a ruling,” he said.

Khashoggi has the right to appeal if the Federal Criminal Police rule that the U.S. request contains sufficient proof of activities that would also be illegal under Swiss law.

The appeal would be directly to the Swiss Supreme Court in Lausanne and those proceedings would mean several additional weeks in prison for the flamboyant Saudi Arabian businessman.

Daughter Visits Daily

In the Iran arms scandal, Khashoggi put up collateral for the initial U.S. arms sales to Iran but later complained that the Reagan Administration reneged on its promise to repay him and fellow investors. He was reported to have been left $10 million short.

In the scandal, which emerged in 1986, arms were sold to Iran in the hope that American hostages held in Lebanon by pro-Iranian extremists would be released. Proceeds from the sales were funneled to Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

Khashoggi has U.S. and Swiss lawyers working on his case in Bern. They visit him several times daily to confer on strategy, as does his daughter.

Because he is detained on a provisional basis, he uses his right to order meals from outside and gourmet food is delivered by his driver and bodyguards from the five-star Schweizerhof Hotel.

Khashoggi, 54, had been in Bern for cellular therapy, more commonly known as rejuvenation treatment.