REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia would extradite Italian fugitive Antonio Messicati Vitale, following a Bali provincial courts recent approval of the extradition request from an Italian prosecutor, Attorney General Offices spokesman Untung Setia Arimuladi said on weekend.
Vitale is wanted as a member of the infamous mafia group Costra Nostra. Operating in Palermo, Vitale and his associates are accused of various crimes, including extortion and vandalism.
"We appreciate the Bali courts decision to approve the extradition request. However, the implementation of the extradition itself will have to wait for an approval from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as mandated by Regulation Number 1/1979," Untung said.
According to Untung, the extradition of Vitale proves that Indonesia was serious in handling extradition requests from other countries.
"Organized crime must be considered a common enemy of all countries. Indonesia is not a safe haven for fugitives from abroad," he added.
According to a report in the Huffington Post, Vitale was arrested in Bali province last year at his luxury villa in the Legian neighborhood, located in the popular tourist area of Kuta. His arrest was conducted by a team consisting of both Indonesian and Italian police officers.
Vitale was wanted for involvement in various crimes, including murder, human trafficking and illegal arms trading. He is being sought to serve a 10-year sentence on a conviction for his association in the Mafia. His father, a local mob boss, was fatally gunned down in Sicily in 1988.
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