Court Orders Founder of Ansar al Islam Jailed

A Norwegian court ordered the founder of the Muslim militant group Ansar al Islam jailed until Feb. 2 pending an investigation into allegations that he plotted to kill political rivals in Iraq.

An appeals court in Oslo ruled that there were sufficient grounds to hold Mullah Krekar, overturning a lower court's decision to release him last week.

Ansar al Islam, a Kurdish group in northern Iraq, is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations.

Krekar claims he is no longer its leader, but the court said it found reason to believe he still held a key position in the organization.