Pakistan has set free a man deported by Italy on suspicion of having links with extremists, saying he was not involved in any crime, nor wanted by law-enforcement agencies here.
Usman Ghani of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province's Swabi district had settled in Italy and used to visit websites related to religious teachings. He was tracked by Italian authorities and deported to Pakistan on the suspicion that he held sympathies for extremist elements.
Ghani was released by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) upon his arrival at the airport here, Dawn reported today.
FIA director Inam Ghani said the alleged suspect was brought to Islamabad at around 3 AM yesterday on the Etihad Airways flight EY-231 in the custody of Italian law- enforcement officials who handed him over to the FIA. The suspect was released after brief questioning.
"Usman Ghani was not involved in any crime, nor was he wanted by the FIA or any other local law-enforcement agency. Therefore, he was allowed to go upon reaching the airport," the FIA director said.
He was deported days after Italy forcibly sent back a Pakistani man who was suspected of having supported the militants who had attacked a school in Peshawar in December last year which killed 150 people, mostly students.
