We demand that QI.K.135.03 be handed over

The United Nations makes a bold change to the way it refers to terrorists on its sanctions list

The United Nations has made changes to the manner in which it publishes a list of individuals and groups related to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. In a system that brings to mind books and libraries, they will now have permanent reference numbers.

The permanent reference number consists of three letters and two numbers. The first letter, T or Q, indicates Taliban or Al-Qaida. The second letter, I or E, indicates individual or entity. The third letter represents the first letter of the last name. The first number represents the order in which the individual or entity was added to the Consolidated List. The second number represents the year the individual or entity was added to the Consolidated List. [UN]

Osama Bin Laden will now be permanently referenced as QI.B.8.01.

The system will make it easy for those who find all those names confusing. As for QI.K.135.03, well, he’s not in Pakistan, claims that country’s home minister. And merely being on the UN’s list and having a permanent reference number is not enough, and the business of handing him over to the Indian government still needs evidence. QE.L.118.05 and QE.J.19.01, organisations permanently referenced by these numbers do not exist. Neither will Pakistan extradite their leaders, says its foreign minister, nor allow them to be interrogated. It will not even share records of their interrogation by Pakistani authorities. Strange that India should ask, for Pakistan has not even allowed the United States, its ally of 50 years, to do so.