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Italian police arrest 2 linked to Mumbai attacks
Italian police on Saturday arrested a Pakistani father and son accused of helping fund and providing logistical support for last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, authorities said.The two were arrested in an early morning raid in Brescia, where they managed a money transfer agency, police in the northern Italian city said. The day before the attacks began on Nov. 26 they allegedly sent money using a stolen identity to a U.S. company to activate Internet phone accounts used by the attackers and their handlers, said Stefano Fonsi, the head of anti-terror police in Brescia. The transfer was just $229 but gave the attackers five lines over the Internet, which are difficult to trace and allowed militants to keep in touch even during the rampage, Fonsi said. Italian police began the probe in December after being alerted by the FBI and Indian police about the transfer, Fonsi told The Associated Press. ... Two more Pakistanis were arrested in Saturday's raids for allegedly committing fraud, money laundering and other crimes through the masked transfers, but they were not linked to the Mumbai attacks. A fifth Pakistani man escaped arrest and was still being sought. An additional 12 people were flagged to prosecutors for possible investigation but were not arrested, Fonsi said. Just by using the stolen identity, the suspects had transferred some euro400,000 ($590,000) between 2006 and 2008 to various countries. The network also used its contacts in Pakistan to help illegal immigrants enter Italy, Fonsi said. Posted by: ed 2009-11-21 |
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