American detained during raid identified as Al Qaida member

Islamabad:  An American member of Al Qaida was picked up in a raid in the southern city of Karachi, officials said on Monday, but reversed earlier assertions that the detained man was the terror network's US-born spokesman.

They identified the suspect as Abu Yahya Majadin Adam, but gave no details on his background or role within Al Qaida.

A name very close to that is listed on the FBI's website as an alias for Adam Gadahn, the 31-year-old spokesman who has appeared in several videos threatening the West since 2001.

The resemblance created confusion among officials on Sunday, leading them to believe that the suspect was Gadahn, an army officer and a senior intelligence officer said.

"The resemblance of the name initially caused confusion but now they have concluded he is not Gadahn," said an intelligence officer, who like all Pakistani intelligence agents does not allow his name to be used. "He feels proud to be a member of Al Qaida."

US Embassy spokesman Rick Snelsire said the embassy had not been informed of any American being arrested.

A senior US military intelligence official said yesterday the man arrested does not appear to be Gadahn.

On Sunday, two intelligence officers and a senior government official identified the detained man as Gadahn and said he was arrested in recent days.