Zakir Naik Extradition Comes Up In Modi-Anwar Talks

NEW DELHI- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on September 12 confirmed that the extradition of fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was discussed with India on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Ibrahim, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 12, said the issue was discussed privately to protect the interests of both countries and was placed on the priority list for building trust and strengthening bilateral relations.

“We thought we should keep it very private to protect the interests of both nations. But we, of course, put it on the priority list for building trust and relationships between our countries,” Ibrahim said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister said Malaysia needed to ensure that the rule of law was followed in dealing with India’s extradition request.

“We have some understanding of it (extradition demand), but we need to do it very cautiously,” he said. “Respect the rule of law and the importance of these bilateral relations.”

Naik, a controversial Indian Islamic preacher, is a permanent resident of Malaysia but remains wanted in India on charges of hate speech and money laundering. He moved to Malaysia in 2016 after Indian authorities began investigations into him and organizations linked to him, including the Islamic Research Foundation and Peace TV. He was later granted permanent residency in Malaysia.(IANS)