Pakistan/Terrorism: 1 killed, 18 injure in 3 separate bomb blasts

According to police Sources, 1 person was killed and 18 others injured in 3 separate bomb explosions on Friday in the province of Baluchistan in Pakistan. Police officer Abdul Hameed Lasi gave accounts of an explosion in a crowded market in the industrial town of Hub, about 570 kilometers south of the Quetta city that killed one man and injured 15 other. “The explosives was rigged to a motorcycle,” he said, further noting the attack was likely the work of a separatist group.

Meanwhile, police officer Abdul Qadoos said 2 more bomb exploded in a street in the town of Mach, 50 kilometers east of Quetta. Three people were injured in the attack.

Pakistan/Terrorism: military helicopters pounds Taleban commander's bases, 12 killed

At least 12 suspected Taleban have been killed when Pakistani warplanes attacked several bases of a key Taleban commander in the country's northwest on Thursday, intelligence officials said. "Military helicopters destroyed several bases and hide-outs Thursday morning near the Kurram and Orakzai tribal regions run by militant commander Hakimullah Mehsud," intelligence officials said on condition of anonymity.

The officials said troops saw the bodies from the air but did not retrieve them. Several militants were also wounded, and the casualties could rise because some people were believed to be still buried under the rubble of their hide-outs. The fighting followed days of confusion claims over Baitullah Mehsud's fate. While US and Pakistani officials say they are almost certain he is dead. On the other hand,Taleban commanders announced that he is alive.

Thursday's assault followed fierce clashes broke out between fighters loyal to Mehsud, and a pro-government warlord, Turkistan Bitani, on the fringes of the South Waziristan region. At least 70 people were reported killed. “The fighting broke out in the Jandola area, just outside Mehsud's stronghold in South Waziristan, between Mehsud's group and that of Turkistan Bitani, a tribal warlord allied with the government,” an official, who preferred not to be named said.

Pakistan/Security: three attacks on Pak nuclear sites by jihadists

Shaun Gregory, director of the Pakistan Security Research Unit at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, claimed that Taleban and Al-Qaeda terrorists have attacked nuclear sites in Pakistan at least thrice in the last two years. "Militants have recently attacked a number of Pakistan's nuclear facilities, including an August 20, 2008 incident at the Wah cantonment, widely understood to be one of Pakistan's main nuclear weapons assembly sites," Gregory said.

In an article, "The Terrorist Threat to Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons" that has been published in July issue of CTC Sentinel, published by a research institution based in the Department of Social Sciences at the US Military Academy, West Point, Gregory wrote, “The concern, however, is that most of Pakistan's nuclear sites are close to or even within areas dominated by Pakistani Taliban and home to Al-Qaeda.” "A series of attacks on nuclear weapons facilities has also occurred. These have included an attack on the nuclear missile storage facility at Sargodha on November 1, 2007, an attack on Pakistan's nuclear airbase at Kamra by a suicide bomber on December 10, 2007, and perhaps most significantly the August 20, 2008" he said 

Pakistan/Terrorism: 2 civilians killed in rocket attack

According to the police, at least 2 civilians have been killed and 3 others injured in a barrage of rockets early Tuesday in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar. A senior police official said, “around a dozen rockets had hit the city in today's pre-dawn attack”. "It is an act of terrorism, but we don't know who the attackers are," said local police official Nisar Khan.

Meanwhile a few hours later, unidentified militants attacked a paramilitary base in Basai, outside Peshawar. The paramilitary Frontier Corps confirmed the report and further declared that they have killed three militants in the gunbattle that followed. “One of the headquarters of the Frontier Corps was damaged in the attack, but no one among the troops were injured,” said officer Khan. No group has claimed responsibility of the attacks. The Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan had earlier vowed to carry out attacks against the government for divulging false reports of the death of its leader, Baitullah Mehsud.

Pakistan/Political: criminal case registered against ex-president Musharraf

A criminal case has been registered against former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday for detaining judges during the 2007 political unrest in Pakistan. "We have registered a case against Musharraf under Pakistan's Penal Code. He could either be arrested on his return or through the Interpol," said Hakim Khan, the chief officer of the police station where the case has been registered. Khan further declared that the former president, who had left the country more than two months ago, could be jailed for three years if convicted.

