Black Panther arrested in Portugal decades on from hijacking US flight

[alp227]

Source: Associated Press

A 1970s militant who carried out one of America's most brazen plane hijackings lived for decades in a seaside hamlet in Portugal with his Portuguese wife and two children, neighbours said.

George Wright, 68, was taken into custody by local police on Monday at the request of the US government, which is seeking his extradition for escaping from a New Jersey jail after being convicted of murder. Wright was also named as one of the hijackers of a Delta flight in 1972.

The Portuguese news agency Lusa, citing unnamed police sources, said that the former Black Liberation Army member planned to fight any extradition.

During a court appearance on Tuesday in Lisbon, Wright asked to be released pending the outcome of the US extradition request, and his request is being reviewed by Portuguese judicial authorities, said a spokeswoman for the US justice department.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/28/black-panther-arrested-portugal-hijack

[frazzled]

1. Wow, that is a really interesting, blast-from-the-past story

Don't even know what else to say about it except that it's fascinating.

[RZM]

2. Heard about this on the radio yesterday

That story neglected to mention he was a black panther. That's particularly odd because I heard the story on XM 128 'The Power,' which is the black talk station.

[dipsydoodle]

4. I think the Black Panther mention is to attract attention.

He was actually arrested on Monday of this week. BBC News ran this yesterday too.

[RZM]

5. If his original crims are tied with his affialiations, it's quite relevant to the story n/t

[MADem]

3. Hmmm, so is justice delayed, justice denied?

This entire story has the seeds of a great movie in it...kind of like a Pantheresque "The Departed."

What a bold fellah, the article gives the impression that he wasn't too concerned about getting caught after all these years--he certainly seemed to maintain a fairly nice lifestyle; remarkable considering neither he nor his wife were full-time workers. Perhaps her father was generous, or maybe he worked off the books in some fashion?

Anyway, some smart scriptwriter needs to buckle down and come up with a treatment...this thing could be a moneymaker--it's got retro 70s in it, crime, an international escape, lots of lush scenery....perfect vehicle for the right actor of a certain age.

[era veteran]

6. Don't make this thug a hero out of some bullshit

nostalgia from the '60's. He used the Panthers.

HOWELL, N.J. — The daughter of a New Jersey gas station owner who was gunned down during a robbery in 1962 is glad her father's convicted assailant has been caught in Portugal.
Ann Patterson told The Associated Press on Wednesday "now there's justice for Daddy."
George Wright escaped from prison and later helped hijack a jetliner in 1972. He was convicted of the murder of gas station owner Walter Patterson during the heist that netted $70.
Wright remained on the lam for nearly four decades until authorities tracked him to an idyllic Portuguese hamlet on Monday.
Ann Patterson says the FBI never forgot her father because he was a decorated World War II veteran.
Nephew Phillip Patterson says Wright has had all this time while his uncle "had nothing."

A $70.00 net for murder, some fucking revolutionary killing gas station worker.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/09/28/1900530/slain-nj-mans-daughter-thankful.html#ixzz1ZHcQRbqA

[coalition_unwilling]

7. After what Georgia did to Troy Davis, I would say that every

European court will be looking very skeptically at any request by the war crimes and torture regime in the U.S. to extradite anyone here. Just a guess.