New Delhi: The Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif who has been termed as “one of the crucial handlers” of the Pathankot airbase attackers by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The notice against Latif was issued and uploaded on the interpol’s website on Thursday night, taking the number of RCNs issued in connection with the Pathankot attack to three, said a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) source.
The Interpol had on May 13 issued two RCNs against JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, 48, and his brother Abdul Rauf, 41, who both already have RCNs pending against them in connection with other terror activities.
An RCN, which is issued “to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action” in a criminal case probe, is already pending against Azhar for being allegedly involved in the conspiracy behind attacks on the Indian parliament and Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
A similar warrant is pending against Rauf in connection with the IC-814 hijacking case of 1999.
The CBI, acting as the nodal agency for the execution of Interpol warrants in India, had forwarded the NIA’s request to Interpol to issue RCN against Latif and Kashif Jaan, both JeM operatives believed to be the main handler of Pathankot attack.
Seven security personnel and four terrorists were killed in the gunfight at the Indian Air Force base which lasted nearly 80 hours.
“Intepol has uploaded RCN against Latif on its website but the notice against Jaan is yet to be uploaded,” said the CBI source.
A special court in Chandigarh has already issued warrants on the basis evidences provided by NIA including telephonic conversations between the terrorists and Jaish handlers like Jaan and Latif.
Latif, an alleged commander of the JeM, had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir until he was arrested and subsequently deported in 2010 after spending 16 years in Indian jails.
