Europeans believed training for terror in Pakistan - WCSH6

ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Dozens of Muslim militants with European citizenship are believed to be hiding out in the lawless tribal area of northwestern Pakistan, preparing for terror missions.

Pakistani and Western intelligence officials say they've used phone intercepts and voice tracking software to trace specific individuals to areas along the Afghan border. Those areas have been the focus of recent missile strikes by unmanned aircraft operated by the CIA.

A senior official of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency tells The Associated Press that "several dozen" people with European citizenship are in the area. The official says they include Chechens, Uzbeks, Arabs and Turks, including a former F-16 pilot in the Turkish air force.

Britain's communications monitoring agency estimates there are as many as 20 British-born militants in the border area.

Security experts are concerned that terrorists based in Pakistan may be plotting attacks in Europe with assault weapons, similar to the deadly 2008 shootings in Mumbai, India.