True to form, Conrad Black has gone for attack as the best form of defence.

Facing up to 40 years in jail for plundering Hollinger International, the newspaper group he used to lead, Black told reporters outside the court: "'The U.S. marines couldn't keep me away from this trial."

In keeping with this line of attack, Black has waived his right to fight extradition from Canada or the United Kingdom on the new charges of tax evasion.

Given his answers at the hearing, as revealed in that report, Black's also doing his best to show prosecutors that he's ready for a drag-em-down-no-holds-barred fight. As he would.

But US prosecutors are also playing hard-ball.

They are now pushing that Black make payments on a $US10 million loan which he had to take out as part of meeting his bail conditions of paying all taxes and obligations when they come due. Black, who was supposed to pay off the loan, has not been coming up with the cash.

Mind you, forcing him to make the payments might be more difficult given the worldwide freeze on his assets.

Black is out on bail of $21 million and that in itself suggests US prosecutors mean business.

Enron's Ken Lay was given bail of just $500,000!