Pakistan wants full Greek probe into abductions

ATHENS, May 17 (Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today said he was confident Greece would fully investigate claims by a group of Pakistanis that they were kidnapped and tortured over last year's London suicide bombings.

A Greek prosecutor last week backed the claims of the 28 Pakistani immigrants, who said they were questioned at unknown locations for days. He ordered an investigating magistrate to launch a full probe.

''I am aware that the prosecutor is investigating the matter and has submitted an initial report,'' Aziz told the daily Ta Nea newspaper during an official visit to Greece.

''I am confident that the Greek government will reach the heart of this case and that justice will be served,'' he added.

Stopping short of naming Greece's National Intelligence Agency, the prosecutor said state agencies were involved in the abductions conducted weeks after the July London attacks.

He ordered two senior Greek intelligence officers to face the magistrate for questioning and filed charges against ''unknown individuals within state agencies'' over the kidnap of at least 10 Pakistanis.

During his Athens visit, Aziz met then Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis, who is now Culture Minister, but did not say what was discussed.

The case has become a major embarrassment for the government which at the time had denied any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged abductions, calling the accusations ''a farce or a provocation''.

''We will laugh when the prosecutor issues his report,'' Voulgarakis said at the time, in a bid to deny the claims.

Voulgarakis now faces criticism even from within his own conservative party.

''There were violations of human rights and that is just not acceptable,'' conservative deputy Aris Spiliotopoulos said today.

''This must be looked into.'' In the London attacks, four British Islamist militants detonated bombs concealed in rucksacks on three underground trains and a bus, killing 52 and injuring hundreds.

The Greek government on Wednesday again refused to comment, saying it would first await the results of the investigation.

REUTERS PDS VC2012