Mounaf’s Extradition to Romania Yet to Be Solved

The Romanian Ministry of Justice seeks the extradition to Romania of Mohammad Mounaf sinvestigated for plotting and organizing the kidnapping of the three Romanian journalists held hostage this spring in Iraqt.

However, it may not do so, since the state entity from each it could formally seek Mounaf’s extradition is not clear. Mounaf is on Iraqi soil, but he is in the custody of American forces there, at a military base controlled by the Allied Forces s24 nations in allt.

The Appeals Court in Bucharest decided in September to ask for Mounaf’s extradition form the US Government, since Mounaf holds American citizenship and also was held in custody by the American military.
After further analysis, Romanian officials, however, sought the Americans’ opinion on the extradition request, before filing it.
"We are waiting the answer from the State Department regarding the applicability of the bilateral agreement for extradition to this case. The US-Romania agreement was signed in 1924 and referred only to citizens found on the territory of our respective states or on territories controlled by either of us," said Razvan Radu, director with the Ministry of Justice.
"So, one first has to establish on whose territory was Mounaf apprehended, in order to know where to file the extradition request," added Radu.