Middle East
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Ex-Taliban ambassador to Pakistan detained
01/03/2002Associated Press
 Abdul Salam Zaeef AP/Peter Dejong |
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Taliban's former ambassador to Pakistan was detained by Pakistani security officials on Thursday, his nephew said.
Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef's residence was raided Thursday afternoon, nephew Hamid Ullah told The Associated Press by telephone.
``Since then we have not heard any thing about him,'' Ullah said.
Attempts to contact Pakistani authorities for comment were not successful.
Zaeef, the most familiar face of the Taliban regime as he fought a media war for the orthodox militia in Islamabad, had applied for asylum in Pakistan.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan said Pakistan was considering the application.
Earlier Thursday, the private Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted Zaeef as saying the performed his duty in Islamabad as a diplomat and was not engaged in any criminal activity.
``Still, if there is any suspicion, I am ready to face any open court,'' AIP quoted him as saying.