TA-ANALYSIS: Top Kashmiri Militant Leader Arrested in Pakistan., page 1

Maulana Fazl-ur Rahman Khalil, a top Kashmiri militant leader, and a friend of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar was detained, Pakistani officials said Monday. So far Pakistan has arrested about 20 terror suspects in less than a month. The US government had banned Khalil's group after 9/11 in US soil. Pakistani television reported that Khalil was arrested on charges of sending militants to Afghanistan.

Pakistan Detains Kashmiri Militant Leader
Khalil is the leader of Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen militant group, whose members have been fighting Indian forces in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. He was taken into custody recently, said security officials.

Pakistan's Geo television reported Sunday that authorities had arrested Khalil on charges he was sending militants to Afghanistan to join the Taliban.

On Monday, a government minister confirmed Khalil's arrest, but said it was not linked to "international terrorism."

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Khalil's arrest is ahead of counterterrorism talks between India and Pakistan, when officials will be meeting Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad to discuss how to fight terrorism.

In another related news article it is reported that Pakistan is also interrogating a top Al Qaeda suspect, over his link in attempts to kill President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan interrogates Al-Qaeda suspect linked to Musharraf attacks
Qari Saifullah Akhtar, who is also said to have run Al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan (news - web sites) during the Taliban's regime, was seized in Dubai last week and handed over to Pakistani authorities for questioning.

"He is under questioning by Pakistani investigators," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid told AFP Monday. "He is required in many terrorist cases for interrogation."

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