Abdolmalek Rigi - Capture and Arrest

Capture and Arrest

According to Iranian sources, on 23 February 2010, “Rigi was arrested in Persian Gulf waters while he was traveling on a plane via Dubai to Kyrgyzstan.” According to one Iranian official, “His plane was ordered to land, and then he was arrested after the plane was searched.” The New York Times later reported that the flight was from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan. At a later time, Bishkek airport confirmed that Kyrgyzstan Airways flight QH454 from Dubai had arrived several hours late after being intercepted by Iranian fighter jets over the Persian Gulf and told to land in Iranian territory, adding that “a number of foreign passengers were forcibly removed”.

An earlier report given by Al Jazeera claimed that " had been handed over by the Pakistan authorities". The Tehran-based news analysis site Iran Diplomacy also claimed that Rigi was arrested by, or with the help of, Pakistan. Iran Diplomacy claimed that he was arrested in a hospital "with the help of Pakistani intelligence officials, who took action after 'consulting' with the United States". Pakistan's ambassador to Tehran, Mohammad Abbasi, has also claimed that "the arrest could not happen without Pakistan's help" without giving any further details, but promising "more details" in the coming days.

Iran linked Jundullah to the Sunni Islamist Al-Qaeda network and accused Pakistan, Britain and the U.S. of backing the group to destabilize the country. Several western media outlets also reported that in 2007 the CIA provided funding and weapons to Jundullah,