Thursday, September 14 2006 11:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: The links between the local militants and the al-Qaeda elements in Pakistan have increased manifold since the 9/11 terror attacks, an official of the Inter Services Intelligence said while briefing a select group of foreign journalists in Islamabad on yesterday (Sept 13, 2006).



Giving information about Pakistan's performance since the 9/11 attacks, the official said a total of 709 al-Qaeda operatives and 104 Taliban leaders were arrested from various parts of Pakistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in October 2001.

Of these, he said, 44 are still being interrogated; 542 have been extradited to the US; and 123 released after preliminary investigations.



The official said that over 80,000 Pakistani security forces personnel are deployed on the Pak-Afghan tribal belt to hunt down the fugitive al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders wanted by the US.

He said Pakistani intelligence agencies had busted dozens of al-Qaeda networks, including Al-Qaeda Anthrax network, Al-Gharaib network, UK-based Pak-Anglo network, Abu Faraj network, Abu Tallah network, Said Akbar Agha network, Abu Hamza Rabia network, Hussain Bana network, London-based al-Qaeda network and the Taliban media support network headed by Mullah Abdul Latif Hakimi.

Pakistan, he said, has been cooperating with 55 countries on the anti-terrorism front.