Pakistan diplomat on NIA’s wanted list

NEW DELHI: THE AGENCY HAS ALSO INITIATED THE PROCESS FOR SECURING AN INTERPOL RED CORNER NOTICE (RCN) AGAINST PAKISTAN DIPLOMAT AMIR ZUBAIR SIDDIQUI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has added another Pakistani to its growing list of people wanted for various acts of alleged terrorism in India.

Diplomat Amir Zubair Siddiqui has been added to the wanted list that already features Major Samir Ali and Sajid Mir of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror fountainhead Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. The agency has put up his photo and sought information about him.

Siddiqui had during his stint at Pakistani High Commission in Sri Lanka in 2014 conspired to carry out terror strikes on the US and Israeli consulates in south India, says a chargesheet filed by the NIA in February.

The agency has also initiated the process for securing an Interpol Red Corner notice (RCN) against him

After Siddiqui was nailed, Sri Lankan authorities expelled him from the country.

The Pakistan diplomat was named by a Sri Lankan resident Sakir Hussain, who is at present undergoing simple imprisonment after pleading guilty in a court. He was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police after the Intelligence Bureau busted the conspiracy in April 2014.

Hussain had reportedly carried out reconnaissance of the US consulate in Chennai and Israeli consulate in Bangalore to facilitate the strike. For this, two terrorists were to be flown in from Maldives, the agency said.

Siddiqui had to be repatriated to Islamabad after India mounted pressure on Sri Lanka about his alleged activities. The documents handed over by the US to India established communication between Hussain and ‘Shahjee’, a Pakistani national introduced to the accused allegedly by a Pakistani diplomat working with its mission in Sri Lanka.