Daniel Duggan has spent 19 months in a maximum-security prison ahead of Friday's hearing, where he will fight a US extradition order.
The 55-year-old was arrested in Australia at the behest of the US after being accused of breaching US arms-trafficking laws by providing military training to Chinese pilots in South Africa between 2010 and 2012.
Duggan will appear in court supported by his wife Saffrine and eldest daughter. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
He received about $100,000 for his services, US lawyers said during a successful bid to freeze the sale of his house after they argued the cash was illegally gained.
Downing Centre Local Court hearing in Sydney on Friday. Duggan will appear supported by his wife Saffrine and his eldest daughter at the
The ex-pilot and his family argue the charges are politically motivated given the deterioration of the Sino-American relationship and how long ago the alleged actions occurred.
In April, he failed in a court bid to postpone the hearing after claiming he had racked up $800,000 in legal bills and was unable to fund his future defence.
He has since been denied help from Legal Aid and his family are seeking financial assistance through crowd-funding.
In a prison letter seen by AAP, Duggan said he believed his activities were lawful and that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the US Naval Central Intelligence Service knew of his work.
Ms Duggan has presented a petition with 25,000 signatures to politicians in Canberra, calling on Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to release her husband and end his extradition.
"He is an innocent Australian man, a political prisoner, who needs to be home with his family," she said.
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