ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan arrested an "important" French al-Qaida leader on the Pakistan-Iran border, a Pakistani intelligence official told NBC News on Wednesday, amid criticism from the United States that the country is not doing enough to fight militancy.
The official told NBC that Naamen Meziche, a French national of Algerian origin, was a "most-wanted" figure in the terrorist network.
Meziche is believed to have links with militant groups in Europe and Reuters cited media reports as saying he may have played a role in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
"At this moment, he is in custody of ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence agency) and is being interrogated," the Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, told NBC.
There was no immediate confirmation from French authorities.
Meziche reportedly worked closely with another al-Qaida leader, Younis al-Mauritani, who was responsible for international operations.
Mauritani was captured by Pakistani authorities in September last year.
Pakistan arrests 3 in 'another fatal blow' to al-Qaida
Pakistan officials told Reuters that Meziche was the ringleader of a group of 11 people who left Germany in 2009 to fight U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, according to Reuters. They did not specify the time or location of his capture.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said during a trip to Kabul that stabilization efforts in Afghanistan would remain difficult as long as militants had safe havens in neighboring Pakistan, and that Washington was "reaching the limits" of its patience with Islamabad.
Panetta: US patience with Pakistan 'reaching the limits'
U.S. officials often describe Pakistan as an unreliable partner in the war on militancy and demand tougher action against militant groups, especially those based in Pakistan's volatile tribal regions near the border with Afghanistan.
Pakistan says it will not allow any militant safe havens inside its territory, and that it will pursue its own strategy against militant groups.
NBC News' Fakhar ur Rehman in Islamabad and Reuters contributed to this report.
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As long as there's Muslims there always be another Al Qaiada leader that needs to be captured ! I'm sure the pakies knew of this guy as well as others ! are they wanting to show the U>S> there worthy of our aid money !
Naamen Meziche was born in 1970 of Algerian descent- the belonged to the Hamburg Cell in Germany (same as Atta)-he was never indicted in Germany -only questioned. Afterwards he traveled to border areas of Afgh/Pak/Iran. He was together with Younis al-Mauritani wnho was arrested by Pakistani intel/CIA in April 5,2011 in suburbs of Quetta,Baluchistan Province,Pak. Meziche entered Baluchistan from Iran. CIA claimed of Meziche having been killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan April 10,2010. Meziche and Mauritani were plotting attacks in Australia,Africa,Europe. Neither Mauritani nor Meziche was ever in US/FBI wanted lists. Meziche was first on the radar screen in Germany as member of the notorious mosque in Hamburg =same as Atta- and German authorities first closed the mosque in 2010 for its breeding fanatics. 9/11 attacks occurred in 2001- how many others were recruited to Al Qaeda between 2001 -2010 in Hamburg,Germany?
Good morning David.
You can't trust a word of what Pakis say!
When the NATO forces were entering Kandahar in 2001, Pakis airlifted key al-Qaida, Taliban, ISI and others militants by back door from Kandahar.
This includes Mullah Omar, Osama and many including Paki Haqqani militant network leaders.
The US and allies pumped in huge economic and military aid into Pakistan.
Still the US and NATO forces did not have a clue that Pakis are providing staging ground and diverting economic aids to militants fighting NATO forces!
Osama case exposed a bit of Pakis double games, double standards and actions.
Pretty soon, we can leave the nabbing of Al Qaeda leaders to Pakistan's government, and to the government in Kabul, or in other Arab cities.
I imagine we'll continue with selective drone strikes, when and if important targets show up. Pakistan will complain, but be secretly glad of the results.
C'est la guerre.
This is a war, indeed. Time to bring our troops home and let the Saudis fight it
So they arrested a "frenchie". No biggie. Wasn't, "one of them". And they probably figured him for a spy.
Probably. Do you think they are expecting some kind of high praise from us? After throwing the Dr. who helped track down OSB in jail for 33 years for treason? Heaven help us.
The only terrorist the Pakistani could find in Pakistan is European. Well. That explains a lot.
Don't it, though!
Hells bells, he is FRENCH......he probably gave up to some Pakistani boy scouts anyway. Big news with absolutely no credibility of the Pakistani's, so what is next, they have discovered gun powder?
Of course, knowing the Pakis, they will interrogate this guy, set a trial date and let him go. They will say he promised to come back for trial, but you know how that goes in Pakistan. By the way, Pakistan now offers a discount bus fare from Iran to Afghanistan with proof of membership in Al Qaeda.
