Iran holding al-Qaida top brass

IRAN is holding top members of the al-Qaida terror network, the intelligence minister said yesterday, days after US President Goerge W Bush accused the country of harbouring terrorists.

Tehran has said in recent months that it has al-Qaida figures in its prisons, but yesterday's comments were the first word that some of them held high positions in Osama bin Laden 's group. "A large number of small- and big-time elements of al-Qaida are in our custody," Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi told reporters. He did not name any of the detainees.

Mr Yunesi declined to comment on media reports that Iran is holding al-Qaida's Number 2, Ayman al-Zawahri, the group's spokesman Suleiman Abu Ghaith or its security chief Saif al-Adil.