Prague, Feb 2 (CTK) – Lebanese Ali Fayad, previously arrested by the Czech police, still stays in a Prague prison, his defence lawyer said on Tuesday, adding that he has no official decision about Fayad’s release though media speculate that five Czechs have been released by kidnappers in Lebanon in exchange for Fayad.
“For the moment, neither I nor Mr Fayad have any official decision or a document from the Justice Ministry or any other body. I can assure you that Mr Fayad was staying in the custody prison at 15:00 today,” the defence lawyer, Vladimir Ricica, told CTK.
Fayad has been in Czech custody since April 2014 on suspicion of cooperation with terrorists.
The USA has applied for his extradition. Last December, the Prague High Court confirmed that Fayad can be extradited, like his two suspect accomplices – Faouzi Jaber and Khaled Marabi.
The three plead not guilty and protest against being extradited to the USA.
The final decision on their extradition is up to Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan (for ANO), who should decide within three months following the court decision, i.e. until mid-March.
On Wednesday, a Czech government plane is to pick up the five Czechs, who went missing in Lebanon in July and were found unharmed this week, reportedly released by kidnappers.
The Czech authorities have not commented on the media information that the five Czechs had been released in exchange for Fayad’s release from the Prague jail.
