Thailand Jails Algerian Wanted in Conjunction with the London Bombings for 3 Years for Trafficking in Forged Documents
By Zachary Abuza
Despite a British government request for the extradition of Atamnia Yachine (33), who was arrested in Bangkok in mid-August in possession of some 186 fake French and Spanish passports, Thai officials contend that the British government never followed up with the request and sent a �prosecution report.� �He pleaded guilty in court and got a three year jail term,� a police spokesman told Reuters.
According to press reports, British authorities issued a warrant for Atamnia Yachine in 1995 when his fingerprints were found on a parcel that contained 200 passports. British police believe that Yachine supplied fake travel documents to the London bombers. Thai authorities tracked him down in the ongoing investigation of another ethnic Algerian (though British citizen), Mahiededine Daikh, who was arrested on 2 August at Bangkok�s airport in possession of 452 fake passports.
Thailand has been under intense international pressure to crack down on the flourishing trade in documents. This successful prosecution, and seizure of 638 passports is an important first step.