Tony Mokbel extradition of Australia's most wanted fugitive in two weeks

Greeces Supreme Court said it would issue its final ruling on the extradition of Australia's most wanted fugitive in two weeks.An Australian court had sentenced Tony Mokbel to 12 years in jail in absentia for cocaine trafficking, and he is also wanted on suspicion of ordering and paying for the murder of rival crime boss Lewis Moran and another man. He denies any involvement. "Our decision will be announced on March 18 at 1300 (2200 AEDT)," presiding judge Giorgos Sarantinos told the court as Mokbel sat quietly. Mokbel, 41, arrived at Greece's highest court in Athens today to argue against his forced return to Melbourne, where he faces about 20 criminal charges including two of murder. Mokbel's lawyer, Alexandros Lykourezos, asked Supreme Court judges to postpone the hearing for up to 45 days to allow Lebanese authorities to prepare a separate extradition request for Mokbel on drug smuggling charges. Mokbel holds Lebanese citizenship. Mokbel, who was arrested in an Athens suburb last year, has claimed he could not receive a fair trial in Australia due to biased press reports. His lawyers today tried to postpone the decision further but the court rejected their request. Mokbel has been in jail in Greece since his arrest in early June. He had lived in the country for nine months with his girlfriend, a daughter and another child. His lawyers have insisted that months of negative publicity in Australia, and comments by senior politicians regarding Mokbel and his arrest in Greece, are likely to deny him the chance of a fair trial.