Sunday, March 25, 2007

Pakistan team fly out of Jamaica

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam was one of three squad members questioned
Pakistan's cricket team has left Jamaica, after police investigating the murder of their coach, Bob Woolmer, questioned three squad members.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, team manager Talat Ali and assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed spoke to police on Saturday.

The deputy commissioner of Jamaica's police, Mark Shields, said the team had co-operated fully, and the extra questioning had been only a formality.

Woolmer's body is being kept in Kingston until an inquest is held.

Mr Shields said the three were questioned to "clear up" any possible "ambiguities" given in the statements taken earlier from the team.

"Throughout this process, there has been nothing but co-operation from the Pakistan team," Mr Shields added.

An official from the Pakistani embassy in Washington - Zaheed Hafeez Chaudhri - told a news conference that the team had been eager to help police.

"They were never under detention. They were never held back. The team was traumatised, but in view of the serious crime, we wanted to co-operate," he said.

'Calm and OK'

"The police are doing their work and they ask lots of guys different questions," Mushtaq told Sky News. "It is not a big issue, just a matter of timing. It was little things they wanted to know.

We are 110% sure [that none of the Pakistan team were involved]
Mushtaq Ahmed

"We have to follow police policies and everything is calm and OK. We are supporting the police. We are leaving and they wanted to clear everything up."

Inzamam confirmed he had spoken to the police again but would not reveal any details.

"Someone asked me a question and I gave him an answer," said the Pakistan captain. "I will not tell you the question but it is nothing serious. It is not a special thing.

"He told me 'Please go home, there is nothing else.'"

Bob Woolmer
The cause of Woolmer's death is not yet known

Woolmer, a former England player, was found unconscious in his room last Sunday, the day after Pakistan were knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland.

Detectives in Jamaica believe he probably knew his killer - or killers - as there were no signs of forced entry into his room and none of his belongings had been stolen.

Pakistan's players had already given police DNA samples and fingerprints as part of the probe into Mr Woolmer's murder.

However, Mushtaq was confident that none of the Pakistan team could be implicated in Woolmer's murder.

"God willing, I am 110% sure [that none of the Pakistan team were involved]," he said.

An inquest into Woolmer's death will be held in Jamaica and his body will not be released until that inquest is over, although no date has been set.

Two Pakistan government officials have travelled to the island to liaise with the Jamaican authorities over the investigation.

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