LONDON, Dec 6: British police have arrested two supporters of an outlawed separatist movement, a human rights campaigner said here on Thursday.
Scotland Yard said the two men, aged 25 and 39, were detained in early morning raids on Tuesday in north and north-west London on suspicion of the “commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.
Activist Peter Tatchell said the pair were lawful supporters of the independence movement in Balochistan and feared they could be extradited to Pakistan to face a possible death sentence.
He urged the British government not to give in to pressure from Pakistan because their extradition would result in their arrest, torture, imprisonment and possible execution.
“The Pakistani authorities have repeatedly sought to frame peaceful nationalists and human rights campaigners, both inside Balochistan and abroad.”
Mr Tatchell named the men as Faiz Mohammed Baloch — with whom he has worked on human rights campaigns — and Nawabzada Hyrbiyar Marri.
“These arrests are likely to have been at the request of the Pakistan government, which has long been seeking the extradition of Baloch nationalists exiled in London,” he added.
Scotland Yard said the two men had not been arrested on extradition warrants and would not confirm their identities.
The arrests come less than one month after Pakistan began proceedings for the extradition to Britain of Rashid Rauf, a suspect in an alleged plot to blow up US-bound passenger planes.—AFP
