Pakistan official: 'Important' French al-Qaida leader arrested on Iran border

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.

Anjum Naveed / AP

Images of daily life, political pursuits, religious rites and deadly violence.

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.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

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Discuss this post

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 !

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:44 AM EDT

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?

    #1.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:41 AM EDT

    Good morning David.

      #1.2 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:24 AM EDT
      Reply

      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.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#2 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:45 AM EDT

      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.

        Reply#3 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:24 AM EDT

        This is a war, indeed. Time to bring our troops home and let the Saudis fight it

        • 1 vote
        #3.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:31 AM EDT
        Reply

        So they arrested a "frenchie". No biggie. Wasn't, "one of them". And they probably figured him for a spy.

        • 2 votes
        Reply#4 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:36 AM EDT

        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.

          #4.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:46 PM EDT
          Reply

          The only terrorist the Pakistani could find in Pakistan is European. Well. That explains a lot.

          • 4 votes
          Reply#5 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:36 AM EDT

          Don't it, though!

            #5.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:47 PM EDT
            Reply
            DantoRangDeleted

            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?

            • 1 vote
            Reply#7 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:41 AM EDT

            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.

            • 2 votes
            Reply#8 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:22 AM EDT

            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?

            • 1 vote
            #8.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:25 AM EDT

            Uh, Byron...I'm going out on a limb here, but I think mathuin was using sarcastic humor.

              #8.2 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:49 PM EDT
              Reply

              one baby step forward... means nothing by itself

                Reply#9 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:24 AM EDT

                I'm saying they need to get Zwahari to even begin to repair their embarrassment of an image.

                  Reply#10 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:01 AM EDT

                  What a joke... It's been proven time and time again... Pakistan is NOT our ally! We should stop sending money to immediately.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#11 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:30 AM EDT

                  Pakistan is apparently feeling the pressure to do something to keep the US aid checks coming. Too little, too late.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#12 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:32 AM EDT

                  Thumbs up if you thought the article was about Pakistani arresting their own president.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#13 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:46 AM EDT

                  Well, yeah--and by this arrest, they're trying to make the point that....? Dunno. Escapes me.

                    #13.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:53 PM EDT
                    Reply

                    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!"

                      Reply#14 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:51 AM EDT

                      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.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#15 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:19 AM EDT

                      @Charles the Hammerhead--I think you absolutely hit it right on the head. (Sorry, could not resist)

                        #15.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:51 PM EDT
                        Reply

                        Put the Al Queda guy to death by fire. We take no prisoners, we support no enemy of terrorist factions.

                          Reply#16 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:47 AM EDT

                          ONE More Potato for The Al QUAIDA-QUE! Zawahiri's The MEAT!

                            Reply#17 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 2:29 PM EDT

                            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.

                              Reply#18 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:08 PM EDT
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