Britain seeks extradition of fake passport probe man

British authorities have requested the extradition of an Algerian man wanted for involvement in a fake passport ring and previously thought to have been linked to terrorists, Thai police said today.

They arrested Yacine Atamnia, 33, last Tuesday in Bangkok and allegedly seized 186 fake French and Spanish passports from his apartment.

Immigration Bureau police chief Major General Suwat Tamrongsisakul denied reports that Atamnia was linked to the July 7 terrorist bombings in London, which killed at least 56 people.

Thai police said earlier that British authorities suspected Atamnia had terrorist ties in London.

“At this point, there is no evidence to link him to the bombings in England, but he is well-known for passport forgery,” he said.

British authorities have applied to Thailand’s Foreign Ministry and public prosecutor’s office to request Atamnia’s extradition, Suwat said at a news conference.

It was not immediately known when the application would be reviewed or when the suspect might be handed over to Britain.

British police issued an arrest warrant for Atamnia last Wednesday in connection with a 1996 forgery case, in which they found his fingerprints on packages containing fake passports seized in London, according to documents seen by reporters.

Police had taken Atamnia’s fingerprints after arresting him on November. 6, 1995, for entering Britain illegally using a French identification card, which he later destroyed.

In 1996, police discovered Atamnia’s fingerprints on envelopes containing hundreds of fake European passports confiscated from two suspects in the London area.

Earlier this month, Thai police arrested Algerian-born Briton Mahieddine Daikh carrying 452 forged European passports to be sold in London. That arrest and subsequent investigation led police to Atamnia.

Atamnia denied having links to terrorism and said the passports were for non-Europeans who want to work in Europe.

“In Thailand, in Bangkok, there’s this work … one does business with them. I simply buy them (the passports),” he said at the news conference.

Thai police often bring suspects to news conferences for reporters to question. Both Atamnia and Daikh were at today’s press briefing. Atamnia would only answer questions asked in French, and he responded in French.