Mark T. al-Rahman

Thursday, September 1st, 2011 at 8:53 am

The case of Mark Taylor, or Mark T. al-Rahman, is an interesting one.

You have to trust the PM and the SIS presumably, when they say Mr Taylor is no threat.

However the official explanation he gave of trying to attend a wedding, for his attempt to enter an al-Qaeda military camp in Pakistan has always been highly dubious.

But it is innocent until proven guilty and as Mr Taylor says, he has not been charged with any offence. But having said that, I’d be a bit nervous if he moved in next door to me!

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Posted in New Zealand | 37 Comments »

NZer arrested at Al Qaeda stronghold

Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 8:07 am

NZPA report:

Pakistani security forces have detained a 35-year-old New Zealander who was trying to enter an al Qaeda and Taleban militant stronghold on the Afghan border.

Pakistani intelligence officials who declined to be identified have said they suspected he might have links with Islamist militants.

The man, identified on his passport as Mark Taylor, was detained at a paramilitary checkpost on the outskirts of Tank town, about 280km southwest of Islamabad, which is the gateway to South Waziristan.

The top government administrator in Tank, Barkatullah Khan, told Reuters, the man had told the soldiers who detained him that he was going to South Waziristan to get married.

“He was travelling in a passenger van. He has a beard and was wearing a shalwar kamiz as a disguise,” Khan said, referring to a traditional baggy trousers and tunic outfit worn by men.

This may be totally innocent, but South Waziristan isn’t exactly a popular tourist destination.

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Posted in New Zealand | 26 Comments »