US forwards list of 21 wanted persons to Pak

The US has handed over to Pakistan a fresh list of 21 most wanted persons and sought their immediate extradition to face trial for committing crimes against America and its citizens.

The US move comes close on the heels of India seeking deportation of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Hizbul Mujahideen leader Sayed Salahuddin and arrest of Jamat-ud-Dawa leaders including its chief Hafiz Mohd. Sayeed in the wake of the Mumbai train blasts. Jamat-ud-Dawa is known to be a front organisation of terror outfit LeT.

Washington has forwarded the list of 21 wanted terrorists out of which 14 were wanted for smuggling of drugs and narcotics, Daily Times reported today quoting Pakistani officials.

It said the US had also offered to help Islamabad "sensitise" Pakistani judges by arranging seminars in Pakistan to facilitate early extradition of these wanted men.

"Pakistan's interior ministry has received the names from Washington but kept them as a secret to avoid any adverse fallout in the country," it said.

The list was given to members of a Pakistan delegation led by Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao that visited Washington recently to attend a joint working group meeting on terrorism and narcotics.

During the talks, the US side headed by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz raised the issue of extradition of these "most wanted men".

Washington, at the same time, expressed its gratitude for the personal attention given by senior Pakistani officials in previous extradition cases and thanked Pakistan for its cooperation, the report said.

Last week, Pakistan had rejected India's demand for the deportation. Islamabad had said it would cooperate with investigations into the Mumbai blasts if any proof was given to it about involvement of militant groups based in Pakistan.