NEW DELHI, Feb 9: Two Indian nationals were arrested in New Delhi on Saturday after they were deported by Dubai and the Indian foreign ministry said one of them was carrying Pakistani travel documents at the time of the arrest.
In a statement emailed to Dawn, the ministry said: “Two Indian nationals, Aftab Ansari alias Farhan Ali, the prime suspect in the attack outside the American Center in Kolkata on Jan 22, 2002, and his accomplice Raju Sharma alias Rajendra Kumar Anadkot were arrested in Delhi today, after their deportation from Dubai.”
The statement said: “Aftab Ansari is wanted for complicity in other criminal acts committed at the behest of terrorist organizations based in Pakistan.”
Their arrest has been made possible due to the close cooperation received from the Dubai authorities in tracing and apprehending them, the foreign ministry statement said. It went on to add that at the time “of apprehension Aftab Ansari was in possession of Pakistani travel documents.”
The announcement of the arrest was also made by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during an election meeting in Meerut town, indicating the high political relevance of catching the key suspects to a clutch of state polls due later this month.
The deportation has raised possibilities of a more regular cooperation between India and the Gulf states in terrorist related manhunt.
“The Government of India greatly appreciates cooperation and support from the Dubai authorities as well as the UAE government,” the foreign ministry said.
It quoted Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh as thanking Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Makhtoom, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence of UAE “for the exceptional gesture in keeping with the traditional friendship between the two countries and their commitment, in line with UNSC Resolution 1373, to fight international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
As has become common during the election campaign, Vajpayee used the election rally to urge Pakistan to make up its mind whether it wanted to give up enmity with India and live in peace.
“We have given up enmity,” Vajpayee was quoted by the Press Trust of India as telling the rally. He warned Pakistan that India would give a befitting reply if the neighbour chose to go for any misadventure, the news agency said.
Indian troops are positioned along the borders but they are there to check infiltration and to defend the sovereignty of the nation, he said, adding “We want to live in peace with Pakistan but one needs both the hands to clap.”
Vajpayee said he did not consider it a good option for the country to spend money on purchase of arms and ammunition but said there was no option for India keeping in view the three aggressions it had faced during the last 50 years.
Vajpayee said it was not enough for Pakistan to say it was interested in talks but should inspire confidence in us and stop abetting terrorism.
“If they want to end the stalemate, they will have to act like a friend,” he said.
“India and Pakistan can be complementary to each other. They can take our wheat and sugar and we can buy their items. Many families divided on both sides can be united,” Vajpayee said.
NEW DELHI, Feb 9: Two Indian nationals were arrested in New Delhi on Saturday after they were deported by Dubai and the Indian foreign ministry said one of them was carrying Pakistani travel documents at the time of the arrest.
