LUSAKA, Aug 2: Investigators from the US Central Intelligence Agency have arrived in Zambia and want to interrogate suspected British militant Haroon Rashid Aswad, a senior police official said on Tuesday. Aswad was arrested in Zambia on July 20. Media reports have linked him to both the July 7 bomb attacks in London and an attempt to set up a militant training camp in the United States.

Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo told reporters Zambian authorities intended to hold Aswad longer than originally anticipated, putting off an earlier decision to deport him to Britain.

“Interrogations are going on and he (Aswad) is co-operating well,” Mateyo told journalists at a news conference.

Mateyo said the delay in deporting Aswad was not related to the late arrival of the CIA investigators, and said the US team had not yet been given access to the prisoner. He added that Aswad would eventually be ‘handed over’ but declined to say whether he would be given to Britain or the United States. British anti-terrorist officers arrived in Lusaka on Saturday and have already questioned Aswad.

“We are still working out modalities of where he goes next and the evidence will lead us as to when and where he should be sent, but we are not in a hurry,” Mateyo said. A British security source said earlier that Aswad could be of more interest to US investigators than to the team investigating the London bombings.

A spokeswoman at the US Embassy in Lusaka declined to comment. Mateyo said Zambia had ‘beefed up’ security measures and also widened its investigations on possible militants trying to enter and hide in the southern African country.

“There are several security measures in place and the security officers are on high alert. Those who think they can hide in Zambia will do so at their own risk,” he said, but gave no further details.—Reuters