PESHAWAR, June 2: A local court released two Arab nationals from the Peshawar central prison on Saturday. Abdul Kareem of Jordan and Syed Abdullah Hashmi of Saudi Arabia were arrested four years ago on suspicion of having links with Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

The court handed over the two to World Prisoners Relief Commission (WPRC) chairman Jawed Ibraheem Paracha with the directive that the commission would take care of the two men till their deportation to their countries.

A day earlier, the NWFP home department had issued a no-objection certificate, allowing the handing over of the two foreigners to the commission.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club after their release, the Arab nationals said that they were close associates of the late Sheikh Abdullah Azaem, a known Arab militant who fought against the USSR.

Abdul Kareem said that they had participated in jihad against the USSR, adding that they would do it again if a need arose.

Denying the existence of Al Qaeda, they said that the acts of terrorism were being carried out by the Americans and their allies. “There is no room for terrorism in Islam and killing innocent people is un-Islamic.”

WPRC chairman said that during the Afghan war against the USSR, these people were close to Osama, but now they were unaware of his activities.

He said that Abdul Kareem was arrested from Jawed Town in Peshawar, while Syed Abdullah was arrested from the Shakas area in Khyber Agency.

He said they were kept in illegal detention by different agencies.

Mr Paracha alleged that the officials of different agencies tortured them and kept on trying to extract the statement that they had link with Al Qaida.

He said that later they were shifted to the Adiala prison.

Mr Paracha said that in November 2006 a petition was filed before the Supreme Court against their illegal detention. The court ordered the Punjab government to produce them before the provincial review board.

He said that a month ago they were brought to the Peshawar central prison on the order of the Rawalpindi district and sessions judge following which an application was filed before the additional district and sessions judge, Peshawar for their release.