Indonesia extradites human trafficker to Australia

Amir Syamsuddin

public domain

Indonesia extradites human trafficking kingpin Sayed Abbas to Australia. The move was announced by the country's justice minister Amir Syamsuddin in September 2012, following a meeting with visiting Australian Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare. 

"He [Abbas] has already gone through the justice process in Indonesia. He was arrested, held and tried. He will be extradited in 2013," said Syamsuddin after the talks. 

Abbas, who was believed to be the most active human trafficker operating out of Indonesia, is suspected to have arranged the voyage in which more than two hundred Australia-bound asylum seekers died in December 2011. 

In exchange for the wanted human trafficker, Indonesia has asked Australia to extradite Adrian Kiki Ariawan, a former Bank Surya chief, convicted of corruption and embezzlement over a $200 million fraud. If extradited, Ariawan faces a life sentence.  

"This is a mutual bilateral understanding between Australia and Indonesia. I also hope that Kiki Ariawan will be extradited to Indonesia. But we will first extradite Abbas and one other person, and we'll see," said Syamsuddin.