RI may deport Abu Quassey

RI may deport Abu Quassey

JAKARTA: Indonesia is considering deporting Abu Quassey, an
Egyptian detained for visa violations, to Egypt, justice and
human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Monday.

"If Abu Quassey can be prosecuted in Egypt in accordance with
Egyptian law, we will consider deporting him to Egypt rather than
Australia," Yusril was quoted by Antara as saying.

Mootaz Attia Mohammad Hasan, also known as Abu Quassey, is
being held at an immigration detention center here after serving
a six-month prison sentence for visa violations.

Quassey has admitted he organized the October 2001 voyage
which led to the deaths of about 350 mostly Iraqi asylum-seekers
as they headed for Australia in a dilapidated and overcrowded
boat which sank.

The minister said he had met Egyptian embassy officials and
asked them if Quassey could be charged with people-smuggling if
he were extradited to Egypt. The embassy promised to give the
reply in two weeks, he said.

Unlike Australia, Indonesia did not charge Quassey with
people-smuggling because it does not have laws against the
practice. --Antara