Karachi, March 08: A man with suspected ties to al Qaeda has been arrested in Pakistan, officials said on Sunday, sparking contradictory reports that he could be America’s most-wanted al Qaeda spokesman.
Pakistani security officials arrested a suspected militant going by the name Abu Yahiya in the country’s teeming financial capital Karachi.
Initial unconfirmed reports suggested he could have been US-born spokesman for al Qaeda, Adam Yahiye Gadahn, who faces charges in the United States and for whom the US government has a USD 1 million reward.
But three senior security officials said Abu Yahiya was not Gadahn.
“We thought it could have been a big catch, but it appeared it’s not Gadahn. We’re trying to confirm his nationality and background,” a senior security official said on condition of anonymity.
Gadahn has been indicted in California for treason and providing material support to al Qaeda. The FBI says the 31-year-old US citizen operates under multiple aliases, including “Azzam the American”.
The charges relate to Gadahn’s alleged involvement in a number of terrorist activities, including providing aid and comfort to al Qaeda and services for al Qaeda, the FBI says.
-Agencies