Christopher Tappin arrives in the US A retired British businessman extradited to the United States for alleged arms dealing has arrived in Texas. Christopher Tappin, 65, who lost his two-year battle against extradition last week, landed in Houston on Friday after flying from Heathrow. He will make his first court appearance in El Paso on Monday and could face up to 35 years in jail if convicted of selling batteries for Iranian missiles. Tappin's US lawyer Dan Cogdell said he would "vigorously argue" for his client to be released on bail, insisting: "There is no reasonable basis to believe that he is a flight risk or a danger. He is a respected businessman with no criminal record whatsoever. Before being forced to leave Britain under the controversial UK-US treaty, Tappin said he had been failed by the Government, branding the decision to extradite him as a "disgrace." Abu Qatada is walking the streets of London and we cannot extradite him. If I was a terrorist, I would not be going to America.