Pakistan security agencies have arrested seven persons, including two British nationals of Pakistani origin, who provided information on the terror plot to carry out near simultaneous bombings of US-bound airliners from Britain.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan security agencies have arrested seven persons, including two British nationals of Pakistani origin, who provided information on the terror plot to carry out near simultaneous bombings of US-bound airliners from Britain.
The seven persons were arrested from Karachi and Lahore a few days ago, Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity.
"Two arrests were made last week in a coordinated operation with British and American intelligence agencies.
Both were British nationals of Pakistani descent. One was arrested from Karachi while the other was picked up from Lahore," security sources said.
The inputs provided by the arrested helped avert the plot of the terrorists to blow up several US-bound planes with a "concocted mix" of explosive stashed in bottles, the sources said.
The official, however, declined to reveal details whether the arrested British nationals have been handed over
to Britain for interrogation. Apparently a team of British intelligence officials visited Karachi a few days ago in connection with the investigations into the plot.
Without disclosing the number of people arrested, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said its intelligence agencies have played a very important role in "uncovering and breaking" the international terrorist network.
The spokesperson said in a statement here that the arrests in Britain followed active intelligence cooperation between Pakistan, United Kingdom and the United States.
Aslam said "Pakistan is an important partner in the coalition against terrorism and we are in the forefront of international efforts to combat this bane of our times".
Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has declared high alert on all its international flights. "No passengers will be allowed to board any international flight on a hand carry. Only transparent hand luggage will be allowed inside the plane," a PIA spokesman said.
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