Report: Australia agrees to extradite Sirul

(MMO) – Australian authorities have finally agreed to repatriate Sirul Azhar Umar following a fresh attempt by Putrajaya to have the convicted murderer extradited, The Guardian reported.

According to the British newspaper, a source said Malaysia and Australia jointly agreed on the terms for the extradition of the former police commando, who was sentenced to death here for murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The terms, among others, was for Malaysia to bear the cost of extradition for Sirul.

“It is believed Sirul will leave Australia within a month,” the news report said. 

This revelation comes shortly after PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim openly condemned the Australian authorities for snubbing Malaysia’s bid to extradite Sirul.

Anwar had told the country’s ABC radio that some of Australia’s foreign policies were “tainted”.

Sirul, who was recently interviewed by The Guardian, said he was not willing to return to Malaysia even if his death sentence is commuted to life in prison.

He expressed fear that he would be killed while in prison here.

In 2009, Sirul and Azilah Hadri, both formerly with the police’s Special Action Unit were found guilty of murdering Altantuya in Mukim Bukit Raja in Klang between 10pm on October 19, 2006 and 1am on October 20, 2006.

During the course of their trial, it was revealed that the Mongolian was shot and her body blown up with explosives in a jungle clearing on the night of October 19.

The Court of Appeal acquitted the duo on August 23, 2013, but the Federal Court had on January 13, 2015 unanimously reversed their acquittal and restored the court order for their mandatory death sentence.

Sirul fled to Australia before the apex court made its decision.

Since then, Sirul has been kept in the detention centre as he has also been denied a temporary protection visa.