Lakhvi, Shah remanded to police custody for 14 days: report

Islamabad, Feb 19 (PTI) Top Lashker-e-Taiba operatives
including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah arrested
yesterday for their links to the Mumbai attacks by Pakistani
authorities, were Thursday remanded by an anti-terrorism judge
to police custody for 14 days.

With this, the total number of suspects remanded to the
custody of law enforcement agencies has gone up to four.

LeT activist Hamad Amin Sadiq, described by Pakistani
officials as the "main operator" behind the attacks, was
remanded to custody of the Federal Investigation Agency on
Monday.

Though interior ministry chief Rehman Malik had announced
the detention of the three men -- Lakhvi, Zarar Shah alias
Abdul Wajid and Abu Al Qama -- along with other suspects on
February 12, police officials told the judge that they were
only arrested yesterday in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Police charged the three LeT operatives with conspiracy
and facilitating and collaborating in the attacks.

Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Abu Al Qama were produced before
an anti-terrorism court judge who remanded them to police
custody for a fortnight, TV channels quoted court and
government officials as saying.

Police told the judge that they needed custody of Lakhvi,
Shah and Qama in order to recover some explosives from the
suspects. The judge granted custody for further interrogation
and investigation.

Malik had said last week that two more suspects had been
detained by Pakistani authorities though their legal status
and whereabouts are currently unknown.

The spokesmen for the interior ministry and other
concerned departments have refused to speak on the status of
Pakistan's probe into the Mumbai attacks, saying they had been
asked by their higher-ups not to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Latif Khosa today told
reporters that Pakistan could seek custody of Ajmal Amir
Kasab, the lone terrorist captured by India for the Mumbai
incident, through Interpol only if a court issued an order in
this regard.

Khosa said if the Pakistani police and prosecution named
Kasab as one of the suspects in their chargesheet, the court
could then issue an order for him to be produced before it.

But if the police said Kasab cannot be produced as he is
outside Pakistan, the court could then secure his custody
through Interpol, he said.

The attorney general acknowledged that Kasab is an
important suspect and his presence will make the prosecution's
case "very strong".

He also said if India provides more evidence, it will be
easier for the Pakistani prosecution to prove cases against
suspects detained within the country.

Deputy Attorney General Sardar Mohammad Ghazi had sparked
a controversy yesterday by claiming that Pakistan had formally
sought custody of Kasab from India. The Foreign Office
clarified that no formal request had been made so far.

Ghazi, who was yesterday appointed special public
prosecutor for the prosecution of suspects detained in
Pakistan, later said authorities were considering a proposal
to seek custody of Kasab. PTI RHL
SAK