AL QAEDA TRAINING OFFICERS SOUGHT

Security forces looking for 4 Arabs * Men trained 22 Qaeda operatives who have left for Europe By Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE: Security forces have accelerated efforts to catch four Arabs believed to have trained 22 Al Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan. The activities of the four Arabs surfaced after the arrest of Younis and Ibrahim, alleged militants of a banned group, from Bahawalpur three days ago. Security officials arrested both men after Osama Bin Yousaf, who was arrested from Faisalabad on August 7, was interrogated.

Several maps of European countries were seized from Osama Bin Yousaf while digital maps of the same countries were seized from Younis and Ibrahim. Sources told Daily times on Tuesday that both militants had told their interrogators that four Arabs met them in Rahim Yar Khan and Multan and assigned them to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

The militants said the same Arabs were also in contact with Osama Bin Yousaf and met him a couple of days before his arrest, sources added. Sources quoted both men as saying, "Twenty-two of our men have left Pakistan and most of them are probably in Europe." Sources said, "We believe the Arabs might be hiding in Sindh or Balochistan, but we are searching the whole country."

News about the seizure of maps from Osama Bin Yousaf had triggered panic in Germany and Italy and Germany had asked Pakistan about the details of Osama Bin Yousaf's interrogation.

However, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Crisis Management Cell Chairman Brig (r) Javed Cheema denied the seizure.