Pakistan nabs leader of militants

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistani security forces have arrested the head of a militant Islamic group suspected in the kidnapping of three U.N. workers in Afghanistan in October, a senior Cabinet minister said Saturday.

Syed Akbar Agha, chief of Jaish-al Muslimeen, or Army of Muslims, was captured in the southwestern city of Quetta this week, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told The Associated Press.

He gave no other details.

Armed men seized Annetta Flanigan from Northern Ireland, Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo on Oct. 28. They were freed in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Nov. 23.

Pakistan had been searching for Agha, who used a cell phone to contact some media outlets to claim responsibility for the kidnappings.

After the abductions, Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali said Agha's group hired bandits to kidnap the U.N. workers, who were helping organize Afghanistan's Oct. 9 presidential election.

Agha last month told AP that he would be "flexible" on freeing the trio if Aghan authorities accepted the group's demand for the release of 26 prisoners held in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Agha's real name was Haji Fazal Karim.

"He (Agha) was captured with his wives and children this week, but the women and children were later freed," he said.

Agha's group said 15 of the prisoners they wanted released were seized by American troops near the southern border town of Spin Boldak last month. The others were detained earlier and have been transferred to the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

U.S. military officials in Afghanistan have declined to confirm whether they are holding any of the 26 or if they will release any suspects.

Officials have said no ransom or other concessions were made to the kidnappers, who dumped their captives on a street in Kabul.

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