Kind of funny, since Iran and al-Qaeda hate each other even more than either hate the US. Do you know how many al-Qaeda members have actually taken advantage of this? Are any of them still alive after they showed Iranians their ID?
Uh, Byron...I'm going out on a limb here, but I think mathuin was using sarcastic humor.
one baby step forward... means nothing by itself
I'm saying they need to get Zwahari to even begin to repair their embarrassment of an image.
What a joke... It's been proven time and time again... Pakistan is NOT our ally! We should stop sending money to immediately.
Pakistan is apparently feeling the pressure to do something to keep the US aid checks coming. Too little, too late.
Thumbs up if you thought the article was about Pakistani arresting their own president.
Well, yeah--and by this arrest, they're trying to make the point that....? Dunno. Escapes me.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, invented by the British, are on the map due to the US.
See how ungrateful Paki and Saudi Islamic religious Nazis can be. They have backstabbed too many times.
Saudis and co manipulated oil prices too high pushing US and allies into Iraqi wars and choking supplies. This gave PIIGS and high US deficits and loans.
They are doing the similar things in Iran. See the economic damages due to high oil price manipulations by Saudis and co, an ally on "war on terror!"
The problem of militancy is not with individuals, it is with the culture. Islam has some good messages that should not be lost, and the holidays are very charming. Also, many see Islam as an identity and tradition, (foods, art, literature). The bellicose nature of its doctrine is dormant in most Muslims.
The problem is when muslims actually read the Koran and Hadith and act on it's implicite imperative instructions. The Koran becomes a recipe for militancy and terrorism against unbelievers. The Koran is a cookbook for unilateral warfare. It is the reason that Islam, and an unlikely army from the Arabian penninsula, crushed so many ancient empires and pushed cultures to the brink of extinction. The perfect example is the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan, or the Byzantine culture in the middle east and North Africa.
The open imperatives are unparalleled in other religions. In a day when religious authority is waning, its tenets become more and more out of place, yet Pakistan endorses the Koran as some sort of divine truth. They still enforces antiquated blasphemy laws, promote religious studies, and frown on religious criticism.
We will see more and more militancy until the core issue is confronted. I doubt this will happen because the source remains unquestionably unreproachably sanctified.
@Charles the Hammerhead--I think you absolutely hit it right on the head. (Sorry, could not resist)
Put the Al Queda guy to death by fire. We take no prisoners, we support no enemy of terrorist factions.
ONE More Potato for The Al QUAIDA-QUE! Zawahiri's The MEAT!
hi my freinds
Jonathan-1982062
You
can't trust a word of what Pakis say!
When
the NATO forces were entering Kandahar in 2001,
Pakis airlifted key al-Qaida, Taliban, ISI and others militants by back door
from Kandahar.
This
includes Mullah Omar, Osama and many including Paki Haqqani militant network
leaders.
The
US and allies pumped in huge economic and military aid into Pakistan.
Still
the US
and NATO forces did not have a clue that Pakis are providing staging ground and
diverting economic aids to militants fighting NATO forces!
Osama
case exposed a bit of Pakis double games, double standards and actions.
ndia
as a failed state
Beware my Friends this
guy Jonathan-1982062 of India
is a paid scum only writing dirts
Thanks
See the fallowing blog
& expose the Failed
State of India Authentic Voices of South Asia
– Introduction, page 6
ISBN
0-9548929-1-7 Published by London Institute of South Asia
To
this long list of the persecuted nationalities denied human rights we have to
add the Muslims (15%), Christians (2.5%) and Sikhs (2.5%) — a total of 20%.
Even the women of upper castes have been a deprived lot. A total of 85% of our
population is today facing gloom and doom. Every part of India, every section of India, every community of India is facing
unprecedented crisis — political, economic, social, cultural and religious. Law
and order has collapsed. Corruption is sky-high. All the three pillars of the
state — executive, legislature and judiciary — have broken down. The fourth
pillar – the media, to which I belong – is in shambles. Several state
governments have no money to pay salaries to their staff. While China, which became independent two years after India, has
assured food, clothing, shelter and even health and education to all its 1,300
million people. India
cannot even provide enough food for all its citizens. But the 15% upper castes
(Hindus) have become rulers of the land by exploiting the rest of the
population.
