MIRAMSHAH, Oct 3 Three suspected killers of Usman Punjabi were shot dead and their bodies were found near Miramshah in North Waziristan on Sunday.

A little known group identifying itself as “Hakimullah Karwan” claimed responsibility for the killing of three men.

A note found near the bodies said “These three people have killed Usman Punjabi along with five Mujahideen and they have been punished for their crime.”

Usman Punjabi, who set up the “Asian Tiger” militant outfit in North Waziristan, had reportedly kidnapped two former intelligence officials and a British journalist of Pakistani origin.

One of the captives, Khalid Khwaja, was killed and journalist Asad Qureshi was released. The fate of the third captive, Col (retd) Imam, is not known.

The sources said that the bullet-riddled bodies were found on the Boya-Miramshah road on Sunday morning. Two of them were identified as Sabir and Khalil and they all belonged to Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan.

Usman Punjabi and his five associates were killed in a clash with local militants in Dandy Darpakhel area near Miramshah on Aug 28.