KABUL (PAN): An Afghan citizen with alleged links to the al-Qaeda network has been detained in Pakistan's troubled southwestern province of Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan, a local TV channel reported on Wednesday.

Burhanuddin, travelling to Jeddah to perform Hajj, was arrested from Quetta Airport, police told DawnNews. The Afghan national also had in his possession a Pakistani passport. "Airport authorities knew he was an al-Qaeda suspect as soon as they checked his passport," the channel said.

A day earlier, police arrested three suicide bombers in a raid on Samunguli Road in the provincial capital. The law-enforcers recovered a large cache of ammunition and explosives from the detainees. 

Superintendent Police Dr Farrukh said the accused -- trained for suicide attacks and other terrorist acts -- were arrested from a house in Arbab Town. Police seized a large quantity of ammunition, chemicals, detonators, batteries, commando uniforms, switches and a walkie-talkie set.

Also on Tuesday, two people were killed and a senior police officer was wounded in a bombing in Quetta. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nizam Durrani was injured by the bomb planted in a motorcycle on Spini Road.

PAN Monitor/mud