Suspect held over Kabul abduction

Afghan women campaigned for Clementina Cantoni's release

The main suspect in the kidnapping of an Italian aid worker in Afghanistan in May has been arrested, say police.

Leading police official Gen Mahbob Amiri told the BBC Timur Shah was arrested with two other men in an area of Kabul at 2300 local time (1830 GMT).

Timur Shah is accused of heading the gang that dragged Clementina Cantoni, who was working on a woman's project, from her car in Kabul at gunpoint.

The 23-year-old was released by her kidnappers after 24 days.

Five people - including Timur Shah's uncle - were arrested a few days after her release, and charged in connection with the kidnapping.

Timur Shah had remained at large.

"At 2300 we arrested Timur Shah with the help of the secret service... and he was arrested along with two people in an area called 315 in Khair Khana," said Col Amiri, Commander of the Quick Reaction Force in Kabul.

Italy-Afghan row

Ms Cantoni had been in Afghanistan since September 2003 with Care International, and headed a programme that supported more than 10,000 widows and their children.

During her detention, widows helped by her project staged demonstrations in the capital calling for her release.

QUICK GUIDE

Afghanistan

Hundreds of schoolgirls in Kabul handed out nearly 3,000 stickers calling for her to be freed.

Upon her release, Ms Cantoni - who appeared in good health - flew back to her hometown of Milan.

She vowed to continue with her aid work, and said she would return to Afghanistan "perhaps in a year or two".

Italian newspapers said at the time that hundreds of thousands of dollars had been paid to the kidnappers, but the Afghan interior ministry denied any ransom had been handed over.

During her kidnapping, the Afghan authorities accused the Italians of trying to establish contact with the alleged kidnappers without informing them.