Pakistani raid an exercise, minister says
01 Nov 2004 15:18:44 GMT
Source: Reuters
KARACHI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - A raid on an apartment complex in the port city of Karachi on Monday was a training exercise carried out by anti-terrorist forces, the interior minister said.
Witnesses saw a military helicopter landing at a complex under construction in Karachi's eastern Gulistan-e-Johar neighbourhood as troops cordoned off the area and prevented people from entering.
"It was a mock exercise," Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told Reuters. "It is an anti-terrorist exercise carried out by law enforcement agencies."
Provincial government spokesman Salahuddin Haider had said "a major operation" had been carried out by the military, but later clarified that it had been an exercise.
An intelligence official said earlier the raid could have been aimed at trying to capture an important al Qaeda figure, but gave no details.
Pakistan is a frontline state in the U.S.-led war on terror, and has arrested hundreds of al Qaeda suspects since siding with U.S. President George W. Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States in 2001."
DARN!
I wonder if they caught someone who had a "Get out of jail free" card?
Well pratice is good, plus it sends a message to the terrorists that you never know when the army may come calling.
Provincial government spokesman Salahuddin Haider had said "a major operation" had been carried out by the military, but later clarified that it had been an exercise.
"mock exercise" my as$ - That is classic misinformation - While I'm probably sure they didn't nab UBL or Al Zawahiri in this raid - They definitely took someone down (and most certainly alive) -