Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda man wanted for kidnapping US national

Pakistani authorities have arrested an al-Qaeda operative who was among the suspects behind the kidnapping of an American national, local media reported Thursday. Saifullah, identified as a close aide of al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, was arrested in Pakpatan, a main town 184 kilometers from Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province, the Geo television reported. He was wanted to security agencies for his involvement in the kidnapping of U.S. national Warren Weinstein, who had been working with an American private firm in Lahore and was kidnapped from his residence in August 2011. Warren Weinstein later appeared in an al-Qaeda video. In another video, Ayman Al Zawahiri announced that unless al-Qaeda demands were met, the group would not release him. The security agencies consider the arrest of the al-Qaeda operative as a key to get information about the American hostage and the group's activities network in the country. Official sources said the suspect was arrested in a raid on a tip-off from intelligence officials. Saifullah has been shifted to an undisclosed location for questioning, they said. There has been no official word on the reports.