COURT WON'T EXTRADITE MAN TO STAND TRIAL IN THE U.S.

A Norwegian court has refused to extradite a suspected drug smuggler to the
United States, saying he might suffer inhumane conditions in an American jail.

The suspect, Henry Hendriksen, 49, was arrested in 1997 in Stavanger,
Norway, on charges of smuggling about 50 tons of hashish into the United
States. The charges were filed in Vermont.

Hendriksen fought extradition in a case that reached the Norwegian Supreme
Court late last year.

In a unanimous decision, the high court questioned whether U.S. jails meet
the humanitarian standard required for extradition under Norwegian law and
sent the case back to a district court.

The district court decided July 16 not to extradite Hendriksen.

Defense attorney John Christian Elden said he assumed Hendriksen would be
granted asylum.