Pakistan catches top al-Qaeda leader

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that Libbi was captured with five other suspected foreign al-Qaeda militants in the past few days.

They were captured in a gun battle in Waziristan in North-West Frontier Province, security sources said.

Libbi is said to have become third in the al-Qaeda hierarchy after Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was caught in 2003.

Libbi is wanted in connection with two attempts on the life of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan had put a reward of 20m rupees ($340,000) on the head of Libbi in August last year.

"This is a very important day for us," Mr Ahmed said.

Two Pakistani security officials told the Associated Press the men were held after a gun battle in Mardan, 50km (30 miles) north of Peshawar, capital of North-West Frontier Province.