Pakistan's Supreme Court had ruled earlier this month that Musharraf had indeed violated the constitution in his bid to remain in power. However, the court left the final decision on whether to put him on trial to its Parliament. "He detained judges and ousted them illegally so he has to be tried for his illegal and unconstitutional actions," said prosecuting lawyer Mohammad Aslam Ghuman.

Pakistan/Terrorism: US missile strike kills 10 Taleban militants
 
At least 10 suspected Taleban militants have been killed in a US missile strike in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, security officials said. "Two missiles were fired by a US drone. It was a militant compound," a Pakistani government official said on condition of anonymity. Another Pakistani military official said "At least 10 Taleban militants were killed in the attack. It was a drone attack."

Tuesday's attack that took place in the town of Kanniguram in South Waziristan was the first attack from a US spy plane since last Wednesday, when Pakistani and US officials believe Pakistan's Taleban leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed along with his wife at a family home in South Waziristan. However, the Pakistani Taleban says the reports of Mehsud's death are false, but Pakistani interior minister Rehman Malik stated on Monday that there is credible intelligence confirming he was killed and that agents are working to get forensic proof.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, militants fired rockets into Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, killing two civilians. Officials say militants also attacked a nearby paramilitary base. They say three of the attackers were killed when troops returned fire.

Pakistan/Terrorism: Taleban spokesman says Baitullah Mehsud is alive

Hakimullah Mehsud, a close aide to Pakistani Taleban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who was reportedly killed in a shootout announced on Monday that both he and Baitullah Mehsud were alive. "Both I and our amir (leader) Baitullah Mehsud are alive," said, Hakimullah Mehsud. Hakimullah said Baitullah Mehsud, was ill and would take no action that would make it easier to hunt him down. Noor Said, a deputy spokesman under Baitullah, announced that the government had fabricated reports of the infighting. “There was no fighting in the shura. Both Waliur Rehman and Hakeemullah are safe and sound.”

Pakistani intelligence officials stated that Mehsud was killed in a US air raid on Wednesday. Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday that Hakimullah had been involved in a shootout with a rival for the Taleban leadership, Wali-ur-Rehman, and that one of them was reportedly killed. Pakistani intelligence officials and media reported that Hakimullah was most probably dead.

Pakistan/Terrorism: intel officials claim Taleban leader Mehsud dead

Three pakistani intelligence officials, who asked not to be named, said Friday that Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan’s chief Baitullah Mehsud has been killed in a US air raid late on Tuesday. One of the officials also declared they have seen a classified report that mentioned Mehsud's death. They have not seen the dead body or the remains of his burial as the leader has been buried in an area under Taleban control.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik could only confirmed the death of Mehsud's wife, but not the leader. "I can confirm to the extent that his wife is dead, and probably one of his brothers, but we do not have evidence that he's dead," said Malik. Meanwhile, Washington has launched an investigation into the reports. A US counter-terrorism official, on the condition of anonymity, indicated they still don't have solid evidence to show who was actually killed in the raid. “There are other ways of determining who was killed in the strike.” He refused to further give details.

If it is confirmed, the death of Baitullah Mehsud would be a major boost to U.S. and Pakistani efforts to eradicate the Taliban and Al Qaeda along the Afghan border.  The terrorist leader, who had a $5 millions bounty on his head, had indeed ordered most of the suicide bombings perpetrated in Pakistan for the past 2 years. Islamabad has indeed blamed him for the death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007 and for dozens of deadly attacks in the country’s major cities, including the March 30, 2009 spectacular attack against the police training academy in Lahore.

Afghanistan/Pakistan/Terrorism: Taleban vows to continue fighting despite Mehsud's death

Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taleban spokesman in Afghanistan, declared on Friday that the Afghan insurgency will not be deterred by the death of Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan’s (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud. He vowed to continue the arms struggle against foreign forces. “The Taleban's jihad will not be affected if a Pakistani Taleban leader is killed on the other side of the Durand line.” “We feel sympathy for our brothers who fight for the same cause, but resistance against the Afghan government and its foreign allies will continue,” he added.

