26/11 case: Court seeks info from Italy

A Mumbai magistrate has issued a 'Letter Rogatory' seeking information from Italy about a father-son duo, arrested on charges of managing money transfer to finance telephone communications of the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

On a plea made by the crime branch, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate V V Bhambarde has sought information from an Italian court about Mohammed Yaqub Janjua and his son Aamer, both Pakistani nationals, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI today.

The duo, running a money transfer agency, has been accused of transferring $229 on November 25 last, a day before the terror assault, to activate an internet telephone account to facilitate communication between the attackers and their Pakistani handlers during the strikes.

The duo was arrested last week in a raid from Northern Italian city of Brescia. After the terror strikes they had fled to Pakistan, but returned to Italy recently.

Suspected of aiding and abetting international terrorism, a red corner notice had been issued by the Interpol to track them after FBI alerted the Italian police last December about the money been transferred from there. Earlier, the crime branch had urged the 26/11 trial court to issue the Letter Rogatory, but the court directed them to seek this relief from a magistrate, Nikam said.