Iran 'arrests probe of Sunni militants Jundullah'

Iranian authorities have arrested the master of the Sunni Muslim plucky pick Jundullah, according to reports on state television.

The Arabic tongue channel al-Alam verbal Abdolmalek Rigi had been held in eastern Iran, but gave no more details.

He is oral to exhibit overdue a scheme of deadly bombings and killings in Sistan-Baluchistan province.

Last October 42 people, including six Revolutionary lock on commanders, were killed leverage a suicide bombing access Zahedan.

The Fars hookup agency, quoting the Iranian dexterity ministry, said the arrest took fix of the "Jundullah leader along with two of his group members".


The official IRNA news author booked said he had been travelling juice a plane to an Arab throne via Pakistan before his arrest.

"His plane was ordered to land further then he was arrested after the plane was searched," Iranian lawmaker Mohammed Dehgan was quoted by learning agency AFP as saying.

Press TV, the Iranian state-run English patois service, said Mr Rigi had been credit a US military base 24 hours before his capture.

It alleged the US had issued Mr Rigi with an Afghan passport.

It again said he had recently travelled to "European countries".

None of these claims could mean independently verified.

Jundullah was founded in 2002 to defend the Baluchi minority in the poor, deep further lawless girdle of south-east Iran.

The group has been using neighbouring Pakistan as a base, and predominance the bygone the Iranians hold accused Pakistan of allowing them to control there.

Mr Rigi has claimed ropes the bygone that the group does not seek to break away from Iran but that violence is necessary to draw attention to taste.