Court Order Sought To Extradite Iranian Man

KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian authorities have initiated extradition proceedings against Iranian national Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh, who is wanted by the Thai government for suspected involvement in bombing incidents in Bangkok last month. Deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar filed the application before Sessions Court judge S.M Komathy Suppiah when the case came up for mention Thursday. However, Kamal Baharin told the court that the prosecution needed time to get evidence from the Thai authorties in relation to the case. "We need at least a month to get photographs and CCTV recordings related to the case," he said. Komathy then set April 16 for mention. Meanwhile, Masoud, who was represented by counsel Mohd Nashir Hussin, told the court through a Farsi interpreter that he did not know why he was in the court because he had not committed any offence. In its application, the prosecution had also sought for Masoud, 32, to be held on remand while waiting for the Home Minister to hand over the Iranian to the Thai authorities. The Thai government had sought the man's extradition on Feb 21. The Magistrate's Court had issued a warrant of arrest for him on Feb 29 and he was produced before the court by police on March 1, whereby the same day, the court ordered that the case be transferred to the Sessions Court. Masoud has been held under remand till now. The prosecution informed the court that the Thai authorities wanted the man to be brought before their courts for allegedly being part of ring that was involved in making explosives that were to be detonated with the aim of causing loss of lives of innocent people and property. The prosecution also submitted a supporting affidavit from senior federal counsel Swandra Kim Chu Ramachandran, who is attached to the International Affairs Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers of Malaysia, stating that the extradition order be issued against Masoud under Article 7 of the Extradition Trinity between the British Government and the Siamese governmnet in 1911 which also applies to Malaysia. Masoud was detained at 3.30pm on Feb 15 a the LCCT terminal in Sepang under the Immigration Act while on transit to Iran after having arrived from Bangkok. He was detained on a request from Bangkok after the Thai authorities suspected he had links to two Iranians who were caught for bombing incidents in the Thai capital. Also present in court Thursday were Masoud's family members including his father. -- BERNAMA