International

5 Pakistanis questioned in Paris

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS APRIL 18. Police and security agents are questioning five Pakistani nationals arrested in and around Paris in connection with the shoe bomber, Richard Reid.

Members of France's elite anti-crime brigade and anti-terrorist investigators had little to go by after the British-born Mr. Reid was caught in mid-air attempting to set fire to his shoes in December last. Nevertheless, they were convinced Mr. Reid, who took a flight from Paris to Miami, his tennis shoes stuffed full of an explosive called Pentrite and a sophisticated detonator, could not have acted alone.

Investigators picked up his well-covered tracks through an Internet call he made from the Copthorne hotel near Paris Charles de Gaulle airport on December 21 last. The 28-year-old British passport holder slept there at the airline's expense after he failed to catch his flight because of lengthy police controls. Police suspected him but could not detain him since his papers were in order. Mr. Reid was allowed to take the flight the day after.

Investigators also knew he had spent four hours at a cybercafe, Happy Call, managed by an Indian from Chennai in the capital's rundown northern 18th district. They confiscated eight computer terminals and the hard disk of the establishment. Investigators, however, were baffled, because there appeared to be no sign of contacts in France, no trace of where he had stayed before attempting to take his flight to Miami. Police want to know if the seven suspects housed and fed Mr. Reid, provided him with a mobile telephone and escorted him around the city. Three of the seven were released today.

France's most famous anti-terrorism judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere and his colleague Jean-Francois Richard now appear to have some answers. On Wednesday morning, they rounded seven Pakistani nationals from Paris and the nearby suburbs of Saint Denis and Val d'Oise.

Mr. Reid spent five days in Paris before taking his flight and police sources said he was probably helped "by a group of very radical Islamic Pakistanis.'' Officials have, however, refused to name any names. The investigators' interest has been particularly drawn to a `halal' meat shop located in the same street as the Happy Call cafe. Police are trying to verify if the meat shop owner sheltered Mr. Reid during his stay here. They are also questioning the owner of a local fast food outlet.

Mr. Reid travelled to six different capitals just before arriving in Paris, including London, Tel Aviv, Cairo and Istanbul. They would also like to know who paid $ 2000 for his air ticket.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Former king returns home
• Powell mission not a failure, says Bush
• French election turns abusive
• Dutch army chief steps down
• Trumped up charges: Pak.
• Israel withdraws partly from Jenin camp
• U.K. Jews fear 'backlash'
• LTTE-Govt. talks likely in June
• Kashmiris call for three-way dialogue
• Ties with CIS top priority, says Putin
• Terrorism: U.S. not happy with China
• Will court ruling affect Benazir's poll prospects?
• PPP complains to U.N. official against referendum move
• 5 Pakistanis questioned in Paris
• Israel keeps its word: U.S.

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu