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