Sahil Saeed kidnapping suspects held in Pakistan

Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010

Two men have been arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of kidnapping five-year-old British boy Sahil Saeed.

Pakistan police say they arrested the men in Jhelum, the same city where the boy, who is from Oldham in Greater Manchester, was kidnapped on 4 March.

They said they recovered belongings stolen from the Saeed family home along with weapons and explosives.

Police said the arrested men were wanted in connection with the murders of up to 22 people.

Regional police chief Aslam Tareen said the kidnapping was opportunistic.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad said the two suspects were paraded in front of the media during a press conference held by the police.

He said they had black hoods over their heads but a local journalist was able to thrust a microphone beneath one of them.

One of the men said "they had looked after Sahil as they would do any other child in their family as they held him".

The police chief said the gang believed to have carried out the kidnapping had been looking for houses to burgle when they found the gate of Sahil's grandmother's house open.

Sahil's father Raja had previously said the family had opened the door as they were preparing to load a car.

Ransom

Mr Tareem said the idea for the kidnapping took place "there and then" and that they decided to take the boy "all of a sudden".

Our correspondent said the two suspects arrested were believed to have been involved in previous kidnappings.

The police said there was "some resistance during the arrests of the two" and that among the items that were recovered was a rocket launcher, grenades, guns and explosives.

Sahil, who had been on holiday in Pakistan, was released unharmed on 16 March after his family paid a £110,000 ransom to the kidnappers.

Three other people have already appeared in court in Spain charged over the kidnapping. Two others were arrested in Paris.

The case has involved investigators in Pakistan, the UK, Spain and France as well as international police organisation Interpol.

Our correspondent said that police were still looking for other members of the gang believed to be involved in the kidnapping in the Punjab region.

The police chief called Sahil's father during the press conference who said he was happy and thankful.

Sahil's great uncle Matlub Ahmed told the BBC the family in Oldham were aware of the arrests and were "very happy