The Interpol issued a global alert on Thursday, for 13 suspects wanted for the audacious 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed nearly 183 lives. The alert was issued on written request by Islamabad, which said the 13 suspects were wanted by police authorities in Pakistan in connection with ongoing investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks, a statement released by the international police agency said. Though the statement did not identify the suspects, but it said the global alert contains the names of the fugitives and their other data which has been sent to 186 member countries.
The alert asks Interpol member countries to assist in locating the fugitives and immediately notify National Central Bureau at Islamabad or Interpol's General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon in France with any investigative leads. After they are located, the Pakistani authorities will issue arrest warrants and seek their extradition, the statement said, indicating that most of the suspects for whom the lookout notice had been issued were apparently not in Pakistan. Elaborating on the alert, Interpol Secretary-General Ronald K Noble said, "the investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks highlighted the vital role played by the world police body's international organs in supporting its member countries against terrorism by circulating information worldwide to ensure the location and eventual arrest of suspected terrorists."
Commending Pakistan for asking Interpol's help, Noble said, "unless terrorist-related information is registered on Interpol's global databases and shared among its global network, no international terrorist investigation can be complete." The Interpol intervention comes after Noble's visit to India and Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks during which he offered investigative and terrorism-prevention support to both countries.
India has blamed the attacks on the banned Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan has arrested five people suspected of involvement in the assault, including LeT operational chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. Other four accused are Zarar Shah, Abu al Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz and Hamad Amin Sadiq. Their trial is expected to begin in the next week. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani pledged earlier this month to do everything in his power to bring those behind the attack to justice following a meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt on the sidelines of the Non Aligned Movement summit.
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