American claiming to be hunting bin Laden arrested

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American claiming to be hunting bin Laden arrested

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24 minutes ago

By Munir Ahmed,Riaz Khan, The Associated Press

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - An American armed with a pistol and a 40-inch

(102-centimetre) sword was detained in northern Pakistan and told investigators

he was on a solo mission to kill Osama bin Laden, a police officer said Tuesday.

The man, identified as 52-year-old Californian construction worker

Faulkner, said he wanted to cross over into the nearby Afghan province of

Nuristan because he had " heard bin Laden was living there " , according to officer

Mumtaz Ahmad Khan.

Khan also said the man has a small amount of hashish in his possession.

Faulkner was picked up in a forest in the Chitral region late on Sunday, he

said.

" We initially laughed when he told us that he wanted to kill Osama bin Laden, "

said Khan. But he said when officers seized the pistol, the sword, a dagger and

night-vision equipment, " our suspicion grew. "

He was questioned Tuesday by intelligence officials in Peshawar, the main

northwestern city.

Faulkner told police he visited Pakistan seven times, and this was his third

trip to Chitral, which is a mountainous region that attracts adventurous Western

tourists and hikers. Unlike much of northwestern Pakistan, it is considered

relatively safe for foreigners.

Chitral and Nuristan are among several rumoured hiding places for the al-Qaida

leader, who has evaded a massive U.S. effort to capture him since 2001. The

focus of that hunt has been along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Bin Laden is accused of being behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States,

as well other terrorist acts. Washington has offered a bounty of $25 million for

information leading to his capture.

Khan said Faulkner was also carrying a book containing Christian verses and

teachings.

When asked why he thought he had a chance of tracing bin Laden, Faulkner

replied, " God is with me, and I am confident I will be successful in killing

him, " said Khan.

Faulkner arrived in the Chitrali town of Bumburate on June 3 and stayed in a

hotel there.

He was assigned a police guard, as is quite common for foreigners visiting

remote parts of Pakistan. When he checked out without informing police, officers

began hunting for him, said Khan.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Snelsire said the mission had received

notification from Pakistani officials that an American citizen had been

arrested. He said embassy officials were trying to meet the man and confirm his

identity.

___

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Gul Hamad Farooqui in

Chitral contributed to this report.