Vanguard
of the revolution
Why India has
become a failed state? This is because the new rulers (Hindus) have failed to
look after the just needs of its 85% population particularly the Dalits who are
at the bottom of the society.
A
country is like the chain of a cycle. The cycle can move smoothly only if every
link in the chain is in perfect condition. In the Indian cycle chain only about
15% of the links are well-oiled and well-maintained. The rest of the links are
rusted, decaying. That is why the cycle is not moving. It is as simple as that.
The
first people who revolted against this Hindu bid to destroy India are the
Dalits who are carrying the weight of this entire oppressive Hindu society. Of
all the people, why the Dalits alone are in the forefront of the revolution?
There are two reasons for it:
1.The
Dalits are at the bottom of this social pyramid and hence the worst sufferers.
2.Besides,
they are the original inhabitants of India and hence its rightful
owners.
That
is why the Dalits form the vanguard of the revolution to bring about a
transformation in the society. Dalits alone can save India. No other section has that
much of an urge to save India.
Buddhist
perception of Christianity
Though
I am a Buddhist since many years, I have not been a practising Buddhist. I find
no major contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity in India – at
least not to my knowledge. Dalit Voice, of which I am the Editor, has
readership all over India.
So far, no Buddhist has complained to us against the Christians. Buddhists are
fighting mainly the Brahmanical (upper caste) people. In Maharashtra,
where the largest numbers of Buddhists live, our people do not face any problem
from Christians. In fact the Christians are fully with us.
Our
No.1 Enemy is Brahmanism which today goes by the name of Hinduism. Though the
upper caste rulers of India including their leader M.K. Gandhi declared
Buddhism as part of Hinduism and made Buddha an avatar (incarnation), they
refused to extend constitutional reservations to Dalit converts to Buddhism. It
was Prime Minister V.P. Singh in 1991 who removed this restriction. The Hindus
are doing their best to hinduise (enslave) the Buddhists. A big debate is going
on in Dalit Voice on this subject and we are soon calling a meeting of
concerned Buddhists at Nagpur
to discuss steps to fight this Hindu menace.
Role
of conversion
The
social and religious aspirations of Dalits are not only to liberate themselves
but by doing that to save India
itself. According to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Father of India, who conducted
a series of experiments in this field, this is possible only through religious
conversion. (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Why Go For Conversion?, Dalit Sahitya Akademy,
1987 reprint). Religious conversion is the best, the simplest, the most
inexpensive and also the most non-violent way of not only liberating the Dalits
but also the country as a whole. It is as simple as that.
The
upper castes (Hindus) give equal treatment to Christians, Muslims and Sikhs.
People belonging to these three sections (called religious minorities) did not
come from outside India.
Christians of India did not come from Rome,
Muslims did not come from Arabia. They are
converts from today’s SC/ST/BCs i.e. our ancestors. They achieved equality and
self-respect only through conversion. When 20% of India (Muslim, Christian and Sikh)
could achieve equality and self-respect through such a simple social
engineering (conversion), why not the rest of the SC/ST/BCs follow this simple
path?
Never
ending caste war
Such a
conversion will bring happiness to the SC/ST/BCs as well as their oppressors
(Hindus). As long as Dalits remain within the Hindu fold, they have to fight
with Hindus daily. See what happened in Jhajjar (Haryana) recently. It is a
daily fight in the countryside today. India is full of caste wars between
the Hindus and Dalits. Conversion will once for all end this war and violence
and there will be peace in the countryside and India as a whole.
The
Hindus may ask: When there is caste inside the religions of Muslim, Christian
and Sikhs, why again go into such a leaking house? This is a mischievous
question. There is a great deal of difference between the Hindu caste system
and the castes within other religions. Caste is not the chief characteristic of
these religions. But the Hindu caste system has the religious sanction. Even
M.K. Gandhi, the father of the Hindu nation, defended the caste system because
it had the blessings of Hindu religion. That is why no Dalit has been made a
Shankarachari to this day. But several Dalits have become Bishops, Imams and
Sikh Sants. They can destroy their castes without destroying their religions.
But if you destroy the caste system, Hinduism itself is dead. This is because
the caste system is the other name for Hinduism. Kill caste, Hinduism is dead.
