Senior al Qaeda operative held in Pakistan

Islamabad: A senior Al Qaeda operative was arrested Tuesday in Pakistan`s port city of Karachi, reports claimed on Wednesday.

The arrested militant`s name is Abu Sohaib Al-Makki who is of Yemeni descent. He is also known as Muhammad Ali Qasim, according to Pakistan`s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Al-Makki worked under Al Qaeda leaders, and was active along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, ISI said.

Pakistani officials hailed the arrest of Al-Makki as a major breakthrough in the war on terror.

Al-Makki is the first high value terrorist arrested in Pakistan since the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden by the US special forces in the country`s Abbottabad town early this month.

PTI