Terrorist arrested for planning World Cup attack 'of Maldives origin': Malik

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has claimed that the terrorist arrested in Colombo, who was planning an attack on cricketers during the ICC World Cup 2011, is of Maldivian origin.

The seven-member terrorist group had also been busted on the information of the arrested terrorist, he added.

Malik, who was speaking to the media after attending the inauguration of a passport office at Gujar Khan in Rawalpindi, said that the government was cooperating with the Interpol to cripple the terrorist network in Pakistan.

However, he made it clear that this particular network was operating from Afghanistan and not from Pakistani territory.

"These terrorists had links with some militants of Northern Areas," The Nation quoted Malik, as saying.

He had confirmed on Thursday that the country's security forces had arrested an alleged terrorist who had made plans to launch an attack at the World Cup venue.alik, who did not identify the nationality or the affiliation of the alleged terrorist at that time, made the revelation at a joint briefing with Interpol chief Ronald Noble, saying that the International Police Organisation had helped in uncovering the plot.

New Delhi had been informed of the plot, said Malik as he also claimed that the Taliban had spread its tentacles to India and that he had warned the neighbouring country of this menace.

"Let's not forget that terrorists have got no boundary or religion. There are several indications that the Taliban have started their activities in India," Malik said addressing the joint news conference with Noble.