Team sent to probe Chile detention

A two-member team has been sent to Chile in connection with the reported detention of Abdul Rauf,wanted in connection with the IC-814 hijack.

Officials pointed out that there have been two false alarms in the past. Following the red corner notice issued by Interpol,a man named Abdul Rauf was detained in Seoul in 2004. Another man by the same name was detained in Lebanon in 2005.

Rauf,brother of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar,is alleged to have financed the 1999 hijack. The two-member team,which left today,includes an official of the Intelligence Bureau and another of the CBI. A crucial lead that the investigators are pursuing is the voice sample of Rauf,which led to the arrest of his co-conspirators.

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The team will try to get Raufs voice samples to match it with the recorded call which was intercepted by the Mumbai Police,in which Rauf instructed Abdul Latif,another accused who has since been arrested,to call up the BBC offices in London and give details of the hijacking. Based on the call,the CBI had filed a chargesheet against Rauf charging him with financing and plotting the hijack.

Officials said it was unlikely that Rauf would be travelling in his own name. They said they would also seek the help of the FBI,which is also investigating the case as a US citizen,Jeanne Moore,was also on board the flight.

In June last year,the CBI had filed a chargesheet against 10 persons,including seven Pakistani nationals,in connection with the case. While three Abdul Latif,Yusuf Nepali and Dilip Kumar Bhujbel have been arrested,the remaining have been declared absconding.