Gandhi
hated Christians
We
have found Christian and church leaders praising Gandhi and some priests even
imitating Gandhi. Such ignorant Christian leaders do not know the real face of
Gandhi. They have not read what Gandhi had said about the church and its
glorious services to the oppressed — a service which can be written only in the
letters of gold. We call upon such church leaders to read Gandhi’s own book
published by his publishing house. (Christian Missions — Their Place in India,
Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1941, edited by Bharatan Kumarappa). In
this book at several places Gandhi asks the Christian missionaries “not to
entice the Harijans” (p. 52) and warns: “Those who are engaged in the
competition are not serving the cause of religion”. (p. 52) He was angry with
the church because it is liberating the Dalits from Hindu slavery and racism.
Enemy
No.1 of Untouchables
The
most important among Gandhi’s speech is one he made at the famous United Theological
College, Bangalore, which he visited sometime in 1927,
long before ‘independence’, when the college was staffed by mostly Western
missionaries of repute. The speech he delivered clearly proved that Gandhi was
totally against conversion of Untouchables. Because Gandhi knew that his
Hinduism, which was a gold mine for the upper castes (Hindus), would be reduced
to a minority and naturally die if the Untouchables quit that religion. He
warned the missionaries: ” While I am strengthening the faith of the people,
you (meaning missionaries) are undermining it” (ibid p.101).
He
asked the church to make the Harijans “better Hindus, as they belong to
Hinduism”. (Ibid p.103). But Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Saviour of Dalits, has
declared that “Untouchables are not Hindu and were never Hindu”. Every word
that Gandhi uttered proved that he was a hard-core Sanatani Hindu and that was
why Dr. Ambedkar called him the Enemy No.1 of Untouchables. The church leaders
will agree with this assessment if only they read this book which is a
devastating criticism of the Christian services to humanity.
The
conversion of Untouchables may weaken Hinduism but it will certainly strengthen
the country. But to Gandhi and his jatwalas, who being Aryans and hence aliens,
their religion is more important than the country. Who is anti-national? The
Christian church must decide.
Kerala
example
Islam,
Christianity and Sikhism have become powerful religions and the people
following it have also become powerful because of their egalitarian values. So,
if Dalits also quit Hinduism and embrace these egalitarian religions not only
they will get social harmony but thereby they also become powerful. India also can
secure peace and through peace it can become powerful. Look at the neighbouring
Kerala where 25% of its population is today Muslim and another 25% Christian.
Kerala is a literate, clean, disciplined and progressive state because of the
leading role played by these two egalitarian religions. Similarly the
North-Eastern states have become fully literate, powerful and revolutionary
because the entire Mangoloid Tribals got converted to other religions. Sikhism
transformed the whole of Punjab. This is the
miracle of religious conversion. Therefore, those who argue against conversion
are not only the enemies of Dalits but the enemies of India itself.
Ever
since India
became “independent” (1947), we did not have any social harmony. After the
advent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, a pure Brahminical outfit, social harmony
is totally dead. The Gujarat Genocide of Muslims (2002) presents the worst
example. Caste system is killing the country. The Hindus themselves are
fighting within themselves. If conversion can end this entire problem in one
stroke, why the Hindus are opposing it?
Top
secret of India
The
reason is simple but it is kept a top secret. Brahmanism, which has lately
taken the new name of Hinduism, has become the “majority religion” by annexing
Dalits (20%), Tribals (10%) and the Backward Castes (35%). Untouchables, said
Dr. Ambedkar, are not Hindu and were never Hindu. Hinduism or Brahmanism is an
Aryan import. This is true of Tribals and BCs also. That is the reason why the
Hindus hate all the three. Because the SC/ST/BCs are not Aryan but original
inhabitants. By annexing this 65% non-Hindu population, the 15% minority Hindus
suddenly became a majority religion and thereby rulers.
Conversion
reduces the number of their slaves. And once the Hindu population — now put at
85% (disputed) — is reduced, the Hindus become a minority. Conversion thus has
a double-disadvantage to the Hindu:
1.The Hindu
will lose his free, permanent, obedient slaves.
2.The
Hindu will cease to be the ruler because he will be reduced to a minority.
That
is why the Hindu is shouting and crying —not because of any love for the
Harijan but out of pure self-interest.
That
is why the Presidential Order of 1950 was brought to confine the SC/ST/BC
slaves to the Hindu prison house. The state itself was used to promote
Hinduism. Even our Hindu judiciary did not question this Presidential Order.