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Business-as-usual yet chilling revelations
Hakimullah Mehsud’s last three audio, video messages were uploaded hardly a kilometre from Presidency, Prime Minister House
Shafiq Ahmad
Qari Hussain Mehsud, a commander of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (Taliban Movement Pakistan), or TTP, and reportedly master trainer of suicide bombers, in his latest audio release otherwise hushed up by Pakistan’s mainstream media, has praised Faisal Shehzad for his car bombing attempt in New York. Qari Mehsud has also threatened to attack the USA and NATO states on their home turf. In a minute and forty-two seconds audio message in Pashto language sent to couple of media offices in north western town of Peshawar, he said the Taliban would soon target important places in Pakistan. While praising Faisal Shehzad for his bravery, he asked other people to stand up against the U.S. oppression. However, he neither confessed to TTP links with Faisal Shehzad nor accepted responsibility for the failed car bombing at Times Square. Meantime, Pakistani intelligence agencies are searching for three more accomplices of Faisal Shehzad, who was arrested for botched car bombing at Times Square in New York on May 1.Six persons allegedly linked to Faisal Shehzad have already been arrested from federal capital Islamabad and neighbouring garrison town of Rawalpindi, Viewpoint has learnt. Leads about all those arrested by the intelligence agencies have been provided by the U.S. authorities after interrogation of Faisal Shehzad, these sources say. As the hunt for three more suspects is on, some business-as-usual but chilling information have been revealed by the six detained suspects during their interrogations at secret locations in and around the federal capital.
If one goes by the statements extorted during the interrogation, the Time Square bombing plan was hatched in Islamabad by Shoaib Mughal, a computer engineer who ran a business office dealing in computer accessories at Blue Area, in capital Islamabad, according to these sources. They say that Shoaib Mughal who also studied in the USA, had direct links with Hakimullah Mehsud, the TTP chief. Shoaib Mughal in fact introduced Faisal Shehzad to the TTP and helped him reach Tribal region for training in bomb-making. Hakimullah Mehsud’s last three video and audio messages were uploaded to the internet by Shoaib Mughal from his office, situated hardly a kilometre from the Presidency and Prime Minister House, Viewpoint has learnt. Another detained suspect Shahid Hussain, was a common friend of Faisal Shehzad and Shoaib Mughal. While Shoaib Mughal allegedly sent Faisal Shehzad for explosive trainings to the Tribal region, it was Shahid Hussain, who once lived with Faisal Shehzad in Boston, USA, arranged for the money to execute the plan Times Square bombing plan. Shahid Hussain allegedly asked one Adnan Mirza, a resident of Mandra town, to hand Faisal Shehzad over an amount of $15000, according to the sources. In fact, Shoaib Mughal telephoned Faisal Shahzad soon after the failed May 1 bombing attempt at Times Square and urged him to travel to Dubai. That’s how all the three were arrested and on their tip, Salman Ashraf Khan was arrested in Islamabad while a former army officer, Major Adnan as well as his brother Qamar were held from Rawalpindi cantonment area.
The co-owner of the Hanif Rajput Catering Service, Salman Ashraf Khan, was recruited because Shoaib Mughal and Shahid Hussain allegedly wanted him to help bomb a big gathering of either foreigners or Pakistan armed forces. Hanif Rajput Catering Service runs business in different major cities of Pakistan and the company’s services are often hired by the foreign missions and armed forces in Islamabad. A few months back, Hanif Rajput Catering Service fixed up a gathering at the US Embassy in the federal capital, sources said. Salman Ashraf Khan has also studied in Houston before returning home to help run his family's business. The former army officer, Major Adnan had resigned from his army service in protest against the government policies of supporting the U.S. ‘war on terror’.
His brother Qamar is also a computer engineer. All the suspects were part of a network motivated by hatred of the USA and the West. They were not active member of either the TTP or Punjabi Taliban, the sources maintained. The government officials have admitted to arrest several suspects linked to Faisal Shehzad case, but none of the suspects has been formally charged and produced before a court of law. Meantime, an army spokesman has denied the reports regarding the arrest of an army officer. The spokesman said only a retired major was arrested on disciplinary grounds and was under investigation. Under the Anti-Terrorism laws, the secret agencies can detain a suspects for months. But in many cases, it has been observed, these agencies have detained certain suspects for years.
