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The house arrest, at the residence of one of Altaf Hussain’s friends, did not prompt any strong reaction from MQM Pakistan and London leadership, who stayed mum on the entire episode and avoided categorical statements.
Ummat sources in London have shed light on the background of new developments.
British authorities began investigation and kept a tab on Altaf Hussain since December 2010 when they had arrested an important suspect in Imran Farooq murder case, they said. The suspect, who was nabbed on tip-off from Farooq loyalists in the party and his widow Shumaila, had watched over the slain MQM leader and noted his schedule to provide it to the hitmen, according to sources.
The man, they said, is very close to Altaf Hussain and operated outside the party structure alongside the head of South Africa-based A team and Khalid Shamim, the key man leading terrorist and intelligence wing of MQM spread over Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Dubai. “They and a few others in their group all reported directly to Altaf Husain,” said the sources.
The suspect arrest on 10 December 2010 by Scotland Yard belonged to the same group and he soon confessed to having received in London two hitmen from Pakistan and providing them with the routine of Imran Farooq, who was stabbed to death by them, sources say.
Name of Khalid Shamim also surfaced after this arrest and Scotland Yard contacted Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to share its findings. The British authorities, under a plan, did not oppose bail request of London suspect, allowing him outside the jail to see who he comes into contact with.
The suspect and Khalid Shamim both were being monitored by British and Pakistani authorities, who patiently waited for evidence against Altaf Hussain, the prime suspect in the case, said the sources.
Meanwhile, the ISI searched for the two hitmen in Pakistan and was able to match sketches issued by British police with the data in PISCES entry-exit system at Pakistani airports, but since the pair had used fake travel documents the intelligence agency had to wait for further clues, according to sources.
Sources say, it was also in last December that Altaf Hussain felt unsafe at his London Secretariat and adjacent residence because he believed Imran Farooq loyalists might target him there. Altaf moved to a suburban London home, which was only known to a taxi driver – a man with white appearance but in reality a Pakistani.
Altaf would not come at the London Secretariat except for high profile meeting and gave his telephone sermons from the secret location, sources in London have confirmed adding that by the time Altaf did not trust even his own group in the MQM and only relied on the taxi driver, who ironically had come into contact with Scotland Yard.
Also in December MQM told Pakistani government that people within in the party had become threat for Altaf Hussain and it must act against them, but the demand was not entertained as Pakistani institutions were aware of the background development.
Sources say influential Pakistani-Britons including two lawyers got information from their own sources that a ‘breakthrough’ was imminent on Altaf Hussain chapter. One of the lawyer also helped Scotland Yard gather evidence.
Altaf Hussain also got some hints but believed that the investigation in Britain was result of reports sent from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau to UK authorities. Feeling politically insecure and under threat from Imran Farooq group, an irritant Altaf Hussain planned violence in Karachi in case Britian acted against him, but since Pakistani and British authorities were electronically listening to Altaf’s close quarters, terrorists were arrested when they landed in Karachi from South Africa- a move that shocked MQM, claim the sources.
A source says Altaf Hussain was now being held at a Wrexham home in Berkshire and Khalid Shamim was arrested from Dubai and transferred to Pakistan after top ISI officials contacted Governor Sindh.
The British authorities are demanding extradition of Khalid Shamim, as he was wanted in a crime committed in the United Kingdom, but Pakistan first wanted to investigate him for terrorism in the country, said the sources.
The house arrest, at the residence of one of Altaf Hussain’s friends, did not prompt any strong reaction from MQM Pakistan and London leadership, who stayed mum on the entire episode and avoided categorical statements.
Ummat sources in London have shed light on the background of new developments.
British authorities began investigation and kept a tab on Altaf Hussain since December 2010 when they had arrested an important suspect in Imran Farooq murder case, they said. The suspect, who was nabbed on tip-off from Farooq loyalists in the party and his widow Shumaila, had watched over the slain MQM leader and noted his schedule to provide it to the hitmen, according to sources.
The man, they said, is very close to Altaf Hussain and operated outside the party structure alongside the head of South Africa-based A team and Khalid Shamim, the key man leading terrorist and intelligence wing of MQM spread over Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Dubai. “They and a few others in their group all reported directly to Altaf Husain,” said the sources.
The suspect arrest on 10 December 2010 by Scotland Yard belonged to the same group and he soon confessed to having received in London two hitmen from Pakistan and providing them with the routine of Imran Farooq, who was stabbed to death by them, sources say.
Name of Khalid Shamim also surfaced after this arrest and Scotland Yard contacted Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to share its findings. The British authorities, under a plan, did not oppose bail request of London suspect, allowing him outside the jail to see who he comes into contact with.
The suspect and Khalid Shamim both were being monitored by British and Pakistani authorities, who patiently waited for evidence against Altaf Hussain, the prime suspect in the case, said the sources.
Meanwhile, the ISI searched for the two hitmen in Pakistan and was able to match sketches issued by British police with the data in PISCES entry-exit system at Pakistani airports, but since the pair had used fake travel documents the intelligence agency had to wait for further clues, according to sources.
Sources say, it was also in last December that Altaf Hussain felt unsafe at his London Secretariat and adjacent residence because he believed Imran Farooq loyalists might target him there. Altaf moved to a suburban London home, which was only known to a taxi driver – a man with white appearance but in reality a Pakistani.
Altaf would not come at the London Secretariat except for high profile meeting and gave his telephone sermons from the secret location, sources in London have confirmed adding that by the time Altaf did not trust even his own group in the MQM and only relied on the taxi driver, who ironically had come into contact with Scotland Yard.
Also in December MQM told Pakistani government that people within in the party had become threat for Altaf Hussain and it must act against them, but the demand was not entertained as Pakistani institutions were aware of the background development.
Sources say influential Pakistani-Britons including two lawyers got information from their own sources that a ‘breakthrough’ was imminent on Altaf Hussain chapter. One of the lawyer also helped Scotland Yard gather evidence.
Altaf Hussain also got some hints but believed that the investigation in Britain was result of reports sent from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau to UK authorities. Feeling politically insecure and under threat from Imran Farooq group, an irritant Altaf Hussain planned violence in Karachi in case Britian acted against him, but since Pakistani and British authorities were electronically listening to Altaf’s close quarters, terrorists were arrested when they landed in Karachi from South Africa- a move that shocked MQM, claim the sources.
A source says Altaf Hussain was now being held at a Wrexham home in Berkshire and Khalid Shamim was arrested from Dubai and transferred to Pakistan after top ISI officials contacted Governor Sindh.
The British authorities are demanding extradition of Khalid Shamim, as he was wanted in a crime committed in the United Kingdom, but Pakistan first wanted to investigate him for terrorism in the country, said the sources.
