DARA ADAMKHEL, Jan 29: A tribal Malik, Khan Muhammad Deen, was taken into custody by an intelligence agency in connection with last month's suicide attack on President Pervez Musharraf, his family claimed.

Some relatives of the malik, belonging to Akhurwal tribe, said that on Tuesday he had disappeared in a mysterious manner on Tuesday. They said he had gone to attend the annual function of distribution of allowances among the maliks at the district council hall, Kohat. The meeting was presided over by the Kohat DCO.

They said they believed that the malik was whisked away by officials of an intelligence agency after the ceremony. The relatives said that when he did not return home they contacted the tribal administration of Kohat Frontier Region. They were informed that he would be interrogated in connection with the recovery of a huge quantity of arms and ammunition from Rawalpindi and the suicide attack on the president.

The family members have not been informed of the Malik's whereabouts. A few years ago, during an operation some hand-grenadeswere recovered from his residence and he was linked with the Kashmiri fighters. However, after remaining in custody for a few months he was set free.