 | Wonder if it's related to al-Libi's capture? |
Security forces have arrested an Uzbek militant suspected of links with Al Qaeda, three Afghans and as many local tribesmen during a raid in Bajaur Agency. A security official told Daily Times that an Uzbek was among seven arrested during Wednesday's raid by Special Services Group (SSG) personnel near the Afghan border. The local administration also participated in the operation, he added. "Intelligence agencies tipped us off and we raided the place. The operation was not linked to the arrest of senior Al Qaeda operative Abu Farraj al-Libbi, wanted for two assassination attempts on President Pervez Musharraf in December 2003," he said.
The house of Maulvi Faqir, leader of banned TNSM, was raided and the seven people were arrested from there, the official said, adding, "Nobody resisted and all suspects were flown to an undisclosed location." Maulvi Faqir later confirmed the raid, claiming that except for one guest called Abu Hazifa, all the arrested people were members of his family. The arrested included Maulvi Faqir's brother and several relatives. A source in Khar, Bajaur Agency's regional headquarters, told Daily Times that Maulvi Faqir escaped arrest because he left his house before the raid.
| "Hello? Maulvi? Lissen, dis is Mahmoud the Weasel! Cheese it! I can say no more!" |
One of Maulvi Faqir's relatives, Karim, was arrested two months ago for alleged links to Al Qaeda. Bajaur Agency Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Wahid Gul "condemned the raid" and demanded the immediate release of all arrested people. |