The British Foreign Office has begun efforts to secure the release of a British journalist reportedly being held by Afghanistan's ruling Taleban on suspicion of spying.
The foreign office said today (Saturday) it was working to free newspaper reporter, Yvonne Ridley, who works for the London-based Sunday Express Newspaper. The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reports Ms. Ridley was seized Friday along with her two guides near the eastern city of Jalalabad.
AIP earlier quoted an official in Jalalabad as saying the 43-year-old mother of one was not carrying any travel documents at the time of her arrest and had entered the country without permission.
Since the September 11th attacks on the United States, Afghanistan has expelled foreign journalists and stopped issuing visas to foreigners. Ms. Ridley is believed to have been in Afghanistan since the 11th.