The statement came amid claims by Pakistani intelligence officials that Mehsud has been killed in a US air raid on Wednesday this week. Unites States is carrying out an investigation into the reports. Although a US led offensive ousted the Taleban from Afghanistan in fall 2001, the insurgents now hide and train across the border in neighbouring Pakistan.  There are more than 100,000 Western troops battling the Taleban resurgence.

Pakistan/India/Terrorism: Islamabad starts Interpol search for Mumbai suspects

(X10Zuma Press/Photo News)

The international police network Interpol said on Thursday that Pakistan had launched a global search for 13 suspects wanted over deadly attacks on Indian city Mumbai in November 2008. “The authorities in Pakistan are to be commended for making full use of Interpol's global network and tools,” said Ronald Noble, secretary-general of Interpol, in a statement. “This demonstrates their commitment to allowing all of Interpol's 187 member countries to benefit from and help with the investigation into the Mumbai terrorist attacks.”

Interpol said a global alert issued from Islamabad asked member countries to assist in locating the fugitives and immediately report any leads to Pakistan. However, the statement did not name the suspects. Islamabad has put on trial five militants accused of involvement in the attack that left 166 people dead. The Pakistani government also released photographs of 13 other suspects who have not yet been detained. India blamed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group for the attack.

Pakistan/Terrorism: Islamabad creates new force to thwart Taleban while the U.S. army targets Baitullah Mehsud

Sajid Khan Mohmand,  police chief in North West Frontier Province’s Swat Valley, declared on Wednesday the first community police had been set up to thwart the resurgence of Taleban insurgency in the area. “Community police have started to function at local police stations in the valley. They’ll work alongside regular police and help them deal with militants effectively. We have already received 1,600 applications,” he said.

The new force will be armed with assault rifles, 10 rounds of ammunition and bullet-proof jackets is they are needed to assist security forces on patrol. It is indeed difficult for police officers, from different neighbourhoods, to identify militants from the locals. “The community officers should help root out militants by telling them who’s who. This will bridge the gap,” added Mohmand.

Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan’s chief Baitullah Mehsud 's wife was killed in a suspected US drone strike in the Makeen village of the restive South Waziristan Tribal Agency on Wednesday. At least 2 militants were also killed in the attack, but it could not be confirmed if Mehsud was present in the house, which belonged to his father-in-law. According to a senior Pakistan intelligence official in Peshawar, it is highly doubtful that Baitullah Mehsud, which as a $5 million reward placed by the U.S. on his head, would have frequented the house of someone he was known to be close to.

Pakistan/Civil unrest: Troops sent in Punjab after 8 Christians died in riots

Pakistan’s paramilitary troops are deployed since Sunday to patrol the streets of Gorja town, in Punjab province’s Toba Tek Singh, after 8 Christians died in riots led by Muslims, according to police. “Paramilitary troops were sent to Gorja to help police control the situation”, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said. “Usually, Muslims and Christians live together peacefully. There have been some miscreants involved in this incident. We are investigating that,” he added.

According to the authorities, a case has been registered against 17 known and 783 unknown people on charges including those of killing, attempt to kill and terrorism. Punjab province police chief, Tariq Salim Dogar, also said on Sunday that 46 people have been arrested in the violence, which began on tha call of local Islamist leaders.

The incident indeed reportedly erupted over alleged desecration of the Quran by Christians, a rumour which proved later ro false. Hundreds of Muslims extremists launched protests and set ablaze about 50 Christian houses. Authorities said the victims, all of them Christians, including a child and four women, were burned alive in their houses.

Pakistan’s Christian community, which account for about 1,5% of the total population  (approximately 2,800,000 people), has regularly been attacked by Islamist terrorists since the country joined the US led War on Terror. All Pakistani Christian schools were closed on Monday for three days to mourn the deaths and to avoid new violence

Pakistan/Terrorism: 200 child fidayeen rescued in Swat Valley

Pakistani security forces rescued more than 200 boys from Taleban camps in the restive Swat valley where they were trained to become suicide bombers. The rescued boys were thoroughly brainwashed so that they considered all others as infidels. "These boys, whose age ranges between 6 and 13 years, have been brainwashed in a way that now they even want to kill their own parents," said Senior North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Minister Bashir Bilour.

