Ex-Chechen `President' held, released

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 2. The so-called ``former Chechen President'' and mujahideen leader, Mr. Saleem Khan Yenderbayov, was arrested by Pakistani intelligence operatives on Monday in an Islamabad restaurant, only to be released later, the Urdu daily Ausaf has reported.

Mr. Saleem Khan, now adviser to the current Chechen ``President,'' had arrived in Pakistan along with three other ``mujahideen leaders'' after striking a deal with the Taliban to open a ``Chechen Embassy'' in Kabul, the newspaper reported.

``He stayed for two days in Karachi and held meetings with various ulema and mujahideen leaders before arriving in Islamabad. In the federal capital, he was holding meetings with Pakistani ulema and mujahideen leaders when Pakistani intelligence operatives arrested him...'' the paper reported. He told Ausaf, which regularly carries reports of ``jehadi activity,'' that Pakistan should apologise for the manner in which its intelligence agents had treated him, and further ``denounced'' the behaviour of Pakistani agencies.

Mr. Khan has reportedly cut short his visit and is ``going back.''

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Section  : International
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