Captured American passed on to Taliban?

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Concern grows for American kidnapped in Pakistan

Al-Qaida says it captured development expert, 70; sources say he may have been passed to ruthless Taliban group

msnbc.com staff and news service reports

updated 12/2/2011

ISLAMABAD — Concern was growing Friday for the safety of American development expert Warren Weinstein, who was kidnapped from home in Pakistan in August.

Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri said in an audio recording issued on Islamist websites late Thursday that his organization had captured "this man who has had an active part in American aid to Pakistan since the seventies."

However, sources told NBC News on Friday that there were strong indications that Weinstein, 70, had been passed to a dreaded faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

They said he was presently in the custody of militants led by Commander Tariq Afridi, operating in the gun-manufacturing, semi-autonomous tribal region of Darra Adamkhel....

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