Bilour said a number of the children were handed over to their parents, but only a few days later the parents came back complaining that the boys were threatening to kill them if they blocked their way. “We are trying to bring them back on track,” he said adding, “arrangements are now being made to enrol them in schools with free boarding and lodging and give them monthly scholarships.”

Mingora commander Brigadier Tahir Hameed said several would-be suicide bombers had been rescued from the captivity of militants. He said the Taliban turned to children for using them as suicide bombers because they were easily influenced and less likely to be caught while undertaking an operation. “They are told that the Pakistani army has become an enemy of Islam, as it is fighting for Christians and Jews,” said a senior official involved in the interrogation of potential suicide bombers who have been captured.

Pakistan/Afghanistan/Terrorism: suicide attacker targets Pakistan troops in Miranshah

At least three Pakistani paramilitary soldiers were wounded when a suspected suicide bomber triggered a car bomb near a checkpoint in Pakistan’s restive tribal belt on the Afghan border on Tuesday. “Three paramilitary soldiers were injured after a suicide bomber struck his car into the checkpost,” a security official, who preferred not to be named, said. Reportedly, the attack took place on the outskirts of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal district. A local administration official confirmed the incident, saying that security forces had cordoned off the area after the attack. The military said on Tuesday that two terrorists were killed and 25 others arrested during search and clearance operations in Swat, northwest town Lakki and Darra Adam Khel.

Meanwhile, US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, urged the European Union (EU) on Tuesday to provide more humanitarian assistance to refugees who have fled fighting between Pakistan's military and Taleban militants. "I would like to see more support from the EU. The United States has given for the refugees alone $330 million. The EU, I hope, would step up to the plate and do an equal amount or more," he said in Brussels. Holbrooke, who has just visited Afghanistan and Pakistan told reporters after talks with EU and NATO officials: "The EU membership countries should in my view do more to help Pakistan with this enormous refugee crisis.”

Pakistan/Terrorism: police detain pro-Taleban cleric Mohammad

A Pakistani official announced that police have detained pro-Taleban cleric Sufi Mohammad on Sunday, accusing him of helping militants in the country's northwest and sabotaging the government's fight against them. "We have detained him as his activities could disturb the law and order situation and after an inquiry we'll file cases against him," said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister of the North West Frontier Province. "He has been involved in activities which help militancy and militants and sabotage government efforts to combat them," he told a news conference in Peshawar.

In February, Mohammad helped broker a deal between the government and the Taleban to end violence in the northwest Swat Valley. But in April the pact collapsed after militants refused to lay down arms and began expanding their influence in nearby districts. Mohammad is the father-in-law of Swat Taleban commander Fazlullah, whose spokesman said last week he was alive and unhurt, contrary to earlier reports by the military that he was injured. Mohammad leads a pro-Taleban group known as the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammedi, or the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law. He was jailed in 2002 but was freed last year after renouncing violence.

According to military they are in the final stages of its operation in Swat and has started helping to bring the roughly 2 million people displaced by the fighting back to their homes. The military says it has killed nearly 1,800 militants since the Swat offensive began.

United States/Pakistan/Terrorism: Bin Laden’s son may have been killed in drone strike

US broadcaster National Public Radio reported on Wednesday that one of Osama bin Laden’s sons may have been killed by a US missile strike in Pakistan earlier this year. “Saad bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader’s third-oldest son, is “believed” to have been killed by Hellfire missiles fired from a US Predator drone sometime this year,” the broadcaster said.

A senior counterterrorism official told NPR that US spy agencies are “80 to 85 percent” sure that Saad bin Laden is dead. The official said it was difficult to be completely sure without a body on which DNA tests could be conducted. “Saad bin Laden was active in Al-Qaeda but not a major player. He was simply “in the wrong place at the wrong time, having not been important enough to be targeted personally,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “We make a big deal out of him because of his last name,” he added.

