CIA blames extremist for Bhutto killing

by Swan | January 18, 2008 at 03:46 pm | 351 views | 2 comments

This news broke less than two hours ago and frankly isn't too surprising.

WASHINGTON - The CIA has concluded that a Pakistani tribal leader's network was behind the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, according to a U.S. intelligence official.

The Indian people found Benazir Bhutto - charismatic, courageous, extremely adept and a political figure to be respected - whether you liked her or not. She was also raised as part of the aristocratic crowd in Pakistan and grew up among all the riches and comforts of the priviliged, amid the turbulent politics of India.

She was also called the "Daughter of Pakistan," even though she spent most of the past decade living in London. Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October, where there was a failed assassination attempt.

Baitullah Mehsud, the tribal leader whom the CIA has reported as responsible for the lovely leader's death, has strong ties with al-Qaida and is considered an extremist who has a strong alliance with the Taliban. He is the head of a network in South Waziristan, which is a border region abutting Afghanistan.

Extremely intelligent and committed, Benazir Bhutto was a graduate of both Harvard and Oxford after which she managed to attract the attention and backing of both the Washington and London governments. They both wanted her in the ultimate position of authority, rather than Musharraf, who was definitely no longer popular in India.

The intelligence official said Mehsud, believed to be in his early 30s, is a "committed jihadist" who recruits and trains suicide operatives for the Taliban and al-Qaida. His network carries out suicide attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, primarily along the border. The attacks have stretched from Nuristan province in northeast Afghanistan to Helmand province in the south.

Mehsud claims to having three thousand would-be suicide bombers. Those that came before them have already been attributed to the bombings at the hotel in Islamabad and various attacks against police and military in NW Pakistan.

Interestingly, I don't think he'd ever volunteer to be a suicide bomber - would you Mr. Mehsud?