Pakistan arrests French man accused of al-Qaeda ties

[Dance]

SLAMABAD (AP) – Pakistani security officials say they have arrested a French man accused of being a prominent al-Qaeda militant.


The officials Wednesday named the man as Naamen Meziche. Western media reports have described Meziche as an al-Qaeda operative with links to European jihadi groups believed to have been living until now in either Pakistan or Iran.

The statement said he was arrested on the border of Pakistan and Iran but no mention was made of when the arrest took place.

The officials did not give their names in keeping with the policy of the Pakistani security forces.


Pakistan arrests French man accused of al-Qaeda ties

 

[Albatross]

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has arrested a French man reportedly linked to one of the masterminds of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, a reminder of the country's vital role in the war on international jihadist groups at a time of deteriorating relations with the U.S., security officials said Wednesday.

Naamen Meziche was captured in a raid near the border with Iran, officials said, without specifying when this had happened.

Western media reports have described Meziche as an al-Qaida operative with links to European jihadist groups believed to have been living until now in either Pakistan or Iran. CNN and the Wall Street Journal have reported that Meziche was a friend of Mohammed Atta, who piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center. However, he does not appear to have any operational role in the attacks.

The officials did not give their names in keeping with the policy of the Pakistani security forces.

The officials said Meziche was a close associate of Younis al-Mauritani, who Pakistani security forces arrested in September last year in a joint operation with the CIA. That arrest also took place in the Baluchistan region, which borders Iran. U.S. officials said al-Mauritani was believed to have been plotting attacks in Europe. It is unclear where al-Mauritani is now being held. One of the officials said he had been in Iran but it was not clear when he'd come to Pakistan.

A senior Pakistan security official said al-Mauritani's interrogation led officials to Meziche. He was arrested while trying to flee the country, likely on his way to Somalia, said the official. If Meziche is found to have broken the law in Pakistan he would be charged and tried inside the country, the official said. Otherwise he would be deported to France. The official said al-Mauritani had asked Meziche to conduct foreign operations for al-Qaida.

Baluchistan borders Afghanistan to the northeast and has been a hotbed of militant activity.

Pakistani intelligence agents are currently questioning the French national.

The arrest highlights the Pakistani security forces' key role in the anti-al-Qaida campaign, even as the U.S. and Pakistan are going through one of the rockiest stages in their relationship since the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. The Navy SEAL raid on the Pakistan garrison city of Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden last year raised questions about whether Pakistani security officials at some level knew of the al-Qaida leader's presence in their country. On the Pakistani side, the raid infuriated the military because it was not told about the attack ahead of time and, once it happened, was powerless to stop it.

Tensions increased even further in November when U.S. forces accidentally killed 24 Pakistani border troops, prompting Pakistan to close supply lines to American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Those supply lines remain closed to this day as Pakistan demands an apology from the U.S. for the deaths.

The U.S. has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to go after militant groups operating in its territory. During a June 7 visit to Kabul, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the U.S. was losing patience with Pakistan over its failure to go after the Haqqani network, considered one of the most dangerous militant groups fighting in Afghanistan. The U.S. has blamed an attack on the American Embassy in Kabul last year on the network.

Pakistan also argues that the U.S. does not recognize the tough price the country has already paid for taking on militant groups operating on its territory, a battle that has killed tens of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/06/20/world/asia/ap-as-pakistan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

 

[Irfan Baloch]

another uninvited guest....

best to hand him over to France or USA as fast as possible.

 

[fd24]

A French man who is suspected of being a key militant working for al-Qaeda has been arrested close to the border with Iran, officials say.

Naamen Meziche was detained during a security operation in the area.

He is described as being an associate of senior al-Qaeda leader Younis al-Mauritani, who was detained in 2011 accused of planning attacks on Europe.

Born in 1970 and of Algerian descent, Meziche is an "important" al-Qaeda member in Europe, experts say.