Reportedly, Saad bin Laden, who is believed to be in his 20s, was part of a small group of Al-Qaeda operatives who helped manage the organization from Iran, where he was arrested in 2003. He also allegedly helped facilitate communication between Al-Qaeda’s number two leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. However, the radio said it was not known whether Saad bin Laden was close to the location of his father when he died.

India/Pakistan/Terrorism: confession won't stop Mumbai terror trial

(Polaris/Photo News)

The judge of the special court in Mumbai trying Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving suspect in the Mumbai terror attacks has ruled that the trial will continue despite his change of plea to guilty. “At the outset I am not inclined to pronounce the judgement... The accused has not admitted to all charges. He admits certain parts, admission of guilt for certain charges. He has not admitted to many of the 86 charges," Judge ML Tahiliyani said on Thursday.

The special court trying Kasab said it will take up his confession at a later date. For now, prosecutors will proceed with the 2-week-old trial and continue to hear from the rest the 150 witnesses they have lined up. "He has changed his stance repeatedly. So I have requested the court that he is operating on an ulterior motive and that the trial should continue," said Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Kasab, 21, stunned the court on Tuesday when he confessed his role in the attacks on India's financial capital, which began on November 26 and continued for four days and three nights. Kasab is alleged to be the lone  survivor of 10 gunmen. The others were all killed by Indian security forces. More than 170 people were killed, including many foreigners in the attacks on hotels, diners and a transportation hub.

Pakistan/Terrorism: jets kill Mehsud associates in Sarwakai

A Pakistani military official said on Wednesday that Pakistani jets bombed suspected bases of wanted Taleban warlord Baitullah Mehsud, killing four of his militants in the northwest near the Afghan border. “Our jets hit a militant base in Gurguri and a Taliban compound in Ous Pass in Sarwakai. Both were destroyed and a total of four militants were killed,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “The militants killed in the strikes belonged to Mehsud’s group”, he said.

According to officials the fighter aircraft bombed two places in the Sarwakai area of South Waziristan, a rugged tribal area that borders Afghanistan. A government official confirmed the raids late Tuesday, but gave no casualty figures. It was not possible to independently confirm the strikes or casualty figures in the remote area, where access for journalists is restricted.

Sarwakai, controlled by Pakistan’s Taliban chief Mehsud, is about 35 kilometres (22 miles) east of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan. Mehsud is accused of killing Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and carrying out dozens of bomb and suicide attacks against security forces and civilians in the country.

Pakistan/Terrorism: 4 policemen killed in ambush

According to Pakistani senior police officer Qazi Jamil, 4 policemen were killed when gunmen attacked a police vehicle on Monday in the Bara district on the outskirt of Peshawar. “Around 10 assailants armed with Kalashnikov rifles who had been hiding on both sides of the road opened fire and killed all four police officials,” said Jamil. Police officer Safdar Khan also confirmed the killing. The attack occurred the main military transit line for Western troops in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile in a separate incident, one soldier was killed and another six was injured in a roadside bomb blast in the town of Bannu in northwest Pakistan. A commander was among the injured. “One soldier was killed and six others were injured including Commander Khatak,” said local police officer Aurangzeb Khan. He also said the blast seem to target Bannu district’s chief of Frontier Corps, Abdul Nawaz Khatak, who was traveling with his escorts.

Pakistan/Terrorism: blasts destroy NATO tankers in Khyber

Pakistani officials said on Friday that suspected Taleban militants planted bombs in restive Khyber in northwest Pakistan that destroyed two tankers supplying fuel to NATO troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. “A convoy of seven tankers was on its way to Afghanistan when one of the tankers blew up and caught fire, killing a fruit vendor and burning at least 50 shops in a nearby market,” local government official Rehan Gul Khattak said.

Gul Khattak said another tanker exploded near Landi Kotal, the main town in Khyber, after militants planted another bomb, adding that cleaner accompanying the second truck sustained burn wounds. Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the blasts.

In recent months militants have carried out a spate of strikes against supplies for US and NATO-led foreign forces fighting against a Taleban insurgency in Afghanistan. The supplies required by the foreign troops across the border are shipped through northwest Pakistan’s tribal region of Khyber.