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Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik may have billed it as a major success in foiling a terror attack during the World Cup, but Indian security agencies believe the arrest of Maldivian Iqbal Mohammed on Thursday had nothing to do with any planned attack during the event.
While India has formally sought more details from Pakistan, sources said, the understanding in New Delhi is that Mohammed was wanted in the 2007 bombing in Sultan Park, Male, in which some foreign tourists were injured, and Maldivian agencies had got the Interpol to issue a red corner notice against him.
Mohammed had escaped to Karachi soon after the bombing. Maldivian agencies went after him and began to pressurise him to return. Its learnt that some assurances were given to entice Mohammed back.
When all fell in place, Mohammed boarded a PIA flight from Karachi to Colombo and had an onward booking to Male.
However, at Colombo, he was picked up at the instance of Interpol Major Events Support Team an Interpol group that comes in as support to countries hosting big events which had spotted the red corner notice.
Subsequently, sources said, Maldivian authorities got the Interpol to send Mohammed to Male where he was arrested.
What has flummoxed the Indian agencies is why Pakistan did not apprehend Mohammed before he boarded the plane at Karachi, particularly if they had specific intelligence on him being part of a terror plot linked to the World Cup.
Indian security agencies believe Mohammed was not on any terror mission but going ahead with a negotiated surrender settlement reached with the Maldivian authorities.
Nonetheless, Malik has cited this incident to ask for more security for the Pakistan cricket team. While India has said it has no issues with increasing security, what officials are concerned about is the panic such claims generate.
India doubts Pak terror plot claim
While India has formally sought more details from Pakistan, sources said, the understanding in New Delhi is that Mohammed was wanted in the 2007 bombing in Sultan Park, Male, in which some foreign tourists were injured, and Maldivian agencies had got the Interpol to issue a red corner notice against him.
Mohammed had escaped to Karachi soon after the bombing. Maldivian agencies went after him and began to pressurise him to return. Its learnt that some assurances were given to entice Mohammed back.
When all fell in place, Mohammed boarded a PIA flight from Karachi to Colombo and had an onward booking to Male.
However, at Colombo, he was picked up at the instance of Interpol Major Events Support Team an Interpol group that comes in as support to countries hosting big events which had spotted the red corner notice.
Subsequently, sources said, Maldivian authorities got the Interpol to send Mohammed to Male where he was arrested.
What has flummoxed the Indian agencies is why Pakistan did not apprehend Mohammed before he boarded the plane at Karachi, particularly if they had specific intelligence on him being part of a terror plot linked to the World Cup.
Indian security agencies believe Mohammed was not on any terror mission but going ahead with a negotiated surrender settlement reached with the Maldivian authorities.
Nonetheless, Malik has cited this incident to ask for more security for the Pakistan cricket team. While India has said it has no issues with increasing security, what officials are concerned about is the panic such claims generate.
India doubts Pak terror plot claim