Police Kill Man Tied To Murder Of Americans

A man involved in the slaying of two American consular employees was gunned down by police at his hideout Monday evening, authorities said.

Nadeem Riaz was identified as one of the men who helped steal the yellow taxi used in the March 8 attack on the Americans, who were shot to death while being driven to work at the U.S. Consulate in Karachi.

Acting on a tip, police surrounded the house where he was hiding in eastern Karachi and a gun battle broke out, said Wajid Durrani, senior superintendent of police.

Riaz tried to escape, taking cover behind bushes in the yard, but was hit by shots in the head and the back and died, police said.

Authorities hadn’t previously named suspects in the attack that killed Jackie van Landingham of Camden, S.C., and Gary C. Durell of Alliance, Ohio. A third American was wounded.

Zulfikar Ahmed, whose taxi was taken at gunpoint on March 8, was rushed to the scene Monday and identified the body of Riaz as one of four men who took part in the theft of his vehicle, police said.

The taxi was used to follow the Americans to a traffic light, where two gunmen emerged and opened fire. The vehicle was abandoned a short distance from the attack.

Police said Riaz had been affiliated with Punjabi Paktoon Ittehad, a militant political group that was formed in the 1980s, but has been inactive in recent years. Police suspect Riaz may have become a hired assassin for another faction.

The United States has offered a reward of up to $2 million for information leading to the arrest of the killers.