Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI840
2005-02-03 08:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:  

ABU SALEM EXTRADITION UPDATE

Tags:  PTER PGOV IN PO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000840 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PTER PGOV IN PO
SUBJECT: ABU SALEM EXTRADITION UPDATE

Classified By: Polcouns Geoff Pyatt. Reasons 1.4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000840

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PTER PGOV IN PO
SUBJECT: ABU SALEM EXTRADITION UPDATE

Classified By: Polcouns Geoff Pyatt. Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) In a February 1 conversation with Poloff, Portuguese
DCM Frederico Nascimento confirmed recent Indian press
reports stating that his country's Supreme Court had rendered
a decision to permit the extradition of Abu Salem to India.
He noted that this decision allows the extradition of Salem
to India for trial in major offenses, not only minor ones as
the court had previously decided. Nascimento also confirmed
that Salem could appeal the decision to the Constitutional
Court, but that if he did not take this step, or if it
failed, the CBI would be free to formally approach Portugal
for extradition. A CBI spokesperson told the press that the
law enforcement agency was awaiting instructions from
Portugal before sending a team there to escort Salem to
Mumbai. Nascimento declined to be drawn out on what the next
steps in this process might be.


2. (SBU) Abu Salem is wanted in India for suspected
involvement in more than 57 cases, including serial bomb
blasts that that killed nearly 300 people in 1993 in Mumbai.
Several journalists have commented to us that the Mumbai
police is likely to have difficulty proving Salem's
involvement in many of the cases registered against him.
However, press sources close to the Mumbai police claim that
the police is in possession of an audio recording of a
conversation between Salem and other individuals discussing
the conspiracy. Mumbai law enforcement officials reportedly
believe that an interrogation of Salem could yield new
information on links between prominent Indian personalities
and the Indian underworld, particularly in Mumbai.


3. (C) Dr. Ajai Sahni, Director of the Delhi-based Institute
for Conflict Management, predicted that the extradition of
Salem to India would have little effect on GOI efforts in the
war on terrorism. Observing that the record of judicial
incompetence over the last several years in cases against
other notorious gangsters and terrorists extradited to India
has not translated into convictions, Sahni also questioned
whether the GOI has the forensic and investigative abilities
to effectively try Salem with the evidence they possess.
Nonetheless, because of Salem's high profile past, our
collaboration with Indian and Portuguese authorities in
bringing him to justice is an important bellwether of our CT
partnership with the GOI.
MULFORD