Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the captured leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, handed over to American officials - 2003-03-04

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the captured leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network who is said to be the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks on the United States, has been handed over to American officials and transferred out of Pakistan. The Pakistani Minister of Information stated that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was taken to a location in the region today. Other Pakistani officials say he has been transferred to one of the U.S. detention facilities in Afghanistan. The United States has refrained from commenting on this matter. Since Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's arrest near Islamabad on Saturday, American and Pakistani officials have been jointly interrogating him. These officials hope to obtain precise information about the credentials and future objectives of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and possibly the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. John Ashcroft, the U.S. Attorney General, stated that the arrest of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a senior and important member of Al-Qaeda, could destabilize this terrorist network globally. Mr. Ashcroft mentioned today in a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the second most wanted terrorist on the FBI list after Osama bin Laden. The Attorney General also announced the arrest of Mohammad Ali Hassan al-Muayed, who is accused of establishing a fundraising network for terrorists and personally giving twenty million dollars to Osama bin Laden.