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Pakistani Suspect Khan Releases First Public Statement Following Arrest In Chile
WRITTEN BY BEN SCHNEIDER
WEDNESDAY, 19 MAY 2010 06:11
U.S. and Chilean lawyers planning to interrogate U.S. embassy staff later this month
Tom Maher, Santiago Times
Muhammad Saif ur Rehman Khan — the 28-year-old Pakistani student accused of having traces of explosive material on his clothing when he entered the U.S. embassy last week — spoke Tuesday night outside Santiago’s Center of Justice in his first public statement since leaving Chile’s High Security Prison (CAS) on Saturday.
“I strongly believe that there is a big misunderstanding stemming from a mistaken identity and I want to assure you all that the allegations laid against me are baseless,” he said. “I can fully understand the panic and fear and the reaction from authorities on Monday the 10th of May. But, as my defense pleaded, that appears to have stemmed from a false alarm.”
Khan was detained last Monday and was placed in Chile’s High Security Prison (CAS) Tuesday without formal charges under the Chilean Anti-Terrorism Law. The law permits authorities to detain those suspected of terrorism without a full initial hearing. With support of the Ministry of the Interior, authorities applied the law, citing possible illicit connections and the detection of Tetryl, an explosive compound on Khan’s documents, clothing, bag, and cellphone.
Days later, on Saturday, Khan was charged with breaking the Arms Control Law, which applies to both weapons and explosives by prosecuting attorneys Xavier Armendáriz and Francisco Jacir. He was released on bail by Judge Carolina Araya.
Judge Araya said Saturday she had not been presented with enough evidence to justify keeping Khan in prison. Prosecutors now have 120 days to investigate the case, during which time Khan is not allowed to leave the Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) and is required to check in weekly.
Khan was not charged with terrorism, although more charges may be added during the formal investigation period (ST, May 17, 2010). He attended his first check-in early Monday afternoon.
The U.S. has taken a particular interest in the case and sent an attorney to Chile to take part in the proceedings. The U.S. lawyer, together with the prosecuting attorneys, will be present later this month to formally interrogate the personnel at the U.S. embassy, including head of FBI in Chile, Stanley Stoy.
Senator and former presidential candidate Alejandro Navarro, who has a history of taking up minority cases, has also become involved in the proceedings. He is currently in Madrid with President Sebastian Piñera at the Summit of the Heads of State of Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, but his office has been releasing a number of statements regarding the case.
According to the statements, the Carabinero Police Intelligence Unit (Dipolcar) did not find any Tetryl on Khan’s possessions over several days of testing. Yet the Group of Special Police Operations (GOPE) did find traces of Tetryl. The private security company Intercom, hired by the U.S. embassy, was the first to detect Tetryl.
Navarro has also worked to facilitate the arrival of Khan’s family. According to the Senator’s profile on twitter — an online social networking site — Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter arranged ministry authorization for Khan’s parents to enter the country Monday. Tuesday, the visas were ready. Khan’s mother and father are coming from Pakistan and he has a brother in the United States.
http://www.santiagotimes.cl/index.p...owing-arrest-in-chile&catid=1:other&Itemid=38
WRITTEN BY BEN SCHNEIDER
WEDNESDAY, 19 MAY 2010 06:11
U.S. and Chilean lawyers planning to interrogate U.S. embassy staff later this month
Tom Maher, Santiago Times
Muhammad Saif ur Rehman Khan — the 28-year-old Pakistani student accused of having traces of explosive material on his clothing when he entered the U.S. embassy last week — spoke Tuesday night outside Santiago’s Center of Justice in his first public statement since leaving Chile’s High Security Prison (CAS) on Saturday.
“I strongly believe that there is a big misunderstanding stemming from a mistaken identity and I want to assure you all that the allegations laid against me are baseless,” he said. “I can fully understand the panic and fear and the reaction from authorities on Monday the 10th of May. But, as my defense pleaded, that appears to have stemmed from a false alarm.”
Khan was detained last Monday and was placed in Chile’s High Security Prison (CAS) Tuesday without formal charges under the Chilean Anti-Terrorism Law. The law permits authorities to detain those suspected of terrorism without a full initial hearing. With support of the Ministry of the Interior, authorities applied the law, citing possible illicit connections and the detection of Tetryl, an explosive compound on Khan’s documents, clothing, bag, and cellphone.
Days later, on Saturday, Khan was charged with breaking the Arms Control Law, which applies to both weapons and explosives by prosecuting attorneys Xavier Armendáriz and Francisco Jacir. He was released on bail by Judge Carolina Araya.
Judge Araya said Saturday she had not been presented with enough evidence to justify keeping Khan in prison. Prosecutors now have 120 days to investigate the case, during which time Khan is not allowed to leave the Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) and is required to check in weekly.
Khan was not charged with terrorism, although more charges may be added during the formal investigation period (ST, May 17, 2010). He attended his first check-in early Monday afternoon.
The U.S. has taken a particular interest in the case and sent an attorney to Chile to take part in the proceedings. The U.S. lawyer, together with the prosecuting attorneys, will be present later this month to formally interrogate the personnel at the U.S. embassy, including head of FBI in Chile, Stanley Stoy.
Senator and former presidential candidate Alejandro Navarro, who has a history of taking up minority cases, has also become involved in the proceedings. He is currently in Madrid with President Sebastian Piñera at the Summit of the Heads of State of Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, but his office has been releasing a number of statements regarding the case.
According to the statements, the Carabinero Police Intelligence Unit (Dipolcar) did not find any Tetryl on Khan’s possessions over several days of testing. Yet the Group of Special Police Operations (GOPE) did find traces of Tetryl. The private security company Intercom, hired by the U.S. embassy, was the first to detect Tetryl.
Navarro has also worked to facilitate the arrival of Khan’s family. According to the Senator’s profile on twitter — an online social networking site — Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter arranged ministry authorization for Khan’s parents to enter the country Monday. Tuesday, the visas were ready. Khan’s mother and father are coming from Pakistan and he has a brother in the United States.
http://www.santiagotimes.cl/index.p...owing-arrest-in-chile&catid=1:other&Itemid=38
