Czechs release Pakistani terrorism suspect

Czech authorities release Pakistani held on an international warrant for suspected murder and terrorism.

PRAGUE: Czech authorities have released a Pakistani national held on an international warrant for suspected murder and terrorism after Pakistan failed to apply for his extradition, a regional court prosecutor said on Tuesday.

The police had detained Muhammad Zafar at the end of April when he applied for asylum in the European Union member. Pakistan, which initiated the warrant, had not requested his extradition within the 40-day period dictated by law.

"The prosecutor has a duty to decide to release the detainee and another decision was not possible in the given situation," prosecutor Zbynek Vondra said.

Vondra said there was no information Zafar had been involved in criminal activities in the Czech Republic or another European state.

He gave no details of the accusations he faces in Pakistan.

Czech officials, at the time of his detention, had said there were no reports of any terrorist threat to the Czech Republic. Police could detain the suspect again if Pakistan delivers the necessary extradition documents, a Justice Ministry spokeswoman said.

A lawyer for Zafar was unavailable for comment, nor was any official at Pakistan's embassy in Prague.