The US today landed its "big catch" - the self confessed al-Qaeda member who boasted he helped plan the September 11th terror attacks.
Pakistan handed Mr Ramzi Binalshibh and four other al-Qaeda suspects over to US special agents in Karachi and they were immediately flown out of the country to an unnamed destination.
Pakistan newspaper Ausafsaid Mr Binalshibh was whisked from a secret detention centre near Karachi airport to a US warship anchored off the coast. Another report said they had been taken to a third country - possibly a military base in Germany.
"We have control of him. We're talking to him," said a US official. But it is believed Mr Binalshibh is not saying much in reply to questions.
He now faces months of questioning by US investigators who believe that while he is not a member of al-Qaeda's top echelon he has had many contacts with the leadership since September 11th and can lead them to where al-Qaeda leaders are hiding.
The 30-year-old Yemeni, who had intended to be one of the September 11th hijackers but could not get a US visa, was arrested last week after a gun battle with Pakistan forces in Karachi.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell described Binalshibh as "a pretty big catch."
The US launched the operation to capture Binalshibh after intercepting a journalist's phone calls, the Saudi newspaper Al Yaumreported today, citing Arab diplomatic sources in London. The newspaper said investigators bugged satellite TV reporter Yosri Fodah's telephone who had interviewed Mr Binalshibh for the Qatar based network al-Jazeera.
Al Yaumsaid the Egyptian reporter in Qatar was put under pressure from a high-ranking figure who threatened to fire him if he did not hand over information which would help capture members of the Hamburg terrorist cell.
Earlier today, another Pakistan official said police were investigating whether suspects arrested with Mr Binalshibh were involved in the murder of Wall Street Journalreporter Daniel Pearl.
If a link were established, it would be the first evidence that al-Qaeda may have been involved in Pearl's abduction and killing. A British Muslim has been sentenced to death for Pearl's murder.
AP/PA