An Indonesian official guards Afghanistan national Sayeed Abbas prior to his Thursday (July 11th) trial at a South Jakarta court. The court released the alleged human-trafficking kingpin, rejecting an Australian request for extradition. [Adek Berry/AFP]

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A court Thursday (July 11th) released alleged human-trafficking kingpin Sayeed Abbas from custody rather than extradite him to Australia, AFP reported.

In announcing its decision, the court cited jurisdictional issues. "The crime he committed did not happen in the country that requested the extradition," Chief Judge Pranoto said, adding that Indonesia's 1979 extradition law did not cover human trafficking.

Since he served a 30-month jail term for breaking Indonesian immigration laws, Abbas will likely be deported to his home country, Afghanistan.

Australia had sought Abbas' extradition since 2010 for allegedly organising a series of perilous sea trips. One of the boats sank in 2011 off the eastern Javanese coast, killing an estimated 200 people.