Two Pakistanis arrested in connection with Mumbai attacks

Police in the northern Italian city of Brescia have arrested two Pakistani men who are thought to have used a money transfer service to help people in contact with the authors of the 2008 attacks in India's financial hub, local media say.

By FRANCE 24 (text)

AFP- Italian police have arrested two Pakistanis whose money transfer service was allegedly used by those in contact with militants who carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks, media reported Saturday.

The two suspects ran the money transfer service in the northern Italian city of Brescia, the reports citing anti-terrorist police said, adding the arrests came after a nearly year-long investigation.

They are accused of having carried out a money transfer under a false name to pay fees for an Internet telephone service used by suspects in contact with the Mumbai attackers, according to the reports.

Accusations against them include concealment and illegal financing activity.

Authorities opened the investigation in December last year after receiving information from US and Indian authorities.

The November 2008 attacks in India's economic capital killed 166 people, with India and Washington blaming the siege on Pakistan's banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Ten gunmen had carried out the 60-hour assault.