US spokesman passes on question of Taliban capture

(AP) — The White House's lead spokesman is declining to confirm the capture of the Taliban's top military commander.

Unnamed officials in Pakistan had said earlier Tuesday that a joint CIA-Pakistani operation captured Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Karachi. At the White House, press secretary Robert Gibbs said he would not speak on the matter.

Gibbs told reporters the fight against extremists involves sensitive intelligence matters and he believes it's best to collect that information without talking about it. Gibbs said reports that Baradar was arrested 10 days ago and was talking to his interrogators were "not helpful."

Baradar is the most senior Afghan Taliban leader arrested since the beginning of the Afghan war in 2001.