Posted on 07/20/2005 10:04:06 AM PDT by aculeus
Pakistani security forces have reportedly arrested a British Muslim wanted in connection with the London bombings and detained 200 militants in a security crackdown.
Intelligence sources said Haroon Rashid Aswad was detained in Lahore earlier this week - although Pakistani authorities have denied it.
The reported arrest was said to have come during a crackdown on militants and Islamic religious schools with suspected militant links in Pakistan.
It is thought Aswad was captured on Monday.
He had been carrying a belt packed with explosives for a possible suicide attack, around £8,000 and a British passport, a source told Reuters.
The Asian Wall Street Journal said Aswad's name came up based on information from the mobile phone of one of the London bombers.
President Pervez Musharraf ordered a crackdown after it was suggested the bombers received training or other assistance from extremists in Pakistan.
Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, who vowed that the arrests under anti-terrorism laws would continue, said: "They have been arrested because they were spreading hatred which was causing unrest in society.
"We want peace in Pakistan and we want progress."
Security forces raided Islamic schools, or madrassas, and other buildings across the country.
Pakistan has been back in the international spotlight since it emerged that three suicide bombers involved in the July 7 London attacks were Britons of Pakistani origin who had recently visited the country.
A senior intelligence official said: "The crackdown is in response to the London bombings.
"We are obviously under tremendous pressure to show the world that we are moving against militants."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called President Musharraf to discuss the "fight against terrorism."
Police sources and officials said among those arrested in the overnight raids were 16 suspects in Islamabad, 65 in Punjab province, 52 in Sindh province, 40 in North West Frontier province and 30 in Baluchistan province.
At a conference in Islamabad, the Pakistani leader said the nation must reject extremism.
about freaking time they did something positive
so what?
Egypt has one of them, too.....neither will be returned to the Brits
Didn't Egypt let the one they had go?
not sure.....but what I AM sure of is that the Egypt govt claims he is innocent of any involvement
its all a big game amongst these muxlim countries that are in fact arms-length enemies of the West.
Hopefully, we will get real about it before it is too late
Gotta love that!
Mubarak is no friend of Al Qaeda or the Brotherhood. Egypt does a pretty good job of getting rid of their "troublemakers" with exception of allowing millitants into Israel.
"Arrested"??? Why not "Dismembered"?
Mubarak is no friend of Al Qaeda or the Brotherhood.
nor does he dare to defy or oppose them....the "ban" on the M/B is mere cover for political reasons.....M/B doesn't run Egypt, but they certainly do what they please without interference from Mubarek, and sometimes call on his govt got willing or even unwilling support or aquiescence. In practice, Al-Q is just another mask of the Brotherhood
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