ISLAMABAD, March 8: Interpol has asked India to provide DNA profiles of terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks, including Ajmal Kasab so that their international links may be ascertained.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Interpol’s secretary general Ronald K. Noble said: “India is asked to provide DNA profiles of terrorists to Interpol so that all countries affected by terrorism can benefit from it to track down terrorists.”

He urged the 187 member countries to provide the DNA details of terrorists to the Interpol database which contains more than 83,000 DNA profiles.

Pakistan has already agreed to share the DNA database of terrorists with the organisation.

The DNA profiles of Ajmal Kasab’s parents provided by Pakistan to Interpol could be matched with the DNA test reports of Kasab sought by Pakistan from India.

Sources in the interior ministry told Dawn that India was reluctant to reply to questions raised by Pakistan and its request for DNA profiles of Kasab.

Mr Noble said Interpol had found similarities in the modus operandi of the Mumbai and Lahore attacks and it seemed both were committed by the same group.

He said that although Interpol was conducting investigation into the Lahore attack, its experts had found similarities in the methods adopted in the Mumbai and Lahore attacks, the weapons used and food items and gadgets carried by terrorists.

The Interpol secretary general said that for the first time since the Mumbai attacks, Interpol had been receiving information of paramount importance that would allow it to help Pakistan’s FIA to determine the international dimension of both the attacks.

“For the first time, we have police information about those who planned, facilitated and funded those attacks, and found detailed information about telephone numbers, bank accounts used in terrorist financing as well as internet addresses and the equipment and material used to perpetrate the crime,” he said.

“Already Pakistan’s FIA has established links to seven countries including India and countries in the heart of Europe and the Middle East,” he added.“We have sent key leads and information received from Pakistan to all of Interpol’s 187 member countries so that they can better protect their citizens and provide valuable information to Pakistan,” he said.

The Interpol chief assured Pakistan of its support in the war on terror and praised police personnel who had lost their lives in terrorist attacks.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik called for quick response from India to Pakistan’s dossier forwarded to it regarding progress on the Mumbai attack investigation.

“Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs had requested the Indian authorities to reply to 30 questions based on investigations but it was yet to receive their response. India should provide evidence and investigation details as soon as possible to ensure successful prosecution and the bringing of culprits to justice,” Malik said.

The interior ministry had passed on the information to the Federal Investigation Agency on Jan 16 and its team submitted full report on Feb 3.

“The DNA test information was very important and necessary for conducting investigation of terror attacks. And now only 13 days have been left in the remand of the terror culprits.”

About the progress made by Pakistan, he said a case had already been registered and eight people were booked while four, Hammad Amin, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Al Qama, were being interrogated.

Mr Malik said Pakistan had been assuring India of full cooperation from the first day of the Mumbai attacks.

The adviser regretted that the Interpol database about international criminals involved in robberies, murders and drug and human trafficking was inadequate.

The Pakistani authorities, he said, had discussed with the Interpol secretary general a proposal to set up an information resource forum to enable the international community to get access to criminals’ data and DNA test details.
Tags: