London, August 12
British anti-terror police today grilled 22 people, 17 of them with family ties in Pakistan, arrested for a plot to blow up US-bound jets using liquid explosives, even as Indian carrier Jet Airways suspended its employee Amin Asmin Tariq who was one of the suspects.
Of the 24 suspects initially arrested, one person has been released with no further action. Another’s detention hearing was deferred to Monday but he remained in custody. Other 22 suspects would be in detention till next Wednesday.
They were arrested after raids in London, High Wycombe in Bucks, and Birmingham on Thursday. The police also raided cybercafes in London, Birmigham and Thames Valley today.
Britain’s terror alert remained at its highest level.
Among the suspects, two brothers arrested in Pakistan and Britain — Rashid Rauf and Tayib Rauf — emerged as key figures in the conspiracy as Pakistani authorities said they were looking for two to three more persons linked to Al-Qaida in connection with the plot.
Investigators are also probing the role of two Pakistan-based militant groups including the Lashker-e-Taiba, which had received funds from a Britain-based Islamic charity for earthquake relief last year.
While announcing the suspension of Tariq pending full investigation, Jet Airways said the British national was transferred to the carrier in March 2006 from G4S, earlier called Securicor.
— PTI