He is believed to have belonged to the Hamburg cell that the US says masterminded the 9/11 attacks.

Meziche reportedly recruited jihadists at a radical mosque in the northern German city, which authorities closed in 2010 because they said it was encouraging fanaticism.

Three of the 9/11 hijackers, including ringleader Mohammed Atta - who piloted the first plane into New York's World Trade Centre - met regularly at the mosque before moving to the US.

A Pakistani official told the AFP news agency that Meziche was "among the very close associates" of Mauritani who was himself arrested on 5 September 2011 by Pakistani agents - believed to have been co-operating with the CIA - in the city of Quetta.

Mauritani was believed to have been ordered by Osama Bin Laden - before his death last year - to plan attacks on Australia, Europe and the United States.

Correspondents say that Meziche's arrest highlights the key role played by the Pakistani security forces in the anti al-Qaeda campaign of the US, even though Washington and Islamabad are going through one of the rockiest stages in their relationship since the 9/11 attacks.

Tensions are also high because of continuing Pakistani resentment over the US decision to kill Bin Laden in May 2011 without telling Pakistan.

They have become further strained over US drone strikes on Pakistani soil and Islamabad's refusal to re-open a Nato supply route to Afghanistan which it closed down in November after 24 of its soldiers were killed on the border in a Nato air strike.

Neither Meziche nor Mauritani feature on the US FBI list of most wanted terrorists.

Earlier this month the White House said that Abu Yahya al-Libi, the "general manager" of al-Qaeda, had been killed in a drone strike in north-western Pakistan.

Pleasing to see Pakistan is continuing in their search for these terrorists - i hope severe action is taken quickly....

BBC News - Pakistan arrests 'key French al-Qaeda operative'

 

[mjnaushad]

The Associated Press: Pakistan nabs French man with reported 9/11 links

The question is how come each and every big terrorist found in pakistan?????????

From Osama to libi to Naamen Meziche

Because when we arrest and hand them over they manage to escape....... And at that point we lose track of them......

Just like libi escape from Prision or OBL escape for Tora Bora.

 

[marthanda_varma]

Because when we arrest and hand them over they manage to escape....... And at that point we lose track of them......

Just like libi escape from Prision or OBL escape for Tora Bora.

OBL escaped FROM tora bora TO pakistan, where he lived comfortably and fathered several children. And he wasn't arrested at any time, so there is no question of escaping from custody.

 

[joekrish]

Sad that they all find Pakistan as their favored heaven

 

[Bratva]

OBL escaped FROM tora bora TO pakistan, where he lived comfortably and fathered several children. And he wasn't arrested at any time, so there is no question of escaping from custody.

Just like Indian Millitary intelligence didn't knew Colonol Purhoit was extremist hiding in their ranks until an outside agency (ATS) caught him with his pant down and embarrass Indian military intelligence and put a doubt on it's counter intelligence capability and how they can't control their own men.

Sad that they all find Pakistan as their favored heaven

Than genius tell me, How things workout in an active war theater and long border of 2000 Km which is impossible to guard all the time?

 

[pak-marine]

probably gone rouge .. stop this mickey mouse joke look a little deeper the entire AQ leadership is purifying the puristanis

 

[Irfan Baloch]

OBL escaped FROM tora bora TO pakistan, where he lived comfortably and fathered several children. And he wasn't arrested at any time, so there is no question of escaping from custody.

Yaar Pappu,
Al Libbi did escape....
right under the nose of the American Marines, along with many other terrorists who were never found or killed.

Sad that they all find Pakistan as their favored heaven

Sad?

why?
isnt it good that they are either killed or captured?

some "Heaven" that..

 

[sur]

Reminds me of ...

Story of 2 French journalists comes to mind looking at OP's video,,, They were arrested by Pakistani forces, they paid some locals to play as ta'liban & were filming a fake documentry...


