Suspected murderer of Canadian reporter killed in encounter
Ameen Shah, the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping and murder of Qahaar, 55, who was known as Beverly Giesbrecht before she converted to Islam, was killed in a clash with police Bannu district.
KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sanaullah Abbasi said in a statement that Shah was killed in an exchange of fire after he refused to surrender in Bannu district, which borders the North Waziristan district.
The slain militant, he said, had kidnapped “the converted Muslim journalist [Qahaar] in 2008, and later killed her in 2010.”
Giesbrecht, the owner and publisher of a Canadian-based jihadunspun.com, was abducted along with her translator, and driver, in November 2008, when she was attempting to enter then restive North Waziristan tribal region, from Afghanistan.
Her translator and driver were released after eight months but her abductors demanded $2 million for Giesbrecht’s release.
Salman Khan, her translator, told local media after his release that Giesbrecht was suffering from hepatitis and was mentally prepared for death.
Conflicting reports about Giesbrecht fate has since surfaced, with one claiming she died of prolonged illness, presumably hepatitis, while another asserting she was killed by her captors.
