US interrogates key al-Qaida suspect held in Pakistan

US OFFICIALS led the interrogation of a key al-Qaida suspect Ramzi Binalshibh yesterday, as Pakistan pondered likely extradition requests from the US or Germany.

Pakistani officials said that they were prepared to send the militants abroad for trial, but said that no decision had been reached on where they should go. Pakistani security forces, acting on a tip-off from US agents, arrested Binalshibh in the southern port city of Karachi on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks he is accused of helping to plan.

The arrest followed a three-hour gun battle involving hundreds of police that left two al-Qaida suspects dead and at least six policemen wounded.