American-born Qaeda leader held in Karachi

• Gadahn served as translator, consultant

KARACHI: Intelligence agents have arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born spokesman for al Qaeda, in an operation in Karachi, two officers and a government official said on Sunday.

The arrest of Gadahn is a major victory in the US-led battle against al Qaeda and will be taken as a sign that Pakistan is cooperating more fully with Washington. It follows the recent detentions of several Afghan Taliban commanders in Karachi.

Gadahn was arrested in recent days, two officers who took part in the operation said. A senior government official also confirmed the arrest. Gadahn, who is also known by various aliases, including Yahya Majadin Adams and Azzam al-Amriki, grew up on a goat farm in Riverside County, California, and converted to Islam at a mosque in nearby Orange County.

Served: Gadahn moved to Pakistan in 1998, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is said to have attended an al Qaeda training camp six years later, serving as a translator and consultant for the group. ap

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