Release Date: Friday, June 14 2013, 11:52 AM
On 30 May 2013, the AFP provided evidence to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Estimates Committee about the INTERPOL red notice relating to Mr Sayed Abel Latif, which was issued in 2001 and renewed by Egyptian authorities in 2011. INTERPOL Cairo reconfirmed the currency of the notice to the AFP in writing on 20 January 2013.
Subsequent to providing this evidence, doubts were raised in the media in relation to the content of the INTERPOL red notice. The AFP instigated enquiries with INTERPOL and Egyptian authorities regarding the accuracy of the content.
On 13 June 2013, the INTERPOL General Secretariat Headquarters released a media statement which advised that the INTERPOL red notice relating to Mr Latif has been updated following questions raised in relation to the accuracy of its content.
Egyptian authorities have now advised INTERPOL to remove any charges relating to premeditated murder, destruction of property, possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives without a permit.
The reissued red notice relating to Mr Latif remains in existence for membership of an illegally-formed extremist organisation and forging travel documents for the organisations members.
As a result of INTERPOL’s actions, the AFP will speak personally to Mr Latif to advise of the changes to the INTERPOL red notice and will provide formal advice to Australian agencies relating to these changes.
Additionally, the AFP will write to the INTERPOL Secretary General expressing its concerns about the changing nature of this document, and the implications of these changes for Mr Latif and for the AFP. The AFP will request these concerns be formally relayed to INTERPOL Cairo.
The AFP evidence provided to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Estimates Committee on May 30 was accurate, in that it listed the charges on the INTERPOL red notice.
The AFP will advise the Senate that the INTERPOL red notice was updated on 13 June 2013, subsequent to the Estimates hearing.
