LAHORE, Nov 25: A Pakistani businessman who went to Italy to purchase an aircraft with the government’s permission was arrested by the intelligence police shortly after he checked in a Rome hotel and interrogated on suspicion he had links with Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network.

When no link could be established, the businessman was sent to a detention centre on a 30-day remand after being alleged to be in possession of a forged passport and visa.

I.A. Qureshi was, however, released on the intervention of the Pakistan embassy in Rome, which also lodged a protest with Italy’s interior ministry for arresting an innocent Pakistani national on baseless charges.

Mr Qureshi, who has reached Lahore, told Dawn on Sunday that he was interrogated by a five-member team at the police headquarters for 10 hours. He was asked to sign a statement, written in Italian, which he refused to do on the plea that he did not know the language.