Al Qaeda seen behind Pakistani Taliban threat

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

By Robert Birsel

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud lacks the capacity to attack the United States and a threat to do so reflected the aims of his al Qaeda allies, analysts said on Thursday.

Mehsud, accused of orchestrating a string of attacks in Pakistan from the Waziristan region on the Afghan border, warned on Tuesday that Washington may be attacked for offering $5 million for information leading to his location or arrest. "He normally doesn't issue hollow threats," said retired Brigadier Mehmood Shah, a former chief of security in militant-plagued northwest Pakistan.

Over the past few years, Mehsud has risen from obscurity to become Pakistan's most notorious militant commander, blamed for the 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Because of his attacks and leadership qualities, al Qaeda was increasingly dealing directly with him, Shah said.

"He seems to have convinced al Qaeda he's a useful man ... When he speaks of a threat to Washington, he means al Qaeda. By himself, he doesn't have the capacity to carry out an operation so far away. He's talking for al Qaeda," he said.

Read more: http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-38848020090402?sp=true

[ohio2007]

1. Canadian woman’s captors say tomorrow’s deadline final ( latest threat )

MIRAMSHAH/PESHAWAR: Taliban militants holding the Canadian woman Khadija Abdul Qahaar in North Waziristan tribal region on Friday circulated a pamphlet threatening to kill her if their demand for ransom was not met by tomorrow (Sunday).

The militants had earlier set March 31 deadline while demanding 2 million dollars ransom. Subsequently, they extended the deadline to April 3. Now they have warned that the new deadline of April 5 is final.

In a hand-written pamphlet, circulated in parts of North Waziristan by an unknown organisation “Gumnam Mujahideen-e-Islam,” (Anonymous fighters for Islam), the militants alleged the Canadian woman was not a journalist but was sent by the government of Canada to spy on the Taliban in North Waziristan.


snip

However, despite being charged as a Canadian spy, the Taliban were ready to set her free if they were paid two million dollars.

snip
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=170689

And after all those nice write ups she did about the Taliban in 'Jihad unspun'


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=deb_1237498427


wtf
jihadi's don't care about $$$

but the ISI does.
jmo

[bottomtheweaver]

2. Once al Qaeda enters the conversation, you know you're in fantasyland.

The one in Langley, not Anaheim.