Pakistan presses Britain to give information about terror suspects

Apr 11, 2009, 16:09 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan on Saturday asked Britain to provide information about 10 of its nationals arrested four days ago for allegedly planning a major terrorist attack on British soil.

Pakistan's top security official Rehman Malik told reporters that his country wanted the 'full credentials of those who have been arrested, what charges, what evidence, so that we can verify whether they are Pakistanis or not.'

'And I hope this relevant information is supplied to us. The moment it is supplied to us we will start our action on that,' said Malik assuring that Pakistani authorities will fully support their British colleagues in order to 'bring these culprits to justice.'

British law enforcement personnel Thursday carried out raids on 10 localities in the north-west England resulting in the arrest of 12 men, including 10 Pakistani nationals.

Most of the suspected had travelled to Britain on student visas and were suspected of links with the al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the case involved a 'very big terrorist plot' that security officials had been tracking for some time. But the authorities have not so far revealed the timing and the nature of the plot

Brown also spoke with President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday by telephone on the issue.

A spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry cautioned Britain against 'any steps by anyone that might single out or ostracize a community.'

'The spokesman stressed that no one should jump to conclusions and let the law take its course,' the state-run newswire Associated Press of Pakistan said.