(11 Aug 2006)
Islamabad
1. Wide shot of foreign ministry
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tasnim Aslam, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman:
"Of course Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the US have cooperated very closely, and in this particular case the arrests took place following very close cooperation between the three countries. In fact Pakistan played a very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network. There were some arrests in Pakistan as well which were coordinated with the arrests in the United Kingdom."
(Question. "Would you like to share with us the recent arrests in Pakistan, the connection, from where they have been arrested, and if you want to disclose the names if possible?")
"Well, the investigations are still continuing and the cooperation between the intelligence agencies of the three countries is still ongoing. In the interests of the three countries at the moment it will not be possible to give details."
3. Aslam on the phone
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tasnim Aslam, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman:
"No, they are not Pakistani citizens. They are British nationals, they were born there, they were raised there. If Britain can own (celebrate the success of) Sajit Mahmood (well known British cricket player of Pakistani origin) and Amir Khan (famous British boxer of Pakistani origin) we should own (take responsibility for) these people as well."
Karachi
5. Wide shot of airport
6. Armed police at airport terminal entrance
7. Various of passengers in terminal
8. Armed police
9. Police officer checking westerner's passport
STORYLINE:
Pakistani intelligence agents arrested at least seven people, including two British nationals of Pakistani origin, who provided information on an alleged terror plot aimed at blowing up US-bound passenger jets from Britain, a senior government official said on Friday.
The arrests were made in the eastern city of Lahore and in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, the official said.
Two were Britons arrested a week ago and had provided information about the alleged plot during interrogation, he said.
The five Pakistanis were arrested on suspicion that they served as their local "facilitators," the official said.
He did not know whether they had links with any local or foreign militant organisation. It also wasn't clear when they'd been detained.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told Associated Press Television News on Friday that some arrests were made in Pakistan but refused to give details.
"The investigations are still continuing and the cooperation between the intelligence agencies of the three countries is still ongoing," Aslam said.
Pakistan's government said on Thursday it had played "a very important role" in uncovering the plot - allegedly to bring down as many as 10 jetliners in a nearly simultaneous strike that US officials say was suggestive of an al-Qaida operation.
Pakistani intelligence officials also confirmed the arrest four or five days ago of a suspect in Faisalabad, a city about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Lahore.
They did not provide further details about the suspect's nationality or possible connection with the alleged plot. They said they expected more arrests would follow.
That arrest appeared to be different to the seven made in connection with the alleged plot.
British authorities arrested 24 people on Thursday based partly on intelligence from Pakistan.
The suspects were believed to be mainly British Muslims, at least some of Pakistani ancestry.
Pakistan, a key ally of Britain and the US is regarded by some as a centre of Islamic militancy.

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