Pak-origin Brit peer denies reports of 'offering 10m pounds bounty for capture of Obama, Bush'

Washington, Apr 16 (ANI): A Pakistani-origin British Labour peer has denied reports that he offered a 10 million pound bounty for the capture of President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W Bush.

According to an Express Tribune report, Lord Nazir Ahmed offered the bounty in response to a US announcement of a 10 million dollar reward for the capture of Pakistani militant leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, a suspect in orchestrating the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

"If the US can announce a reward of 10 million dollars for the (capture) of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of 10 million dollars (for the capture of) President Obama and his predecessor, George Bush," Lord Ahmed reportedly said.

Labour suspended the peer in the wake of the report, and condemned his remarks as 'unacceptable'.

Lord Ahmed has, however, complained that party chiefs had not spoken to him before announcing the move and challenged the party to produce evidence against him, The Daily Star reports.

"They have suspended me? That's a surprise to me. I did not know. If the Labour Party want to suspend me I will deal with the Labour Party. They will have to give me some evidence," the report quoted him, as saying.

When asked about the reported comments

Asked about the reported comments, Lord Ahmed said 'he had never said those words.'

"I did not offer a bounty. I said that there have been war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan and those people who have got strong allegations against them - George W Bush and Tony Blair have been involved in illegal wars and should be brought to justice. I do not think there's anything wrong with that," he said. (ANI)