Free Republic

Pakistan's security forces say they have captured the leader of the Afghan militant group which kidnapped three United Nations workers in late October. Syed Mohammad Akbar Agha, the head of the Army of Muslims, was captured ten days ago in a raid in the southern port city of Karachi. His detention was not disclosed earlier to prevent other members of the group from escaping. However, the Pakistani authorities did not say whether other militants have been arrested since. The three UN workers--a man from the Philippines, and two women from Kosovo and Northern Ireland--were abducted in late October in the...

Pakistani security forces have arrested the head of a militant Islamic group suspected in the kidnapping of three UN workers in Afghanistan in October, a senior Cabinet minister said today. Syed Akbar Agha, chief of Jaish-al Muslimeen, or Army of Muslims, was captured in the south-western city of Quetta this week, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said. He gave no other details. Armed men seized Annetta Flanigan from Northern Ireland, Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo on October 28. They were freed unharmed in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on November 23 and returned to their homes. Pakistan...

A Taliban splinter group that has threatened to kill three U.N. hostages again extended a deadline on its demands after the government said it would respond to them on Wednesday, a spokesman for the group said on Tuesday.