Iran confirms Sunni leader's arrest

Iran says its security forces have captured the leader of a Sunni opposition group, whose insurgency in the southEast has destabilized the border region with Pakistan.

Iran's Interior Minister confirmed Abdul-malik Rigi had been arrested. State-run media has reported that Rigi was captured on a flight from Dubai to Kyr-gyz-stan.

Rigi's Jundallah group had no immediate comment on the news. Jundallah, which Iran suspects of having links to al-Qaeda, claims minority Sunni tribes in southeastern Iran are suffering discrimination at the hands of the Shiite leadership.

The group has claimed responsibility for bombing attacks that killed dozens in recent years, including five senior commanders of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in October.

This frame grab released February 23, 2010 from Iranian state TV shows Sunni Muslim rebel leader Abdolmalek Rigi under armed guard following his arrest.