The extradition has been prohibited because of a pending action, a government spokesman told The Tribune last night.
Lawyers for Knowles are currently arguing before the Supreme Court that he should not be extradited to the US as President George Bush had already placed him on a list of “foreign narcotics kingpins,” jeopardising his chances of receiving a fair trial.
Knowles is facing drug smuggling and conspiracy charges in the US.
Knowles was first indicted along with Frank Cartwright and others by a US Federal Grand jury in May 2000. He is accused of smuggling cocaine between 1997 and 2000. A second indictment was made in December 2000, accusing him of conspiracy to possess cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy to import drugs in to the US in 1995 and 1996.
Cartwright was extradited last Friday after the US Embassy said it received the Extradition Order, which was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Fred Mitchell on Thursday.
Source: Rupert Missick, The Tribune
