Pakistan Denies Reported Attack on Senior al-Qaida Figure

VOA ^ | 5/14/05

[Valin]

Media reports in this country say U.S. intelligence has carried out a raid that killed a senior al-Qaida operative in Pakistan, but authorities in Islamabad are denying that any such incident occurred in Pakistani territory.

Two American television networks, ABC and NBC, say an unmanned Predator aircraft operated by the Central Intelligence Agency launched an attack that killed Haitham al-Yemeni, a Yemeni activist who held a senior position in Osama bin Laden's terror network.

The deadly raid is said to have taken place earlier this week in a remote part of northwestern Pakistan. However, the information minister in Islamabad, Sheikh Rashid Amhed, said Saturday that no such incident took place. The CIA has declined to make any comment on the matter.

The target of the reported attack is believed to have been among the top members of the al-Qaida leadership, and may have been appointed to the group's number-three position, vacant since the recent capture in Pakistan of another terrorist suspect, Abu Faraj al-Libbi.

[gaspar]

First Newsweek hopes to set the Arab World against us by reporting the bogus desecration of the Kuran. Next ABC and NBC try to set Pakistan at our throats. Doesn't the traitorous media already have enough blood on its hands?

[OldFriend]

The media doing all in it's power to cause more deaths and the possible assassination of Mushareff.

[woofer]

Next ABC and NBC try to set Pakistan at our throats. Doesn't the traitorous media already have enough blood on its hands?

Could be, Gas.

But look at it this way...

The CIA and Pakistan are denying or declining to comment on this story. That speaks volumes to me. I say delete the name from the "like to acquire strangle-hold on throat" list and move on to the next target.

[Valin]

However, the information minister in Islamabad, Sheikh Rashid Amhed, said Saturday that no such incident took place.

One thing I do note he doesn't say it didn't happen, just that it didn't happen on Pakistani territory.

[Americanexpat]

Or maybe Pakistan does not want to admit that the US is carrying out operations on their soil. The Pakistani government may be helping us, but the majority of Pakistanis are rooting for Al Q and the Taliban.

[gaspar]

That's the point. Of course Pakistan is helping, and of course Musharraf does not want to admit that it is doing so. ABC doesn't help matters when it claims the drone was active inside Pakistan because then the government either has to admit it allows such things, or doesn't allow such things and the United States has violated its sovereignty. The only winner is the bad guys (and ABC).