Paul Refsdal's(maker of OP's video) unprecedented access & wandering with taliban while they carry out attack is fishy,,,


French Journalists and their arrest in Pakistan

Police in Pakistan arrested two French Journalists, Mr. Marc Epstein and Mr. Jean Paul who work for L'Express magazine in France. Later on court suspended arrest orders and accepted their bail petition filed by the defense attorney. They wre arrested for illegally visiting a sensitive border town of Quetta near Pak-Afghan border. A local journalist Syed Khawar Mehdi aiding the two men was also arrested and is still in custody. The maximum punishment under respective charge is a 3-year rigorous imprisonment, besides fine.

They are also allegedly involved in making a video showing fake Taliban guerillas getting arms training within Pakistan�s territory. Pakistan Television (PTV) also ran a story showing clips from the making of their documentary, and how the local tribesmen were paid to wear turbans and act like Taliban.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Arrested French journalists were making fake reports - minister
Karachi/Islamabad |By Mujahid Ali and Shahid Hussain, Correspondents | 22-12-2003

Pakistani authorities said yesterday the two French journalists, arrested for traveling to Balochistan province without proper visas, were on a mission to damage the country's reputation by making a fake news report about the activities of Afghan Taliban on Pakistani soil.

"Efforts are being made in a section of the Western media to damage Pakistan's image and undermine its role in the war against terror," Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, information minister, told reporters in Karachi. The two French journalists arrested by Pakistani authorities were also part of the conspiracy, he said.

"We are in no way against journalists or journalism. But fake films on Taliban have been recovered from their possession which were aimed to tarnish Pakistan's image," he said.

Reporter Mark Epstein and photographer Jean Paul Guilloteau of L'Express magazine were arrested earlier this month for traveling to southwestern Balochistan province without valid travel document.

The pair arrived Pakistan on December 7 on journalist visas, which only allowed them to visit Karachi, the capital Islamabad and Lahore. But they went to Quetta and some areas bordering Afghanistan without informing the authorities.

Pakistani intelligence officials say the French journalists hired men in tribal areas to act as Taliban for their documentary. A local journalist, Khawar Mehdi, has also been arrested.

Ahmed said Pakistani law will come to action when even illegal and unlawful activities are undertaken. Anwar Mehamood, the information sectary, urged the international journalists organisations to condemn what he called "fake and concocted" reporting.

On Saturday a lower court rejected the bail application of and sent them to jail until their trial is over. Meanwhile, France said yesterday it was in contact with authorities in Pakistan to try to secure the release of the two French journalists.

A French foreign ministry spokesman said there had been "numerous contacts" over the fate of the journalists, but declined to give further details.

Source: The Gulf News

& of ...
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[mjnaushad]

OBL escaped FROM tora bora TO pakistan, where he lived comfortably and fathered several children. And he wasn't arrested at any time, so there is no question of escaping from custody.

And they come back and forth to Afghanistan and Pakistan...... And yet they only get arrested or get killed in Pakistan ??? Where are the afghan forces who have full public support and world best military who have best intel and best soldiers.... Still rag tag taliban walk hundered of miles inside Afghanistan and attack and come back......

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

a good number of these arrested foreigners in Pakistan are hailing from European countries

maybe Panetta should save some of his (im)patience with them for failing to stop these trouble-making a-holes from leaving their airports and coming to our side of the world


Americans as well have been arrested, included those 5 guys from Washington DC last year or year before that

 

[Backbencher]

why only Pakistan ..........there are 198 countries but why just Pakistan

 

[mjnaushad]

why only Pakistan ..........there are 198 countries but why just Pakistan

DO those 198 countries share border with Afghanistan??

Do those 198 countries have world toughest terrain shared with Afghanistan???

Do those 198 countries have villages on both side because of which people come and forth without visa??

Do those 198 countries gave refuge to 3.5 million (At the time of 1980) after the war??

Please answer....











And i almost forgot....