US Army General David Petraeus, commander of Nato and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan (R) attends a joint press conference held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the Presidential palace in Kabul on May 24, 2011. - AFP Photo

KABUL: Nato said Tuesday that a Moroccan alleged al Qaeda operative based in Germany had been captured in Afghanistan.

The man, whose name has not been disclosed, is described as a “foreign fighter facilitator” and Nato said he was caught during a security operation in Zabul province, southern Afghanistan, on May 8.

“After his capture the facilitator provided details about his personal travel from Germany,” the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

“He also observed foreigners from many countries converging in Pakistan to conduct attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.

“The combined force found passports and identification cards from France, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia amongst 10 insurgents killed during the operation.” The military said the suspect confessed to being approached while previously in Iran to become a suicide bomber but had declined “because of his goal to take part in the global jihad.”

The war in Afghanistan has been raging for nearly 10 years and started after a US-led invasion ousted the Taliban from power for harboring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Alleged al Qaeda fighters are still regularly captured and killed in Afghanistan.