Bangladesh may extradite IC-814 hijack plotter

by Mizanur Rahman
March 3, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/570/bangladesh-may-extradite-ic-814-hijack-plotter

Bangladesh authorities, which arrested Belal Hosain alias Nanu Mondal alias Bilal, who confessed to having played a key role in the Dec 24, 1999, hijacking of the Air India flight IC-814 from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Kandahar in Afghanistan may extradite the accused if asked by Indian government.

Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said, his country will get in touch with Bangladesh after confirming the identity of an arrested militant.

'Well, we certainly will get in touch with the government of Bangladesh and try to find out what the position is,' Krishna said.

According to Indian media, counter-terror cooperation has improved between India and Bangladesh since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League came to power in January 2009. The two countries signed three security-related pacts during Sheikh Hasina's visit to India in January 2010, which coincided with the completion of first year in the office.

Indian state-owned news agency, Press Trust of India [PTI] said, A team of security officials will soon leave for Bangladesh to question a top Jaish-e-Mohammed militant accused of carrying out several blasts, including those in Bangalore and Surat in 2008, besides claiming to be involved in hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar.

Top government sources said the team would question Nannu Mia alias Belal Mandol, who was arrested on February 28 along with four operatives of the Pakistan-based militant group JeM. These included its Pakistani coordinator in Bangladesh who was also a recruiter for operations in India.

Though Belal had claimed to have played a key role in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar in 1999, sources here said it is yet to be ascertained.

He is, however, wanted in Bangalore and Surat blasts in 2008 which had shocked the country and the security set up.

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