WASHINGTON, June 1: The US State Department has said it cannot yet confirm Al Qaeda suspect Abu Faraj Farj Al Libbi has been extradited to the United States. President Pervez Musharraf said on Tuesday Pakistan had handed over the suspect, who is a Libyan citizen, to the Americans. US counter-terrorism agents have identified Al Libbi as Al Qaeda’s third-most important figure.
Asked if he could confirm whether the US had heard from Pakistan Al Libbi was going to be deported, extradited or transferred to the US, the spokesman, Richard Boucher, said: “We saw (President Musharraf’s) comments but the answer is no.” A State Department official, when contacted by Dawn on Wednesday to confirm Al Libbi’s extradition, said: “We still do not know.”
At an earlier briefing, Boucher said he was not aware of any move to bring Al Libbi to the United States. “I don’t think there is a formal process underway at this point.” He said the US authorities were in touch with the Pakistani government about Al Libbi but “where he ultimately ends up for trial or custody remains a question.”
Asked if Washington welcomes President Musharraf’s statement, Boucher said: “I am not going to start speculating on it. We will talk to the Pakistani government about these things first.”
ISLAMABAD, June 1: The Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning desecration of the Holy Quran by the US troops at the Guantanamo Bay prison and demanded an independent inquiry into the incident. Leader of the house Wasim Sajjad presented the resolution on behalf of all the members after a lengthy debate on the issue was completed.
“The Senate is deeply shocked at reported desecration of Holy Quran by the US army personnel at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. This reprehensible act of the sacrilege has hurt sentiments of Muslims the world over,” Mr Sajjad said while reading out the resolution.
“The Senate condemns this deplorable act and demands that an immediate inquiry be conducted by an independent body, consisting of persons of unimpeachable integrity, to bring to justice the perpetrators of this shameful act.
“The Senate also condemns inhumane treatment meted out to detainees at the Guantanamo Bay (prison) who must be provided all the rights they are entitled to under the national and international law.”
Earlier, over 20 members belonging to the treasury and opposition benches took part in the debate on a motion moved by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed, seeking a discussion on the desecration incidents.
They condemned the US policies towards the Muslim world and said that desecration of Holy Quran by the US army personnel was a highly condemnable and serious crime. They called upon the US government to hold an independent and impartial inquiry through judges from the Muslim world.
Those who took part in the debate included parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in the Senate Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Health Mohammad Nasir Khan, Raza Mohammad Raza of the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Dr Abdullah Riar of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, opposition leader in the house Raza Rabbani and Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party.
Pakistan already got a huge wad of money from us. They can just sit there and wait for the next superpower with a monetary offer to come in and buy their affection (or Musharraf can possibly have 2nd thoughts about turning this guy over if AQ tells him NOT to do it).