ISLAMABAD, May 25: Security agencies arrested more than 1,000 Al Qaeda suspects between January 2002 and May 2006, according to a study conducted by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS).

Of the arrested men, 70 belonged to Algeria, 86 from Saudi Arabia, 20 from Morocco, 22 from the United Arab Emirates, 11 from Libya , seven from Kuwait, 20 from Egypt, 28 from Indonesia, 18 from Malaysia and 36 others from West Asian countries. Eighteen of those arrested belonged to western countries: Five from the United States, two from Australia and 11 from the United Kingdom. They also included an unknown number of French and German citizens.

The study is based upon media reports and does not include arrests of Afghans and Pakistanis involved in clashes with Pakistani security forces in tribal areas.

The study included only important Pakistani and Afghan members of Al Qaida from these areas.

Moreover, the security forces also killed more than 1,000 Al Qaeda members in operations in Pakistan, the PIPS report said.

However, the report said, Pakistan government had announced the arrests of only 660 Al Qaeda operatives. — Online