Pakistan to seek Red Corner Notices against Ajmal, Ansari

Pakistan has decided to approach Interpol — which facilitates cross-border police cooperation — to issue Red Corner Notices against Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari, who are undergoing trial in India for their involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008.

This information was provided by the Special Prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to the anti-terrorism court that is conducting the trial of seven persons accused in the same attack. The seven undertrials here include Lashkar-e-Taiba operations chief Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.

According to defence lawyer Malik Mohammad Rafiq Khan, the hearing was adjourned till April 17 when the prosecution will apprise the court of the progress and developments with regard to the Red Corner Notices.

During the day's proceedings in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi — where Judge Malik Mohammad Akram Awan is hearing the case because of security considerations — defence challenged the FIA Special Prosecutor's contention that Interpol was being approached to bring Kasab and Ansari to Pakistan.

The defence argument was that a Red Corner Notice was issued only for fugitives and in this case both Kasab and Ansari were in custody. Further, it would be possible for Pakistan to get Kasab and Ansari only if there was an extradition treaty between the two countries.

The FIA has decided to approach Interpol in view of the defence argument that Kasab's confessional statement could not be used against the seven accused in Pakistan.

The defence lawyers have been arguing that Kasab's confessional statement could be used only if he was being tried in the same court along with the seven others.