Thursday, May 05, 2005

Al Qaeda - Libbi Arrest Paying Dividends Already

Earlier I speculated that Pakistan was tipped off to Libbi. Looks like I was right.

U.S. security officials said they had supplied information that helped track Liby down, but the White House emphasised that Pakistan took the lead in the arrest.

Some Pakistani security sources said the Central Intelligence Agency had been monitoring Liby's movements since February, and orders for the arrest came when it seemed the risk of losing him outweighed the chance of him leading agents to bin Laden or al-Zawahri.


And Reuters has more information on Libbi's arrest including the dividends it's already paying.

Liby was caught along with four comrades on Monday morning, said Amanullah Khan, deputy superintendent of police in Mardan, a town 110 km (68 miles) northwest of Islamabad.


And

Pakistani security forces have rounded up about two dozen al Qaeda suspects after arresting a man President George W. Bush called "a top general" of Osama bin Laden, intelligence officials said on Thursday.


UPDATE

The Guardian reports the US intercepted a mobile phone call that led to Libbi's capture.

A military intelligence agent said on condition of anonymity that Pakistani authorities received a tip after U.S. agents intercepted a cell phone call al-Libbi had made. They zeroed in on his suspected location and waited.


UPDATE

The LA Times notes the mobile phone intercept but also note a possible al Qaeda traitor.

Katzman, the congressional analyst, said one intriguing detail about Farj's arrest were reports that Pakistani officials had said an Uzbek within Al Qaeda had helped lead them to Farj.

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