Then why didn't Putin NAME them (except maybe for Iran). It would have been easy for him to say "terorist elements" or "the Taliban." He did not.
And he was approached through several channels, which means a more sophisticated group than Pakistani dissidents, who might be able to contact an embassy, but would not have the ability to go through multiple channels.
And Bush didn't comment on it at all. He just let it hang there. I thought that was very interesting.
I think the situation in Pakistan is complicated and there are many who argue that the "dissidents" are protected if not represented in the government. Karzei was just here accusing Musharraf of not being willing to do enough and in as diplomatic a way as possible suggested he was complicit in protecting and growing terrorist elements.
Don't get me wrong, I find the whole comment fascinating. I don't know if Putin was using it to somehow restore his image after Iraq, if he was demonstrating that Russia's relationship with Iran was not coming at the expense of the US or if he was sending a message.