Britain to ink extradition treaty with Pakistan

Britain is about to ink its first extradition treaty with Pakistan, in a move that could pave way for the arrest of suspects linked to the suicide bomb attacks on July 7, The Guardian newspaper reported on Saturday.

Under the extradition deal being negotiated between the two countries, British investigators will soon be able to seek the extradition from Pakistan of any terror suspects they believe are crucial to their inquiries, said the report.

According to the Home Office, Britain and Pakistan were "in the final stages" of negotiating their first extradition treaty, but it was still unclear when the treaty will be signed.

At least three of the July 7 suicide bombers -- Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer and Hasib Hussain -- traveled to Pakistan in the months before the London terrorist attacks, the report said.

Britain had been "close liaison" with Pakistani authorities, law enforcement and intelligence services over what three of the four suicide bombers had been doing there and who they had met in the months before the London bombings, said the report.

Britain and Pakistan have both signed up to the United Nations' Terrorist Bombing Convention, which obliges them to prosecute or extradite bombing suspects.

However, the new treaty would be the first specific extradition deal between the two countries and they will broaden the category of extraditable offences, the report said.

In July, four bombs exploded on the London transport system, killing 56 people including the bombers.

Source: Xinhua