THE United States government will take no further part in former FIFA vice president, Austin Jack Warner’s appeal against extradition to that country from Trinidad and Tobago.

Warner, whose lawyers have said the twin-island republic’s Attorney General’s decision to sign an extradition request from the United States, was illegal, questioned the inclusion of lawyers representing the Department of Justice in the case.

According to Warner’s lawyers, the issue was one regarding T&T law, and therefore should not be attended to by a foreign country.

High Court judge, Justice James Aboud, agreed.

According to the judge, he was unaware of any input Washington could have on the case, saying allowing US interest in the case to be heard, would set a bad precedent, tantamount to allowing school principals and business interests having a say on the number of public holidays the country permits.

“Is the AG’s position different from the US? Does the AG want the US to say something he won’t say? It must be able to offer something more than repetition,” said Aboud.

After the decision, the United States was ordered to pay Warner’s legal fees related to the case as well.

Warner is charged with 12 counts related to racketeering, corruption and money laundering by the United States Department of Justice.

The former CONCACAF and Trinidad and Tobago Football Association boss was in the first tranche of indictments coming from the United States as part of a probe into corruption within FIFA.

According to Warner, however, the extradition request from the US contradicts the Extradition (Commonwelath and Foreign Territories) Act.

Furthermore, Warner contends, the attorney general, Faris Al-Rawi, failed to give his attorneys fair opportunity to make representation before he signed the request.(Sportsmax.com)