ISLAMABAD, April 12: The government has released a British national of Pakistani origin who had been arrested on Oct 31, 2003 on suspicion of Al Qaeda links. Tariq Mehmood, British national, was residing with his uncle, since July 2001 in Deena, Jhelum, when he was picked up by law enforcement agencies in October.

When his uncle filed a habeas corpus petition, deputy attorney-general Tariq Mehmood had informed the court that the detenu had been arrested under Section 6 of the Securities of Pakistan Act 1952, for his links with Al Qaida.

After detaining him for six months, he was handed over to the Adiala jail authorities and the case under the Security of Pakistan Act was withdrawn, and a case under the Foreign Act was filed against him.

His lawyer, Abdur Rehman Siddiqui, who perused the whole case, told this correspondent that Tariq Mehmood was taken to Bagram Airport, and when nothing incriminating was found against him, he was handed over to jail authorities, and a frivolous case was registered against in which he has been granted bail.