Iran 'arrests leader of Sunni militants Jundullah'
BBC / BBC
23-Feb-2010

Iranian authorities have arrested the leader of the Sunni Muslim
militant group Jundullah, according to reports on state television.

The Arabic language channel al-Alam said Abdolmalek Rigi had been
held in eastern Iran, but gave no more details.

He is said to be behind a series of deadly bombings and killings in
Sistan-Baluchistan province.

Last October 42 people, including six Revolutionary Guard
commanders, were killed in a suicide bombing in Zahedan.

The Fars news agency, quoting the Iranian intelligence ministry,
said the arrest took place of the "Jundullah leader along with two of
his group members".

The official IRNA news agency later said he had been travelling in a
plane to an Arab country via Pakistan before his arrest.

"His plane was ordered to land and then he was arrested after the
plane was searched," Iranian lawmaker Mohammed Dehgan was quoted by news
agency AFP as saying.

Press TV, the Iranian state-run English language service, said Mr
Rigi had been in a US military base 24 hours before his capture.

It alleged the US had issued Mr Rigi with an Afghan passport.

It also said he had recently travelled to "European countries".

None of these claims could be independently verified.

Jundullah was founded in 2002 to defend the Baluchi minority in the
poor, remote and lawless region of south-ea... >>>

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