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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan arrested an al-Qaeda suspect with a $1 million reward on his head and eight other militants suspected of ambushing Karachi's military commander last week.

A Western news channel quotes, Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed as saying that an Arab national, an important member of the al-Qaeda network, had been arrested. He was identified as Musaad Aruchi.

Backdrop

"The al Qaeda person is the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," the minister said.

Khalid was the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United State and was arrested in the city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad last year.

In a separate development, the Minister said, eight militants suspected of involvement in an attack on Karachi's army chief had also been arrested.

Gunmen ambushed a convoy escorting Lieutenant-General Ahsan Saleem Hayat on a main road in the volatile port city last Thursday. He escaped unharmed, but 10 people were killed, including his driver.

Al-Qaeda Operatives

Yet another report, quoting Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said on Sunday.

that Pakistani security forces have arrested eight foreign Al-Qaeda operatives involved in an assasination attempt on a military commander in the southern port city of Karachi.

In-depth

Ten foreign terrorists including one Atta Ullah, ring leader of foreign terrorist outfit called “Jundallah”, who was involved in terrorist attacks across the country including attack on the motorcade of Corps Commander Karachi, have been nabbed.

This was said by Interior Minister, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat and Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad while addressing a joint press conference here on Sunday.

Giving details about the terrorists, the interior minister said that law enforcement agencies have arrested ten most wanted terrorists from Karachi and other parts of the country and recovered from them klashnikov, machine-gun used in attack on the convoy of the Corps Commander and heavy quantity of arms and ammunition.

These terrorists were behind the attack on Corps Commander Karachi convoy, bomb blasts in Pak-US Cultural Centre, Awari Hotel, Gulistan Jauhar, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Imambargah Ali Raza, firing on Ashura procession and bomb blasts outside US consulate and Defence Housing Club, the minister told newsmen.

Head Money

He said that head money amounting to US one million dollars had been announced for Khalid Aroonchi, nephew of Khalid Sheikh. These all terrorists had acquired training in Shakai and Wana, Southern Waziristan. Chances are there that the other terrorists may be arrested, he added.

War against Terror to Continue

He reiterated that government will continue war against terrorism and will make all-out efforts to take the anti-state elements to logic end. Military operation will continue in Wana and Shakai, he announced.

He went on to say that they are not Muslims. They are terrorists. They are involved in blood letting in the name of Islam. They don’t deserve any concession.

He maintained, “we had been insisting from the very beginning that terror acts in Karachi, Quetta and other parts of the country are linked to Wana”. Our stance now stands vindicated, he added.

Big Achievement

Sheikh Rashid said that it is a big achievement of law enforcement agencies to arrest the terrorists. More operations will be conducted in the country in the light of revelations of terrorists and terrorists will be arrested, he added.
One Atta Ullah, chief of Jundallah outfit, his assistant, Shahzad and mastermind of attacks have also been captured, Sheikh Rashid told mediamen.

However, names of some important culprits are being kept in secret, he stated. He said, Pakistan’s policy to eliminate terrorists and extremists is based on national interest and focused one.

The Interior Minister said that these terrorists were killing their Muslim brethren in the name of Islam. We will not spare them and keep on tracking them to foil their evil designs, he added.

Sheikh Rashid said that this was a remarkable success of Pakistani security agencies and once again they had proved that they were quite capable of tracing and arresting the enemies of Pakistan despite limited resources.

“Our agencies are completely focused and fully alert to the situation,” the Information Minister said, adding, we will continue the fight against extremism and terrorism till the time, “We push out of our soil, arrest or kill the last terrorist.”