The Telegraph has confirmed The Long War Journal‘s report from Sept. 21 which stated that Amin al Haq, the former head of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguard, has been released from Pakistani custody. From yesterday’s report in The Telegraph:
A senior security source in the north-western Pakistani town of Peshawar, where he had been held, said the Inter-Services Intelligence agency had passed al-Haq on to the police before he was released earlier this month.
“Amin al Haq had been arrested mistakenly, therefore, the police failed to prove any charge of his association with Osama bin Laden and the court set him free,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
Pakistan has a poor track record of convicting terrorists, blamed in part on an ill-equipped police force and an overstretched judicial service.
However, critics accuse elements of the security services of turning a blind eye to extremist groups.
Keep in mind that al Haq is on the US’ list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists and is a known member of al Qaeda. For more on al Haq, see LWJ report, Pakistan frees al Qaeda commander.
