New Delhi: A 61-year-old American national, Winston Marshall, was detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday morning for suspected terror links.
Marshall was detained minutes before he was to board a Qatar-bound flight after a knife was found in his hand baggage.
He was detained on a tip off from the Intelligence Bureau. Marshall has revealed that he came to India, after doing Haj. He reportedly visited Pakistan and Bangladesh, too, before coming to India.
Marshall also claimed that he stayed at madrasas for nearly two months during his India trip.
His detention comes just weeks after intelligence reports warned of possible hijack threat to aircraft from SAARC countries.
He reportedly lived in Delhi's Nizamuddin area for at least two weeks.
There are reports that inquiries with the New York Police Department have revealed that he has been charged with drugs related offences.
There are also discrepancies in his Indian visa application.
But till now no terror link has been unearthed but sources say he could not provide any satisfactory answers as to why he was carrying the knife. The American Embassy has refused to comment on the case.
Marshall is said to have visited India several times, just like another terror suspect David Coleman Headley, who did recces for possible attacks including the Mumbai terror attacks.
Like Headley, he also bears a non-Muslim name, which could have helped him avoid scrutiny by immigration authorities.
Although an American, Marshall converted to Islam about 15 years ago.
He claims to have three wives and 19 kids.
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