Islamabad: In a significant development following the arrest of the top al- Qaida operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Pakistan authorities detained an Army Major for his alleged links with Osama bin Laden's terror network.

Intelligence officials have detained Major Adil Qudoos, who was believed to be the uncle of Ahmad Qudoos, the local accomplice, arrested three days ago along with the Kuwait-born Mohammed in Rawalpindi, media reports from Kohat, a Pakistani town in the border North West Frontier Province, said on March 4.

Qudoos was detained at his Cantonment residence in Kohat during the intervening night of March 1 and 2, local daily 'Dawn' quoted officials as saying.

"Only Pakistani agencies were involved in the operation and the Major has been detained to confirm whether he has links with his nephew or Khalid Shaikh Mohammed," the officials said.

Mohammad was arrested in Rawalpindi from the residence of a local leader of Jamat-e- Islami party. He was reportedly sheltered by the leader's son Abdul Qudoos who was closely linked to al-Qaida in the past.

Soon after their arrest, a group of senior Pakistani military officials went to the house of Major Qudoos, who belonged to the 45 Signals regiment, and carried out a thorough search of his house. His wife and a daughter were secluded during the search, the officials said.

PTI