Less than a week before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Pakistani intelligence working with CIA officials announced the arrests of three major members of al Qaeda near the Afghan border. Among them is Younis al-Mauritani, a top operative who is believed to have been one of Osama bin Laden's potential successors. The arrests are seen as a significant blow to the terrorist organization's leadership in Pakistan. In a statement, the Pakistani Army said al-Mauritani was scheming major attacks abroad and planning to target U.S. gas and oil pipelines. Relations between Pakistan and the U.S. have been strained since the raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan in May, but the latest announcement is an indication that they remain allies in the war on terror.