Pak forces find guns, wigs stashed at fake madrasa, arrest 10

The raid on a deserted compound which was designed to look like one of Pakistan's thousands of religious schools happened late Sunday near Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan region, it said.

"The compound was being used as terrorist den and security forces carried out a search following a tip-off by locals that suspected militants visited the compound," the military said in a statement.

During the search the troops recovered grenades, fuses, guns, binoculars, daggers and commando uniforms, as well as female costumes and wigs, it said.

"The madrasa had been established in an unpopulated location and is an attempt on part of terrorists to use the cover of religious places for sabotage activities," the military said.

In a "related development", security forces arrested seven suspected terrorists from Mera Din town in Shawal Valley in the tribal belt while three others were held from various places in the area near the Afghan border.

The detainees were all aged between 18 and 25 but their identities could not be established immediately, the military said. They were handed over to security agencies for interrogation, the statement added.

Pakistan's controversial madrasas have come under international scrutiny after it emerged that at least one of the suicide bombers involved in the July 7 attacks on London's transit network may have visited some.

It said the raids took place in the past 24 hours.

The identity of those arrested could not immediately be established, the statement said, adding that they had been handed over to intelligence agencies for interrogation.