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Friday 13 July 2018

U.S. judge refuses to halt extradition of Lithuanian ex-judge

By MICHAEL TARM in Venckiene’s case — is
AP Legal Affairs Writer limited. Kendall accepted
CHICAGO (AP) — A former arguments by government
Lithuanian lawmaker ap- attorneys that the U.S. is
peared close to fainting in obliged to send Venckiene
a Chicago federal court- back to Lithuania in line
room Thursday as a judge with a bilateral extradition
refused to halt her extra- treaty, including to help
dition to her homeland, ensure other countries ex-
where she faces charges tradite suspects wanted in
stemming from her claims the United States.
about the existence of a “It is ... vital to the very con-
ring of influential pedo- cept behind mutual legal
philes. assistance treaties ... to
Lawyers for Neringa Venck- facilitate cooperation be-
iene, 47, said they would tween nations in order to
immediately appeal the protect the sovereignty of
decision to the 7th U.S. each,” Kendall said. She
District Court of Appeals. added that the “hardship”
That likely means Venck- of extradition “is lessened
iene won’t be forced on a by the fact that she still
plane back to Lithuania for may defend herself before
at least several weeks. Lithuanian courts.”
Venckiene was a central Venckiene said the charg-
figure in a scandal that This 2012 file photo provided by Juozas Valiušaitis shows Neringa Venckiene in Lithuania. Venck- es are politically motivated
gripped and divided Lithu- iene, a former Lithuanian judge and parliamentarian jailed in Chicago at her homeland’s request and she has repeatedly
anians before she fled to fears death if she’s extradited because she helped expose a network of influential pedophiles in warned she could be killed
Chicago in 2013 as pros- the country. if sent back to Lithuania.
ecutors prepared charges. Associated Press But assessing whether ei-
Also a former judge, Venck- judge asked if she wanted kill her if she is extradited. niece, whom she alleges ther claim was plausible,
iene is viewed by some a break, Venckiene said: “The judge pretty much was one of the pedophile Kendall said, was also en-
Lithuanians as a heroine “No, no.” But the judge re- signed my mom’s death ring’s victims; and hitting an tirely up to the State De-
for exposing a seedy crimi- cessed for five minutes any- sentence,” her 19-year-old officer as dozens of police partment under U.S. law
nal network, but others see way, as Venckiene drank son, Karolis, told The Chica- pried the girl from her arms and it hadn’t deemed the
her as a manipulator who water and dabbed her go Tribune on Thursday. He in a raid. claims credible.
fabricated the pedophilia face with a tissue. said he was convinced she Judge Virginia Kendall Venckiene had lived in the
claims. Venckiene told The As- couldn’t get a fair trial in spent nearly an hour read- Chicago suburb of Crys-
As it became clear the sociated Press in an in- Lithuania and that judges ing her written 35-page rul- tal Lake with her son, and
ruling wasn’t going her terview from her high-rise would impose a tough sen- ing aloud in a case she por- worked as a florist. She had
way Thursday in U.S. Dis- jail in Chicago earlier this tence if she is found guilty. trayed as novel and com- documents allowing her to
trict Court, Venckiene year that she feared shad- The charges she faces in plex. She said her power to live and work legally in the
— standing in orange jail owy figures she upset with Lithuania include report- halt or even delay an ex- U.S. but turned herself in
garb — appeared near to her accusations about a ing a false crime; disobey- tradition after the U.S. State in February after learning
collapsing and had to be pedophilia ring and cor- ing an order to relinquish Department has already American authorities were
helped to a seat. When the ruption in Lithuania could custody of her 4-year-old signed off on it — as it has seeking her arrest.q

AP sources: Army chooses Austin for new Futures Command HQ

By LOLITA C. BALDOR demic and technology technology and innova- on research and develop- nologies while still meeting
Associated Press climate that will mesh well tion experts who can iden- ment, among other fac- the immediate combat,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Army with the Army’s needs, said tify emerging threats and tors. equipment and staffing
leaders will announce on the officials, who spoke to help develop systems and The Greater Austin Cham- needs for the current glob-
Friday that they have cho- The Associated Press on equipment to counter ber of Commerce touted al fights.
sen Austin, Texas, as the condition of anonymity to them. the city as a place where Defense Secretary Jim
location for a new com- discuss the selection be- “We’re looking at the best its many entrepreneurs, Mattis has made it clear
mand headquarters that fore it was made public. of what America has to of- college students and mili- that military readiness and
will focus on how to mod- The command is expected fer when it comes to tech- tary reservists could offer lethality are his key pri-
ernize the service and pre- to have a staff of about nology and industry and the command new ideas. orities for the department
pare for future wars, U.S. 500 people, led by a four- education,” Army Col. Battered by nearly 17 and that the services must
officials said. star general. Patrick Seiber, spokesman years of war in Afghanistan be prepared for an ever-
The Army laid out plans to Initially, 15 cities were in for the Army Futures Com- and Iraq and strained by changing enemy.
create the so-called Fu- contention, but the Army mand Task Force, said escalating cybersecurity But the Pentagon and the
tures Command last Octo- narrowed down the list last month. “That means threats, the rising powers services are historically
ber, marking the first time in to five finalists last month: we need to get to where of China and Russia, chal- mired in bureaucratic red
decades that the service Austin, Boston, Minneapo- these folks are.” lenges in North Korea and tape, making it difficult to
has added such a high- lis, Philadelphia and Ra- Army leaders also wanted Iran, and stubborn insur- make decisions or chang-
level, new headquarters. leigh, North Carolina. a place where people gencies in Yemen, Soma- es quickly, particularly in-
Austin, known for its live Army leaders have said would want to live. lia and Syria, the U.S. mili- volving acquisition efforts
music scene, also has a they wanted the head- They looked at how much tary has struggled to keep to buy or upgrade equip-
favorable business, aca- quarters located near money is spent in each city pace with evolving tech- ment and systems.q