US SENDS FOR JACK
Official documentation requesting the extradition of Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader and former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has been delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The package, sources say, also gives detailed listings of the alleged offences against Warner, who is wanted on wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering charges.
Contacted yesterday evening, Attorney General Garvin Nicholas said he is unaware that the US Department of Justice had sent the necessary paperwork for the commencement of extradition proceedings.
“I am unaware of that,” Nicholas said.
Kowlessar said: “I don't know. I wasn't in office today (yesterday). I will check when I go in tomorrow (today).”
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran when contacted also said he was unaware if any package had arrived.
Sources told the Express, that extradition proceedings ought to come through diplomatic channels and this would be through Foreign Affairs and then sent to the Central Authority.
It has been a month since a provisional warrant was issued for the arrest of Warner.
Warner is currently on $2.5 million bail after surrendering himself to Fraud Squad officers on May 27 after learning the warrant had been issued for his arrest.
He is being represented by a battery of attorneys, including Fyard Hosein SC, Nyree Alphonso, Rishi Dass and Anil Maharaj, while the State is being represented by Pamela Elder SC, attorneys Jagdeo Singh and Gerald Ramdeen.
Queens Counsel Alan Newman and James Lewis have also been retained by the State and will be appearing alongside the local team on July 9, when the matter next comes up for hearing.
Warner will next appear before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port of Spain Court on July 9.
He is accused of accepting a $10 million bribe in exchange for helping South Africa secure the right to host the 2010 World Cup. Officials in South Africa have denied that the money was a bribe.
Warner has denied wrongdoing and claimed that the charges are part of a US “witchhunt” meant to punish him for his support of Qatar's 2022 World Cup.
Sources told the Express that had the documentation not arrived by July 9, the matter would have been adjourned to a date on or before July 27, since the State was given 60 days to furnish documentation from the U.S. regarding Warner's extradition.
The 60 days took effect following the provisional warrant being served on Warner.
On June 3, Warner and other FIFA officials were placed on “red notice” by Interpol.
Former executive committee member Nicolas Leoz and corporate executives — Alejandro Burzaco, Hugo and Mariano Jinkis and Jose Margulies, also known as Jose Lazaro, were placed on the notices following a request by law enforcement officials in the United States.
The red notice was issued to all Interpol member countries and is geared towards seeking the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action.
Essentially, this means if Warner decides to leave the jurisdiction of T&T and go to another country, law enforcement will be alerted upon his arrival.
With this red notice in effect, it also means that all flight manifestos, train stations, ports — air and sea — and other modes of transportation will be closely monitored.
According to international reports, Lazaro is under house arrest in Paraguay.
Local Interpol sources say the alert is normal when dealing with an investigation of this magnitude and with such high-profile individuals.
The Interpol “red notice” means those named risk arrest anywhere they travel.
Argentinians Burzaco and Hugo Jinkis are accused of paying more than $100 million in bribes for media and commercial rights to football tournaments; and Margulies, a Brazilian broadcast executive.
RELATED NEWS
Sepp Blatter and Jerome Valcke hire US lawyers for FIFA corruption probe
By REUTERS
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Secretary General Jerome Valcke both hired high-powered US lawyers to represent them as a corruption probe roils football's global governing body.
Blatter recently retained Richard Cullen, the chairman of the law firm McGuireWoods and a former US federal prosecutor, said a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Blatter's top lieutenant, Valcke, has hired prominent New York defence attorney Barry Berke, a second source said.
Blatter, 79, announced on June 2 that he would stand down as FIFA president, only four days after he was re-elected to the position, saying he had lost the mandate from the entire world of soccer.
That followed US authorities' indictment of nine current and former FIFA officials and five corporate executives for allegedly running a criminal enterprise that involved more than $150 million in bribes over 24 years.
US prosecutors have not accused Blatter or Valcke of wrongdoing. However, they believe Valcke was involved in $10 million in FIFA bank transactions that are a key part of the investigation, a source said in early June.