Hakimullah Mehsud’s last three audio, video messages were uploaded hardly a kilometre from Presidency, Prime Minister House
Shafiq Ahmad
Qari Hussain Mehsud, a commander of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (Taliban Movement Pakistan), or TTP, and reportedly master trainer of suicide bombers, in his latest audio release otherwise hushed up by Pakistan’s mainstream media, has praised Faisal Shehzad for his car bombing attempt in New York. Qari Mehsud has also threatened to attack the USA and NATO states on their home turf. In a minute and forty-two seconds audio message in Pashto language sent to couple of media offices in north western town of Peshawar, he said the Taliban would soon target important places in Pakistan. While praising Faisal Shehzad for his bravery, he asked other people to stand up against the U.S. oppression. However, he neither confessed to TTP links with Faisal Shehzad nor accepted responsibility for the failed car bombing at Times Square. Meantime, Pakistani intelligence agencies are searching for three more accomplices of Faisal Shehzad, who was arrested for botched car bombing at Times Square in New York on May 1.Six persons allegedly linked to Faisal Shehzad have already been arrested from federal capital Islamabad and neighbouring garrison town of Rawalpindi, Viewpoint has learnt. Leads about all those arrested by the intelligence agencies have been provided by the U.S. authorities after interrogation of Faisal Shehzad, these sources say. As the hunt for three more suspects is on, some business-as-usual but chilling information have been revealed by the six detained suspects during their interrogations at secret locations in and around the federal capital.
If one goes by the statements extorted during the interrogation, the Time Square bombing plan was hatched in Islamabad by Shoaib Mughal, a computer engineer who ran a business office dealing in computer accessories at Blue Area, in capital Islamabad, according to these sources. They say that Shoaib Mughal who also studied in the USA, had direct links with Hakimullah Mehsud, the TTP chief. Shoaib Mughal in fact introduced Faisal Shehzad to the TTP and helped him reach Tribal region for training in bomb-making. Hakimullah Mehsud’s last three video and audio messages were uploaded to the internet by Shoaib Mughal from his office, situated hardly a kilometre from the Presidency and Prime Minister House, Viewpoint has learnt. Another detained suspect Shahid Hussain, was a common friend of Faisal Shehzad and Shoaib Mughal. While Shoaib Mughal allegedly sent Faisal Shehzad for explosive trainings to the Tribal region, it was Shahid Hussain, who once lived with Faisal Shehzad in Boston, USA, arranged for the money to execute the plan Times Square bombing plan. Shahid Hussain allegedly asked one Adnan Mirza, a resident of Mandra town, to hand Faisal Shehzad over an amount of $15000, according to the sources. In fact, Shoaib Mughal telephoned Faisal Shahzad soon after the failed May 1 bombing attempt at Times Square and urged him to travel to Dubai. That’s how all the three were arrested and on their tip, Salman Ashraf Khan was arrested in Islamabad while a former army officer, Major Adnan as well as his brother Qamar were held from Rawalpindi cantonment area.
The co-owner of the Hanif Rajput Catering Service, Salman Ashraf Khan, was recruited because Shoaib Mughal and Shahid Hussain allegedly wanted him to help bomb a big gathering of either foreigners or Pakistan armed forces. Hanif Rajput Catering Service runs business in different major cities of Pakistan and the company’s services are often hired by the foreign missions and armed forces in Islamabad. A few months back, Hanif Rajput Catering Service fixed up a gathering at the US Embassy in the federal capital, sources said. Salman Ashraf Khan has also studied in Houston before returning home to help run his family's business. The former army officer, Major Adnan had resigned from his army service in protest against the government policies of supporting the U.S. ‘war on terror’.
His brother Qamar is also a computer engineer. All the suspects were part of a network motivated by hatred of the USA and the West. They were not active member of either the TTP or Punjabi Taliban, the sources maintained. The government officials have admitted to arrest several suspects linked to Faisal Shehzad case, but none of the suspects has been formally charged and produced before a court of law. Meantime, an army spokesman has denied the reports regarding the arrest of an army officer. The spokesman said only a retired major was arrested on disciplinary grounds and was under investigation. Under the Anti-Terrorism laws, the secret agencies can detain a suspects for months. But in many cases, it has been observed, these agencies have detained certain suspects for years.
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