American nabbed in Karachi raid not al-Qaida spokesman
Source: Agencies |
March 9, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN American member of al-Qaida was picked up in a raid in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, Pakistani officials said yesterday, but reversed earlier assertions that the detained man was the terror network's US-born spokesman.
They identified him as Abu Yahya Majadin Adam, but gave no details on his background or role within al-Qaida.
A name very close to that is listed on the FBI's Website as an alias for Adam Gadahn, the 31-year-old spokesman who has appeared in several videos threatening the West since 2001. The resemblance created confusion among officials on Sunday, leading them to believe that the suspect was Gadahn, an army officer and a senior intelligence officer said.
"The resemblance of the name initially caused confusion but now they have concluded he is not Gadahn," said an intelligence officer, who like all Pakistani intelligence agents does not allow his name to be used. "He feels proud to be a member of al-Qaida."
US Embassy spokesman Rick Snelsire said the embassy had not been informed of any American being arrested.
A senior US military intelligence official said yesterday the man arrested does not appear to be Gadahn.
On Sunday, two intelligence officers and a senior government official identified the detained man as Gadahn and said he was arrested in recent days.
Pakistan is under intense American pressure to arrest al-Qaida and Taliban leaders living on its soil.
Last month, the country arrested the Afghan Taliban No. 2 commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Karachi. Officials have also claimed to have detained other leaders in the movement. News of the arrests has been murky, coming primarily through Pakistani and Afghan officials speaking anonymously. None of the suspects have been presented before a court or charged.
The arrest of an American militant in Pakistan would be another example of US citizens traveling abroad to join al-Qaida and the Taliban. Security analyst say such militants, while small in number, are especially dangerous because of their ability to travel the world more easily on a Western passport.
They identified him as Abu Yahya Majadin Adam, but gave no details on his background or role within al-Qaida.
A name very close to that is listed on the FBI's Website as an alias for Adam Gadahn, the 31-year-old spokesman who has appeared in several videos threatening the West since 2001. The resemblance created confusion among officials on Sunday, leading them to believe that the suspect was Gadahn, an army officer and a senior intelligence officer said.
"The resemblance of the name initially caused confusion but now they have concluded he is not Gadahn," said an intelligence officer, who like all Pakistani intelligence agents does not allow his name to be used. "He feels proud to be a member of al-Qaida."
US Embassy spokesman Rick Snelsire said the embassy had not been informed of any American being arrested.
A senior US military intelligence official said yesterday the man arrested does not appear to be Gadahn.
On Sunday, two intelligence officers and a senior government official identified the detained man as Gadahn and said he was arrested in recent days.
Pakistan is under intense American pressure to arrest al-Qaida and Taliban leaders living on its soil.
Last month, the country arrested the Afghan Taliban No. 2 commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Karachi. Officials have also claimed to have detained other leaders in the movement. News of the arrests has been murky, coming primarily through Pakistani and Afghan officials speaking anonymously. None of the suspects have been presented before a court or charged.
The arrest of an American militant in Pakistan would be another example of US citizens traveling abroad to join al-Qaida and the Taliban. Security analyst say such militants, while small in number, are especially dangerous because of their ability to travel the world more easily on a Western passport.
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