M A I N   N E W S

Interpol to intensify cooperation

PARIS, June 20 (PTI) — Union Home Minister L.K. Advani held detailed discussions with senior officials of the Interpol to enhance the international organisation’s cooperation with Indian law enforcing agencies to combat terrorism, official sources said here today.

“India also asked the Interpol to exert pressure on countries which do not cooperate in nabbing terrorists and transnational criminals,” official sources told PTI.

Mr Advani, who is here on a two-day visit, went to the Interpol headquarters in the southern French city of Lyon last evening and discussed with Interpol officials ways and means to track and nab terrorists and criminals.

The Home Minister also met Secretary-General of Interpol Raymond Kendall and during the talks, he stressed the need to enhance Interpol’s cooperation with Indian law enforcing agencies.

The Interpol is an international organisation which has coordinated police international cooperation between the Member State’s Police Forces since 1923. There are 177 Member States of the Organisation.

Home Secretary Kamal Pandey, CBI Director R.K. Raghavan, Intelligence Bureau Director Shymal Dutta and the BSF Director, Gen E.N. Rammohan, accompanied the Home Minister.

Regarding India’s request to put pressure on countries which are not co-operating in controlling terrorist activities. Interpol officials said they could go only up to a point in this regard and the matter should be taken up at the political level.

At the request of a member country, the Interpol General Secretariat issues a red notice to all Member States on wanted criminals or terrorists to enable a Member State to locate and arrest pending an extradition application by the requesting country.