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| Malala Yousafzai: Militants arrested over school bus gun attack on teenage activist in Pakistan | |
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| Pakistan's military says is has detained ten militants suspected of being involved in the near fatal on attack schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai. | Pakistan's military says is has detained ten militants suspected of being involved in the near fatal on attack schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai. |
| The army said the ten men, arrested in a joint operation with the police, military and intelligence agencies, had been found in possession of a list of 22 people they were also planning to attack. | The army said the ten men, arrested in a joint operation with the police, military and intelligence agencies, had been found in possession of a list of 22 people they were also planning to attack. |
| “The group involved in the attack on Malala Yousafzai has been arrested,” army spokesman Gen Asim Bajwa told reporters on Friday. He did not say when the men had been arrested but claimed they would be brought before the courts soon. | “The group involved in the attack on Malala Yousafzai has been arrested,” army spokesman Gen Asim Bajwa told reporters on Friday. He did not say when the men had been arrested but claimed they would be brought before the courts soon. |
| Malala, who is now aged 17, was attacked in October 2012 while she and class mates were making their way to school in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. A gunmen fired three shots at her from close range, one of them entering her head and passing into her shoulder. Two of her friends were injured. | Malala, who is now aged 17, was attacked in October 2012 while she and class mates were making their way to school in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. A gunmen fired three shots at her from close range, one of them entering her head and passing into her shoulder. Two of her friends were injured. |
| After emergency treatment by military surgeons in Pakistan, the schoolgirl was flown to the UK for further medical care and rehabilitative help. Her efforts as a campaigner for the rights of girls and young women to have access to full education, barely paused. | After emergency treatment by military surgeons in Pakistan, the schoolgirl was flown to the UK for further medical care and rehabilitative help. Her efforts as a campaigner for the rights of girls and young women to have access to full education, barely paused. |
| It is understood the attack on Malala, who first came to prominence in 2009 when she wrote an anonymous blog for the BBC while the Swat valley was still under the control of the Taliban, was ordered by Maulana Fazlullah. Fazlullah headed the Taliban operation in the Swat valley, where Malala’s father ran a school, and later became a leader of the main faction of the Pakistan Taliban. | It is understood the attack on Malala, who first came to prominence in 2009 when she wrote an anonymous blog for the BBC while the Swat valley was still under the control of the Taliban, was ordered by Maulana Fazlullah. Fazlullah headed the Taliban operation in the Swat valley, where Malala’s father ran a school, and later became a leader of the main faction of the Pakistan Taliban. |
| The attack on the schoolgirl drew condemnation both in Pakistan and around the world. The Taliban said it had attacked the teenager because she was what it termed an agent of Western influence. | The attack on the schoolgirl drew condemnation both in Pakistan and around the world. The Taliban said it had attacked the teenager because she was what it termed an agent of Western influence. |
| Nobody has been arrested until now. | Nobody has been arrested until now. |
| Amid a growing outcry, the Taliban later sought to use Islamic law to justify the shooting. “It is not just allowed but is obligatory in Islam to kill a person involved in leading a campaign against Shariah,” the Taliban said in a statement issued at the time. | Amid a growing outcry, the Taliban later sought to use Islamic law to justify the shooting. “It is not just allowed but is obligatory in Islam to kill a person involved in leading a campaign against Shariah,” the Taliban said in a statement issued at the time. |
| The military claimed the ten men they had arrested were members of the Taliban and were based in Malakand, which is located close to Mingora, the main town in Swat. The leader of the group, Zafar Iqbal, is said to run a furniture shop. | The military claimed the ten men they had arrested were members of the Taliban and were based in Malakand, which is located close to Mingora, the main town in Swat. The leader of the group, Zafar Iqbal, is said to run a furniture shop. |
| The spokesman said the group was found with a list of 22 names of activists in the Swat valley the militants were planning to target. The group’s members were still being interrogated and it was expected they would be brought before an anti-terrorism court. | The spokesman said the group was found with a list of 22 names of activists in the Swat valley the militants were planning to target. The group’s members were still being interrogated and it was expected they would be brought before an anti-terrorism court. |
| “The group acted upon the instructions of Mullah Fazlullah who, while based in Kunar, Afghanistan, passed instructions through his two associates,” Gen Bajwa told the press briefing in Rawalpindi, according to the Associated Press. | “The group acted upon the instructions of Mullah Fazlullah who, while based in Kunar, Afghanistan, passed instructions through his two associates,” Gen Bajwa told the press briefing in Rawalpindi, according to the Associated Press. |
| He said it was a “known fact” that Fazlullah, who once worked as a ski-lift operator at a time when the Swat valley was an important tourist destination, was hiding in Afghanistan. “We will continue our efforts until he is arrested or killed,” he added. | He said it was a “known fact” that Fazlullah, who once worked as a ski-lift operator at a time when the Swat valley was an important tourist destination, was hiding in Afghanistan. “We will continue our efforts until he is arrested or killed,” he added. |
| Last year year, Malala, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Peace, published an autobiography, I am Malala, co-authored by journalist Christina Lamb. She is currently unable to return to Pakistan because of Taliban death threats against her and her family. | Last year year, Malala, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Peace, published an autobiography, I am Malala, co-authored by journalist Christina Lamb. She is currently unable to return to Pakistan because of Taliban death threats against her and her family. |
| Talat Masood, a retired general who now works an based in Islamabad, said the arrest of the militants was important. “It is a significant development because it took them so long find these people,” he said. “It shows the military can carry out these operations and that it is getting intelligence on these issues.” | Talat Masood, a retired general who now works an based in Islamabad, said the arrest of the militants was important. “It is a significant development because it took them so long find these people,” he said. “It shows the military can carry out these operations and that it is getting intelligence on these issues.” |
| Malala was initially treated in Pakistan, but was later airlifted to Birmingham to receive treatment, where she now lives with her family. | Malala was initially treated in Pakistan, but was later airlifted to Birmingham to receive treatment, where she now lives with her family. |
| Malala has won the European Union’s human rights award, was named one of Time magazine’s most influential person in 2013, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year. | Malala has won the European Union’s human rights award, was named one of Time magazine’s most influential person in 2013, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year. |