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Pakistani under probe in Austria for possible links to Paris, Mumbai attacks

The identity of the Pakistani suspect has not been confirmed

Afp April 12, 2016

PHOTO: REUTERS

VIENNA:

Austrian prosecutors said on Monday they are probing a possible link between a Pakistani held in Salzburg in connection with last November’s terror assaults in Paris and the 2008 attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai.

“Leads pointing to this are being looked into,” prosecutors in Salzburg said, adding however that the identity of the Pakistani suspect, who has been in custody since December in the western Austrian city, has not been confirmed.

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“Wide-ranging investigations on this question, among others, are ongoing, although the public prosecutors’ office has been waiting for information on this from Pakistan since December 2015,” they said in a statement.

A source in Paris and the Sunday Times said that the man is thought to be a bomb maker for Pakistani extremist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

India holds Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly linked to al Qaeda, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai assault that killed 166 people. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is blamed for a string of high-profile attacks in recent years.

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The 34-year-old was arrested along with an Algerian in Austria in December.

French investigators suspect that the Islamic State (IS) group, which claimed responsibility for the Paris bombings as well as attacks in Brussels on March 22, sent both men to Europe to carry out attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (15)

Rahim | 8 years ago | Reply @Sid: He hasn't been tried yet so he is still a suspect.

Chacha Jee | 8 years ago | Reply How is this possible. All talk shows, Pakistan Government's position and Hafiz Seyed and Zaid Hamid position is that Indians had done this themselves to give bad name to Pakistan. Pakistan should protest or else this person may say that he is from Kasab's village. No doubt, would does believe Pakistan on RAW.

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Chacha Jee | 8 years ago | Reply I was wondering why Pakistan's name was missing. I was proven wrong, Pakistan is very much there. No doubt that 90000 pakistanis were deported last year alone as Choudhary Nisar. Every country in world has terrorism treaty with Pakistan for so called Trade for Pakistan. Of course, they all know what kind of product pakistan exports.

Sid | 8 years ago | Reply @Rahim: He is not hold as suspect but definite criminal. The information they are waiting from Pakistan is to establish his connection with LeT, which will be a major embarrassment for Pakistan, since they do not like to take any action against their most dearest asset. @ET: If you feel embarrassed about the truth than why even publish the article. My previous comment (not printed here) was to the point and the truth.

buga | 8 years ago | Reply @hameed shaheen:

Persons committing serious crimes including terrorism must be declared non-Muslims if they bear Muslim names;

This is a cosmetic fix and even that isn't going to happen because there is no religious leader/body that can perform such an action. Anybody can step up and declare themselves an Imam - including the terrorist.

GKA | 8 years ago | Reply @Rahim: Good question. The answer is that either his rights are being violated (unlikely - especially since they have approached Pakistan as well, and Pakistan would have even been granted consular access) or they actually have proof

Rahim | 8 years ago | Reply They've held him since December. How can they hold him for so long? In western countries they have limits as to how long they can hold suspects.

Raemzy | 8 years ago | Reply Isn't it better for Pakistan to weed out these terrorists for its own good, else it will keep becoming migraine of world and laughing stock...Hope sanity prevails before more radicalization occurs and more innocent lives are lost.

Rollin & Trollin | 8 years ago | Reply @hameed shaheen: There is no novelty in your proposal, though it has its merits. Basically you are referring to excommunication as had been done by the Papacy to those deemed as heretics and other offenders of the Roman Catholic church. However, according to Islam, it is not for a person to make this determination but rests with God. Too bad, but that's how it goes.

hameed shaheen | 8 years ago | Reply Persons committing serious crimes including terrorism must be declared non-Muslims if they bear Muslim names; like Pope Francis should declare any christian who resorts to fatal crimes including terrorism as out of christianity; islamic ideology council of pakistan should sit seriously and ponder over my submission pertaining to so-called Muslims; hypocrisy which is worst than kufr should also be struck off from islam, and its doer as non-Muslim. God guide you and me on Right Path in today's complex world.

Amir | 8 years ago | Reply Must be our strategic asset as Pakistan has not responded to Austrian inquiry since December 2015....

Srinivasulu Mekala | 8 years ago | Reply "Wide-ranging investigations on this question, among others, are ongoing, although the public prosecutors’ office has been waiting for information on this from Pakistan since December 2015,” Well, they may wait till eternity, no information will be given.

observer | 8 years ago | Reply How about a quick Chinese Veto on this too?

Brainy Bhaijan | 8 years ago | Reply Fruits of strategic assets.

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply How do all the terrorists, militants, separatists, radicals, swindlers, fraudsters, psychopaths, fake pirs, get their visas when an educated middle class normal Pakistani is immediately declined visa from them ????

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