Europeans discuss terror threat as suspects questioned

LONDON – European Union interior ministers gathered in London yesterday to tackle the common threat of terrorism as British authorities questioned 24 suspects over an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners.

Britain’s Home Secretary John Reid will urge closer international cooperation to deal with the increasing danger at talks in London with his counterparts from France, Germany, Finland, Portugal and Slovenia. British police were conducting searches and questioning a total of 24 suspects detained in connection with the alleged bombing conspiracy that was exposed last Thursday and threw international air traffic into turmoil.Police were questioning another person who was detained Tuesday, bringing the total number of people arrested as part of the operation to 25.One person was released without charge Friday.Twenty-three suspects in custody since last week can be held until Wednesday, at which point police must apply to a magistrate for permission to hold them for further questioning.In Islamabad, the foreign ministry said Pakistan could extradite a British suspect over the conspiracy but had not received any request from London.Security officials told AFP that the suspect, Rashid Rauf, was arrested in central Punjab province in early August and gave vital information that helped authorities in Britain unravel the plan.They said Rauf was one of two British nationals who was arrested, although the Foreign Office here could not confirm this.Pakistan said last week that Rauf was a “key man” in the conspiracy and had connections to Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.Security officials added that Rauf was arrested after the Pakistani authorities detained a man “apparently related” to him when he was crossing the border into Pakistan from Afghanistan early this month.The officials said documents appeared to show the man was related to Rauf but they had not fully confirmed his identity or the exact link between them.They said he was still in custody.”The meeting will brief EU colleagues on the emerging threat and current operation, accelerate EU action where necessary, and re-affirm the EU’s commitment to counter-terrorism work,” the Home Office said in a statement.Nampa-AFPBritish police were conducting searches and questioning a total of 24 suspects detained in connection with the alleged bombing conspiracy that was exposed last Thursday and threw international air traffic into turmoil.Police were questioning another person who was detained Tuesday, bringing the total number of people arrested as part of the operation to 25.One person was released without charge Friday.Twenty-three suspects in custody since last week can be held until Wednesday, at which point police must apply to a magistrate for permission to hold them for further questioning.In Islamabad, the foreign ministry said Pakistan could extradite a British suspect over the conspiracy but had not received any request from London.Security officials told AFP that the suspect, Rashid Rauf, was arrested in central Punjab province in early August and gave vital information that helped authorities in Britain unravel the plan.They said Rauf was one of two British nationals who was arrested, although the Foreign Office here could not confirm this.Pakistan said last week that Rauf was a “key man” in the conspiracy and had connections to Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.Security officials added that Rauf was arrested after the Pakistani authorities detained a man “apparently related” to him when he was crossing the border into Pakistan from Afghanistan early this month.The officials said documents appeared to show the man was related to Rauf but they had not fully confirmed his identity or the exact link between them.They said he was still in custody.”The meeting will brief EU colleagues on the emerging threat and current operation, accelerate EU action where necessary, and re-affirm the EU’s commitment to counter-terrorism work,” the Home Office said in a statement.Nampa-AFP