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Top al Qaeda Man In Pakistan Nabbed
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ShareAugust 17, 2006 9:31 AM
A senior al Qaeda commander allegedly tied to the London airplane bomb plot has been arrested in Pakistan, Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement officials have told ABC News. Matiur Rehman, one of the most wanted men in Pakistan, is known to have met with the alleged plot ringleader Rashid Rauf, according to the officials.
Rehman’s capture could provide the most important leads in months to the whereabouts of Al Qaeda’s top two leaders, Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri. Rehman was believed to be in frequent contact with Zawahiri.
Rehman was taken into custody in the southern Punjab city of Bawalpur, the same town where alleged London plot ringleader Rashid Rauf was arrested last week. ABC News saw a copy of the police report on Rehman, with an attached copy of his photo.
Pakistani officials told ABC News earlier that 29-year Rehman was known to be planning a terror spectacular to mark the fifth anniversary of the 9/ll attacks, and the London plot may have been it.
ABC News consultant Alexis Debat, a terrorism expert at the Nixon Center in Washington D.C., says, "[Rehman] is the interface between al Qaeda's leadership and thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Pakistani militants who are able to provide the muscle for al Qaeda's operations not only in Pakistan but around the world."
August 17, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (91)
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SHOULDN'T THIS INFORMATION BE KEPT SECRET , AT LEAST FOR A WHILE UNTILL THIS GUY IS QUSTIONNED AND GROUND FORCES MAKE USE IF WHATEVER INFORMATION HE HAS.
Posted by: FADI | Aug 17, 2006 10:16:11 AM
We should do something spectacular to him to mark the 9/11 anniversary. Mercy doesn't exist in his realm, it shouldn't when dealing with him either.
Posted by: Jay | Aug 17, 2006 10:28:19 AM
Why is this not the lead story? It seems much more important to most Americans than the sad, sensationalist story of JonBenet.
Posted by: Mr. Sparkman's Class | Aug 17, 2006 10:31:23 AM
Get all the information they can from this thug and put a bullet in his head and be done with him!
Posted by: bill | Aug 17, 2006 10:31:39 AM
This is not only a victory for America but for all countries that have been affected by terrorists. The Pakistan government should be commended for their effort in these matters.
Posted by: Anonymous | Aug 17, 2006 10:43:07 AM
I am glad they caught this man, however, in the article they said "The London Plot MAY have been it". In other words, we are still in danger anad will always be in danger.
Posted by: Connie | Aug 17, 2006 10:45:28 AM
An hope they get the rest
Posted by: JIM | Aug 17, 2006 10:47:45 AM
What can you say other than great. . . I hope they get some leads on Zawahiri and bin Laden.
Posted by: Joe | Aug 17, 2006 11:04:33 AM
Just you watch, the Bush Administration will take full credit for this latest catch.
Posted by: Duane | Aug 17, 2006 11:16:23 AM
If Bill Clinton were president, terrorism would be better dealt with. Hillary Clinton will make a much better president than George Bush. She and her staff will know how to deal with the terrorist much better the the Bush Regime. The Bush Regime is very concerned that the Clintons will again control the Whitehouse and cause the economy to flourish once more.
Posted by: Smartguy | Aug 17, 2006 11:18:21 AM
I thank that this is great news. The only problem I have with this is that it should be delayed in reporting so that others can be arrested. Some time the News is just to fast in coming out and it hurts the process of finding other guilty people. Stop being so aggressive in reporting this type of News. Give the Police a chance to get all of them.
Posted by: Donald R. Hill | Aug 17, 2006 11:20:05 AM
Boy, I sure hope they give him his koran and 3 squares a day for being such a good boy.
Posted by: Dan | Aug 17, 2006 11:30:23 AM
Good news on the war on terror. Thanks to our President and all of our allies around the world! This proves once again the great "willing" teamwork is paying off. Now if we could only get our "free left-wing press" on board we could expedite peace.
Posted by: Allen Ridge | Aug 17, 2006 11:48:36 AM
Where is Bin Laden ? we seem to forget him and we always go after the other guys
Posted by: Brandon Conover | Aug 17, 2006 12:11:08 PM
One has to wonder whether the publicity of this arrest will have any effect on finding Bin Laden.
Posted by: John | Aug 17, 2006 12:16:54 PM
How come we can't follow the guy who makes the video tapes of Al Zawahiri to find out where he is?
I understand he has been interviewed several times and is well known to the CIA. Al Qaeda even has a mobile video van that apparently has not even been put under surveillance.
I bet ABC news could find Al Zawahiri a lot faster than the CIA ever could if they tried.
Posted by: rex | Aug 17, 2006 12:30:42 PM
Why would we need to make this public once again? Wouldn't it be better to follow the leads as quickly as possible before word gets out he was caught? Instead just stick it on the internet for everyone to see.
Posted by: John | Aug 17, 2006 12:31:42 PM
Awesome... gold stars and cigars for everyone.
Posted by: GT | Aug 17, 2006 12:52:27 PM
Rex,
I bet if ABC News did find al-Zawahiri that they wouldn't leak that info.
Posted by: steve | Aug 17, 2006 12:59:08 PM
Excellent news. Now, let the Pakistanis connect his gonads to a 12-volt car battery and we'll find out what he knows. Then shoot the miserable creep in the head and dump him in a ditch somewhere.
(Actually, John, the reason the Pakistanis and the CIA may have wanted to publicize the arrest is to get others to panic and reveal their locations. Kinda like cockroaches scurrying off in every direction once the light is turned on. Then we can follow them and see where they lead us.)
Posted by: Dan | Aug 17, 2006 1:03:43 PM
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