US orders man's return to Thailand over killing

By MARY LONGMORE IN BANGKOK

A United States court has ruled the alleged mastermind behind the slaying of New Zealander Ian Travis in Bangkok a year ago should be extradited to Thailand to stand trial for conspiracy to commit murder.

The landmark decision to send American James Muller back to Bangkok, made by the Atlanta division of the US District Court, will be the first time a US citizen has been extradited to Thailand, a US embassy spokesman confirmed.

Lawyers for Muller had not yet decided whether to appeal against the ruling.

Eketahuna-born Travis, 41, died on March 1 last year after being shot five times at point-blank range in his Mercedes in a dawn ambush. It is alleged Muller's two Thai bodyguards had been paid Bt200,000 ($8200) to carry out the killing.

Prosecutors say Muller took out a bounty on Travis after the New Zealander quit his shady foreign currency dealing firm early last year and launched a rival company, taking staff, client lists and cash with him.

The decision comes despite a u-turn by a key witness and one of the suspected hitmen, Sayan Piyawat, who recanted his evidence earlier this year identifying Muller's Thai wife, Woranuch, as the person who handed him the cash and the gun, indirectly implicating Muller.

However, the May 27 ruling must still be approved by the US State Department for diplomatic and national interest. That process could take months, defence lawyers say.

Assistant US Attorney Brian Pearce, who has been acting for the Thai Government, said he and state officials who had been working on the case since Muller's arrest at Atlanta airport last June were relieved and confident the extradition would go forward.

"I'm very relieved. It was the right outcome and I know Thailand will be feeling the same way," he said.

Pearce said the magistrate found there was sufficient probable cause and that the arrest warrant was valid, Those two points were the areas contested by Muller's defence.

A spokesman at Thailand's Office of the Attorney-General said it was good news.

"I was not sure the American Government was going to extradite its own people, he said, noting that Thailand had sent many Americans back to the US under the extradition treaty.

"Since Thailand has extradited many people to the US, now its our turn," he said.

The US at present is seeking to extradite American millionaire James Sullivan, accused of killing his wife, but the spokesman said the two cases were not linked and there were no deals.

One of Muller's lawyers, Bruce Lyons, said he did know yet if they were going to appeal. Asked about Muller's reaction, he said, "how do you think he reacted?"

Travis' brother, who requested anonymity, welcomed the news, but said he had many unanswered questions about the death of his brother.

"I would like to know [why] he wasn't wearing a weapon the day he died. This is a man who felt naked without his gun."

Travis, who changed his name from Graeme Church in 1991, worked as a mercenary soldier in Asia for years before turning to get-rich-quick schemes in Bangkok. The fast-talking telesales firms are believed to have taken millions from gullible New Zealand and Australian investors.

Muller had also been sought in connection with a US$30 million ($51.7 million) mid-90s fraud case in Georgia.