Pakistan extends hold of bin Laden widows

Islamabad: Pakistani officials have said that a judge has allowed authorities to hold three widows of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in custody for another 10 days, pending their trial for living in the country without valid documents.

The women have been in detention since May last year when U.S. commandos killed bin Laden at his home in the northwest.

The women had been living there with eight of their children and three employees.

According to a Pakistani official, a judge on Saturday told the women that he was allowing the authorities to hold them in custody till March 26.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.