US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA291

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000291 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO DOJ - GREGORY STEVENS 
DEPT FOR: L/LEI, DOJ/OIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CJAN, KCRM, CASC, HO (MORRIS ARNOLD FREDERICK) 
SUBJECT: EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 02824 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS HAS AN ARREST 
WARRANT OUTSTANDING IN THE U.S. FOR CONSPIRACY, 
ILLEGAL CONCEALMENT OF ASSETS, MAKING FRAUDULENT AND 
FALSE STATEMENTS, AND CONSPIRACY TO LAUNDER MONEY. ON 
MARCH 18, 1992, MR. MORRIS FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINED 
HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP BY CONCEALING HIS U.S. CRIMINAL 
HISTORY IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID EXTRADITION, SINCE THE 
HONDURAN CONSTITUTION FORBIDS EXTRADITION OF HONDURAN 
NATIONALS. NEVERTHELESS, ON MARCH 7, 1995, THE USG 
OFFICIALLY REQUESTED THE EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD 
FREDERICK MORRIS.  ON AUGUST 16, 1996, THE HONDURAN 
ATTORNEY GENERAL REQUESTED REVOCATION OF MR. MORRIS' 
HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, MORRIS APPEALED 
THIS DECISION THROUGH THE HONDURAN COURT SYSTEM. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On February 9, 2004, Post received Official 
Note number 060-2004-PGR from the Honduran Solicitor 
General stating that the Court of Appeals of the 
Administrative Court revoked the ruling of the 
Administrative Court in San Pedro Sula, reaffirming 
the resolution made by the Ministry of Government and 
Justice, which cancelled Mr. Arnold Federick Morris' 
Honduran naturalization.  At the same time, orders 
were issued to maintain immigration stops, the 
Chancery was ordered to abstain from issuing a 
passport and the Civil Registry was also ordered to 
abstain from issuing a Honduran identification card to 
Mr. Morris. 
 
3.  (SBU) The Solicitor General also informed that 
they had received information that Mr. Morris was 
preparing to flee that same weekend to Belize. 
 
4.  (U) POST WILL CONTINUE TO ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE AS THEY ARISE. 
 
PALMER