Valcke said last week that while he had signed off on the transactions he had done nothing wrong, adding that allegations against him were 'insanity.'
It is unclear whether the decisions by Blatter and Valcke to hire top US lawyers indicated increased scrutiny of them by US authorities. It is common in the United States for even potential witnesses to seek legal advice if they can afford it in order to protect their rights.
Cullen was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for US prosecutors declined to comment.
FIFA could not immediately be reached for comment outside business hours.
Sepp Blatter: I have not resigned as the president of FIFA.
BY PA SPORT AND ESPN STAFF
Sepp Blatter has fuelled speculation about his future by insisting he has not resigned as FIFA president and will lay down his mandate at a special congress, though the governing body says Blatter's plans to step down have not changed.
On June 2, Blatter announced that he would walk away from the FIFA presidency at an extraordinary congress to be held between December and March.
The move followed the crisis that engulfed FIFA this summer, with 18 people indicted in the United States on football-related corruption charges.
In what has been seen by some as a mischief-making attempt to unsettle his critics, Blatter said at his first public appearance since his announcement: "I have not resigned. I put my mandate in the hands of an extraordinary congress."
Swiss newspaper Blick reported the comments made by Blatter late on Thursday at an event to thank construction workers at FIFA's new museum in Zurich.
He was applauded by workers, and told them he was "not ready for the museum" himself. "It is good to be here," he said.
"Only those who know the past can understand the present and shape the future," the 79-year-old said. "Or in other words: the ball is round -- but only those who come from outer space know the actual dimensions of our sport."
FIFA later responded, insisting that Blatter had no intention of standing as a candidate again.
"We can confirm the quotes in Blick are accurate," FIFA said in a statement. "However, they are fully in line with the speech of the President on June 2."
Friday's news comes after reports in the Swiss media said Blatter could consider putting his name forward for the presidency again after being contacted by supportive national associations.
At his June 2 press conference, Blatter had said he would "lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress" but would continue as president until that election.
He did add, however, that the election would be for his "successor" and said: "I shall not be a candidate."
Blatter has a tendency to play with words, leaving FIFA to clarify his meaning. Previously, he has spoken of a "mistake" in the awarding of the 2022 World Cup before it was later explained that he meant the error lay in choosing to play in the summer heat in Qatar. The tournament is now scheduled for November-December 2022.
Doubts about Blatter's promise to leave office were also fuelled by Swiss public relations executive Klaus Stoehlker, who served as a campaign adviser ahead of Blatter's recent re-election win.
"The president is fully prepared to step down but only if there is a competitor who is able to take over the job," Stoehlker told the AP on June 15, comparing Blatter to an ancient Swiss warrior. "The Swiss warrior takes decisions, and perhaps when the war is changing, he makes a new decision."
Blatter has not fully explained why he announced he would leave office just four days after winning re-election to a fifth term amid a crisis provoked by American and Swiss federal investigations of corruption linked to FIFA.
American law enforcement officials have confirmed that Blatter is a target of their investigation into widespread bribery and racketeering linked to broadcast rights and hosting votes for international tournaments.
Four football and marketing officials have already made guilty pleas and 14 more were named in an indictment published on May 27. Seven of the indicted men were arrested on corruption charges in early morning raids on FIFA's favorite luxury hotel in Zurich and have since been detained awaiting extradition to the United States.
On Friday, one of the seven was denied release on bail by Switzerland's Federal Criminal Court, which said "there was a risk that the appellant would abscond if released."
Blatter is himself reportedly under investigation by the FBI, and his attendance at the women's World Cup final in Canada next week appears to be in jeopardy due to the twin investigations by the American and Swiss justice authorities.
A source close to FIFA told the Press Association the crisis was having a bearing on whether Blatter travels to Canada. Blatter would normally attend the final and hand the trophy to the captain of the winning team.
But a FIFA spokesperson said: "In terms of the FIFA president and the FIFA secretary general [Jerome Valcke], their future travel plans will be confirmed in due course."