Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Society Military and Strategic Issues
1

NATO is now operating openly in tribal areas. Bad news for Taliban and their supporters in ISI.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/09/top10.htm

Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

By Alamgier Bhitani

TANK, March 8: A close companion of militant commander Baitullah Mehsud was captured in a joint operation conducted by Nato and Afghan forces in a Pakistan region on Wednesday, informed sources told Dawn on Thursday.

The sources said that two military helicopters landed in the Lawara area of Shawal adjacent to Afghanistan’s Paktika province and armed personnel captured Hakimullah Mehsud. However, five foreign comrades of Mehsud escaped.

The sources said that Hakimullah was flown into Afghanistan for interrogation.

Security officials in Peshawar expressed ignorance about the incursion of Nato forces in the tribal areas.

Reports reaching here said that Nato forces had intensified their aerial activities over the tribal areas apparently in view of a spring offensive likely to be launched by Taliban. People living in tribal areas close to the Afghan border said that spy planes and choppers had increased their reconnaissance missions in the region.

In a related development, the Pakistan army has started fencing selected areas along the Pakistan-Afghan border in South Waziristan Agency.

Witnesses said that 15 army trucks loaded with barbed wire and other material had been dispatched from a garrison in the Dera Ismail Khan to the South Waziristan Agency via Tank on Thursday.

They said that 10 military trucks carrying razor-wire had been seen heading towards Wana on Wednesday.

An official told Dawn that army had conducted a survey of the border areas where barbed-wire would be placed, adding that apart from the restive North and South Waziristan agencies, some other points had also been identified in Mohmand and Bajaur agencies for fencing.

Army engineers were doing their job and necessary material was being transported to these places, said the official on condition of anonymity.

2

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

have you any proof ISI is supporting the Taliban? If it's just your hunch, then my hunch is the opposite. It's not in ISI's interest to support the Taliban.

3

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Picking up Taliban #3s at a whim from a hotel in Quetta says that they atleast know where the Talib leaders are around. No big shot can stay in hotels without ISI knowing. But once Cheney came to whip, Mullahs A, B and C are produced pronto.:halo:

4

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

You don't just come up and setup shop in Pakistan without the ISI at least knowing about it. Unless the ISI is full of idiots, they would still have their inside contacts with Taliban.

*yawn*
5

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Oh really. The border is porous and Pakistani Army have been fighting the foreigners. What more do you want. They even acknowledge they're there.

6

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Porous border has nothing to do with a Talibunny sitting comfortably in a hotel in Quetta. I hope that the Dick Cheney visit was enough for our spooks to realize that taking punga with Americans is not worth the trouble. Had we handed over the mullah before the pressure, we would have kept our dignity intact.

7

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

which hotel?

8

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Don't you read the reports? Obaidullah, Amir Haqqani and certain other "top" talibunnies were comfortably staying in the Gul Park hotel in Quetta. They were caught only when Cheney insisted that Americans be part of the raiding team.

9

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

How are they sitting comfortably if they've been caught?

10

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

They disappeared from Afghanistan in 2001 and were caught in 2007. In between, they were giving interviews to media from "undisclosed location". All along, Karzai and NATO were saying they were in Quetta. Our govt and ISPR kept denying. I remember Musharraf in US last year saying that there are not Taliban leaders in Quetta.

But out comes Cheney and presto, Talibunnies were produced. Credibility is not there.

11

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Karzai was saying they're in the Gul Hotel just sitting comfortably, and government just let them have tea there everyday?

I think it's your credibility that's in tatters here.

12

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

:hehe: Fine. Let others judge whose credibility is in what state. To me it is clear - those who deny that a terrorist in Quetta for years and then “arrest” him from Quetta after Dick Cheney brings the hammer down are not fooling anyone.

You are probably needed elsewhere to defend Musharraf’s indefensible actions.

13

Re: Baitullah’s aide picked up by Nato forces from tribal area

Roadrunner, you are biggest joker here and are deluding only yourself if you believe that ISI did not know the location of Taliban leaders. If Geo TV can find them, don’t tell me ISI is too stupid to find them as well. They have complete authority to tap phones or make anyone disappear and even after that you want people to believe they do not know who stays at some hotel in Quetta?

Does ISI need instructions from Mayor Karzai to check even the most basic things?