 LUSAKA - A suspected militant arrested in Zambia and linked by media reports to the July 7 suicide bomb attacks in London will be deported to Britain, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa said on Wednesday. Haroon Rashid Aswad, a British citizen, was arrested in Zambia on July 20. Media reports have linked him to both the London bombings and an attempt to set up a militant training camp in the United States. âWe have discussed with the governments of the US and Britain and we have finally agreed that Mr. Aswad must be deported to Britain because that is his country,â Mwanawasa told a news conference.
"Hands behind you, Mr. Aswad."
"Ouch! Damn those are tight!" |
âThe man was detained for terrorist activities and for violating immigration laws,â Mwanawasa said. âWe are going to deport him very soon.â Zambian officials said that both British anti-terror investigators and representatives of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) were in Lusaka and that the British team had been allowed to interrogate Aswad.
| "Basil, be a dear and hand me the number 7. Then check out the BA flights, we wouldn't want to be late." |
Mwanawasa did not say when Zambia planned to deport Aswad, but a source at the British High Commission in Lusaka said he was expected to be handed over to British authorities on Wednesday. A British security source said earlier that Aswad could be of more interest to US investigators than to the team investigating the London bombings.
"C'mon Basil, hurry the hell up, we want a word with this mook."
"Of course Tyrone, but all good things take time. Care to stay for tea?" |
A British Foreign Office spokeswoman in London said: âWe have got agreement from Zambia to undertake a consular visit and hope to talk vigorously to the British national today.â |