France refuses to detail on Indian terror suspect

French authorities have gone tightlipped on the arrest of Indian terror suspect Mohammad Niaz Abdul Rashid in Paris.

While a spokesman of French Prosecutors confirmed that Rashid was arrested for his alleged links with al Qaeda, he refused to give in any details on the recent developments.

Meanwhile, India has sought a detailed investigation report from French authorities on Rashid.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said Rashid was affiliated to banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

?It is reported that Mohammad Niaz Abdul Rashid has admitted that he was part of a network which is recruiting people for jihad in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region. He is an educated person aimed to be a mechanical engineer,? Chidambaram said at a press conference in New Delhi.

?It is stated that at the age of 21, he joined a SIMI-affiliated organization based in Tamil Nadu. He first arrived in France in 2008. He was already a trained activist with a militant bend of mind. In a short period of six months, he was able to create a nuclear of like-minded jihadis in France,? said the Home Minister.

Of the six people arrested from the Charles de Gaulle airport of Paris this month as suspected terrorists, one is an Indian from Madurai with links in Pakistan-Afghanistan region and al Qaeda, media reports said Sunday.

Mohammad Niaz was involved in the recruitment of people here in France for training as terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan region.

According to a report in Pakistan’s The Nation, the man is in his thirties and had been working a software professional in France for years.

He recently made several trips to India also.

He visited Karachi and was in touch with Jundullah, an anti-Shia group which has connections with Al Qaeda, The Nation said.