Pakistani Police Says 16 Afghan Suspects Arrested

28 January 2005 -- Pakistani police say they arrested 16 Afghan nationals in overnight raids in the southwestern city of Quetta on suspicion of links with the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda terrorist network.
Chaudry Mohammed Yaqub, the police chief in southwestern Baluchistan Province, of which Quetta is the capital, said the raids were conducted on a tip that some terror suspects were hiding in the city.

However, Mullah Hakim Latifi, who claims he speaks for the Taliban, denied any former Taliban government officials or leaders had been arrested in Quetta.

Since Pakistan joined the U.S.-led fight against terrorism following the 11 September 11 2001 attacks on the United States, Pakistani police and intelligence agents have arrested more than 600 suspects. Many of them were later been handed over to U.S. officials.

(AP)