Islamabad: In a major catch after top al-Qaida leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Pakistan authorities have arrested another key operative of the terror network Yasser al-Jazeeri along with five accomplices in Lahore, official sources said.

Confirming his arrest, Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said a Moroccan national and Pakistani had been arrested from Gulberg area on March 15 evening.

Officials said a team of intelligence officials raided a rented house in Bhagatpura in Lahore and arrested Jazeeri, a Moroccan national.

"Yasser al-Jazeeri is seventh in the top al-Qaida leadership," Rashid said, adding that a Pakistani was also arrested and the raid was conducted only by local agencies.

"It is another big catch, but not as big as Khalid Sheikh Mohammad," Rashid told a local television channel.

He further said that no Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) personnel were involved in the raid, as was reported earlier.

Al-Jazeeri was shifted to an unknown place for interrogation and is expected to be handed over to United States (US) shortly.

The sources said the name of the Pakistani arrested along with al-Jazeeri was Gulzeb alias Jaffar.

Al-Jazeeri might have been arrested on a tip-off given by Khalid, the alleged mastermind of September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US, who was arrested some weeks ago from Rawalpindi, reports said.

Eyewitness accounts published in the local media said three bearded men, apparently Afghan nationals, were arrested, adding that they were blindfolded and taken away in a Toyota wagon (LHG-340) to unknown destination.

Residents of the area said the personnel of the intelligence agencies had been already deputed in the area and it appeared that they had some forehand information regarding the movements of the three arrested.

They further said the officials had come to area on a wagon, a car and two motorcycles.

"The wagon and car followed the motorcyclist and they completed their action within a few minutes," eyewitnesses said.

Pakistan's Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani said al-Jazeeri was less important than Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, but he was quite an important person in the terror network.

His arrest was the biggest catch since Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, officials and intelligence source said.

PTI