Pakistani father-son duo held in Italy over Mumbai attacks

Prasun Sonwalkar
London, Nov 21 (PTI) Tracing new links to the Mumbai
carnage, a Pakistani father-son duo were on Saturday arrested
from Italy for allegedly managing money transfer to finance
phone communications of the attackers following leads from
Indian and US investigators.
The two men, who ran a money transfer agency, were
arrested in an early morning raid from the northern Italian
city of Brescia, police said.
The duo have been identified by the police as Mohammad
Yaqub Janjua, 60, and Aamer Yaqub Janjua, 31. They have been
accused of aiding and abetting international terrorism as well
as illegal financial activity.
On November 25, 2008, a day before the attacks, they
transferred USD 229 to activate an internet phone account that
was used by the attackers and their accomplices, said Stefano
Fonzi, the head of anti-terror police in Brescia.
The funds that enabled the terrorists to be in touch
with their handlers in Pakistan were transferred under the
identity of another Pakistani man who had never been to Italy
and was not involved in the attacks, reports from Italy said.
The two managed a money transfer agency where it is
reported to be a common practice to transfer funds using false
identities. The Italian police arrested the two men in an
early morning raid in Brescia, the police said in a statement.
Italian police started their investigation the
following month after being alerted by Indian authorities and
the FBI that funds had been transferred from Italy, Fonzi
said. (MORE) PTI