[MamaDearest]

Hi Vel! From the way the story reads, it says TWO separate sweeps were made. The BBC report says the amateur disappearing act Zawahiri was not captured......but the Japanese say "important arrests" have been made. Here's the Japanese version again:

Al Qaeda members apprehended

[Velveeta]

Thanks, MamDearest.
I was finally able to connect into that link again.
It does read as 2 separate sweeps.
Here's the article:

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japantoday > asia

Pakistan arrests al-Qaida operatives


Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 05:41 JST
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani security authorities have arrested several alleged key operatives of the terrorist network al-Qaida in two separate sweeps in Abottabad in Northwest Frontier Province and Lahore in Punjab, a reliable intelligence source said Monday.

"We cannot reveal further details because of security reasons. I can say that some important arrests have been made," the source said. (Kyodo News)

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Intriguing...