Noriega Arraigned in Florida Court

MIAMI--Fallen Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega told a federal judge yesterday that he is a political prisoner and refused to enter a plea to charges he took $4.6 million to turn his nation into a way station for the cocaine trade.

"General Noriega refuses to submit to the jurisdiction of this court...because he is a political prisoner brought to this country illegally," Noriega attorney Frank Rubino told U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler.

The judge then entered an innocent plea for Noriega.

Rubino said during the half-hour hearing that the general had been told Wednesday that protection would be withdrawn as crowds surrounded the Vatican Embassy in Panama City. He said Noriega surrendered to avoid further bloodshed. However, the archbishop of Panama said the surrender followed Noriega's realization he had lost all support.

In Washington, a senior Bush administration official said the Vatican Embassy had been planning to order Noriega to leave at noon yesterday had he not surrendered to U.S. authorities. That previously undisclosed ultimatum may have been the final straw that prompted the surrender, the official said.

Noriega was dressed in olive-green trousers and a khaki uniform shirt with a general's four stars on the epaulets. When questioned by the judge, he stood with a military bearing, with hands clasped tightly behind him.

He answered softly in Spanish and stared at the judge, showing no emotion.

The defense said the case could take nine months to prepare and six months to try. U.S. Attorney Dexter Lehtinen said he thought the trial would take only two months.

Noriega is accused of accepting $4.6 million in bribes from Colombian drug cartels to aid and protect their smuggling and processing--charges that carry 145 years in prison and $1.1 million in fines.

A bond hearing was waived until it is requested by the defense. Noriega, who gave his age as 51 although some records indicate he may be older, will be held without bond.

He is not covered by the new U.S. law allowing execution of drug kingpins, an assurance Noriega reportedly demanded before turning himself in. He also faces drug charges in Tampa.

Noriega surrendered Wednesday night to U.S. troops outside Panama City's Vatican Embassy 10 days after he took refuge there, and was flown into Homestead Air Force Base south of Miami under cover of night yesterday.

U.S. marshals with binoculars scanned the downtown area continuously from atop the federal courthouse and patrolled halls in plain clothes. But otherwise the marshals were inconspicuous in what Hoeveler said was an effort to treat Noriega like any other defendant.

Exactly a year ago, Hoeveler ruled the United States has jurisdiction over the Noriega case, rejecting defense claims of immunity for a head of state. The judge said the State Department never recognized Noriega's political legitimacy.

Noriega co-counsel Steven Kcllin has noted other potential legal pitfalls in the case, including extreme pretrial publicity and Noriega's links with U.S. intelligence agencies, but U.S. Attorney General Richard L. Thornburgh said he was confident the case was solid.

White House spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater said President Bush and other White House officials would be careful about what they say lest they prejudice the trial.

Justice Department spokesperson David Runkel said that Noriega was not formally placed under arrest until the C-130 he was aboard was taking off from Panama. Runkel said U.S. officials decided to make the arrest in American territory.

Noriega's surrender was met with joyous celebrations in the streets of Panama City and Miami that continued yesterday.

The general--who had ruled for six years, thumbed his nose at two U.S. presidents and annulled an election he apparently was losing--gave up, still wearinghis military uniform, after realizing even hissupporters had turned against him, the archbishopof Panama, Marcos McGrath, said yesterday.

"The people feel a sense of peace knowing thatthe monster is leaving our land," said PanamanianPresident Guillermo Endara, frequently a target ofNoriega's thugs.

The indictment against Noriega names 15 otherpeople, including the reputed head of the Medellincocaine cartel, Pablo Escobar Gaviria, who isbeing hunted by Colombian authorities.

One of Noriega's key assistants, Lt. Col. Luisdel Cid, surrendered to U.S. troops after the Dec.20 invasion of Panama and has pleaded innocent toall charges. Prosecutors have refused to say if hewill testify against his former boss.

President Bush yesterday sent Gen. ColinPowell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, toplan the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops. Some25,000 soliders remain in Panama.

Gen. Maxwell Thurman, commanding general ofU.S. forces in Panama, said Noriega's surrender"completes the fourth of our four objectives" ininvading Panama in Operation Just Cause. Theothers, he said, were to protect American lives,safeguard the Panama Canal treaties and restoredemocracy to Panama.

According to authorities, about 290 Panamaniansoldiers, 300 civilians, 23 U.S. troops and threeAmerican civilians died in the invasion.

Fitzwater said Bush was "gratified thisoperation was completed in such a successfulfashion."

Bush had called Pope John Paul II "to thank himfor the distinguished efforts of the Vatican andthe papal nuncio in Panama" in getting Noriega tosurrender