BREAKING NEWS: Benazir Bhutto assassinated

[ahussains]

Pakistan arrests teen suspect in Bhutto plot: officials 48 minutes ago



ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistani police have arrested a teenager who was allegedly part of a five-man squad in the plot to kill opposition leader Benazir Bhutto last month, security officials said Saturday.

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The suspect, 15-year-old Aitezaz Shah, was arrested from the northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan on Friday while planning a suicide bombing over the Muslim festival of Ashura, they said on condition of anonymity.

Shah told interrogators he had been part of a back-up team of three bombers who were tasked with killing former premier Bhutto if the original December 27 attack by two men had failed, the officials added.
Interior ministry spokesman Iqbal Cheema did not confirm the arrest.

"It is not in my knowledge so far," Cheema told AFP.

Bhutto was assassinated in a gun and suicide bomb attack at an election rally in Rawalpindi. Pakistan's government and the CIA have blamed Al-Qaeda and tribal warlord Baitullah Mehsud for her killing.

Shah, originally from the southern city of Karachi, went for training last year at a camp run by one of Mehsud's commanders in the tribal border region of Waziristan, the security officials quoted him as telling investigators.

He allegedly said the attackers in the team that killed Bhutto were called Bilal and Ikramullah -- the same names mentioned in an alleged telephone conversation between Mehsud and another militant the day after Bhutto's death.

The tape was released the day after her killing by Pakistan's interior ministry.

Shah's whereabouts at the time of the attack were not immediately clear. One security official said he was in Rawalpindi, the city where Bhutto was killed, while another said he was in the tribal area of Waziristan.

"The suspect was not in Rawalpindi at the time of attack on Bhutto. The boy told interrogators that he was in South Waziristan," a top police official quoted him as telling the interrogators.

One of the officials said Shah was arrested during a security check when he arrived in Dera Ismail Khan by taxi from the North Waziristan tribal area, which borders Afghanistan.

He allegedly told officials that he came to collect a suicide jacket for an attack at the US consulate in Karachi but the programme was changed because of tight security for Ashura, which takes place on Sunday.

Instead he was ordered to launch an attack during an Ashura procession by the minority Shiite sect on Sunday, the officials said.

A spokesman for Taliban militants in Pakistan rejected the allegations, saying that the boy arrested in Dera Ismail Khan had no link with the group.

"We are not involved in the attack and this information is meant to defame us," the spokesman Mohammad Omar said in telephone calls to reporters in Peshawar.

"He is not our man and we know nothing about him" Omar said adding that its purpose was to give credence to a CIA report about involvement of Baitullah Mehsud in Bhutto's assassination

Pakistan arrests teen suspect in Bhutto plot: officials - Yahoo! News

So the chapter is close and US fixes the seal that trible lord and other Al Qaeeda members are involved in her assasination.

 

[JK!]

Hardly closed.

When Mehsud is killed or apprehended then it is closed.

 

[araz]

Musharraf, he will benefit from a Great leaders fall.

Sorry Interceptor but are we discussing the same person!! A person thrown out of Government twice for corruption charges, a Known Felon who did not contest a decision in a foreign court regarding illgotten gains, during whose reign, People did not know once they stepped out of their houses, whether they would return back alive!! Sorry but you and I obviously do not look at the world through the same coloured glasses.
Ithink you have to be objective here. She may have been shrewd, an opportunist, and someone who knew jow to get the right response out of the Western Governments,Iwill go to the extent of saying Courageous, But GREAT, I am sorry ---She was not!
Araz

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

UK hits out at report on Pak non-cooperation​

Sunday, January 20, 2008
Says its detectives have written no letter to president: Scotland Yard team more than satisfied with the host country’s help

ISLAMABAD: The members of Scotland Yard team are more than satisfied and thankful for the cooperation they have received from the Pakistani authorities, particularly from the Punjab police, said Aidan Liddle who is Head of Press & Public Affairs Section of the British High Commission in Islamabad here Saturday.

In a rejoinder to the story headlined ‘UK team reports no local cooperation’ by Shakeel Anjum published in The News Saturday, Aiden termed the report absolutely baseless.

Following is the text of the British High Commission official’s rejoinder:

“The Scotland Yard team have received nothing but exemplary hospitality and co-operation since they arrived in Pakistan: almost their first meeting after reaching Islamabad, on 5 January, was with the President himself, who assured them that they would receive the full co-operation of the Pakistani authorities, and this commitment has been honoured at every turn.

“I can assure you categorically that the letter referred to in Mr Anjum’s article does not exist, that no such complaint or protest has been made in any way, and that the Scotland Yard team are more than satisfied with the information, the help and the access that they have been given. The team are very upset that their excellent working relationship with the Punjab Police and particularly the AIG, Mr Abdul Majid, has been called into question in such a way.

“I am extremely disappointed at the standard of journalism displayed in Mr Anjum’s article, which is not worthy of a quality newspaper like The News. It is a basic tenet of journalistic ethics that all parties referred to in an article are given the chance to comment; no attempt was made to get in touch with me or the Scotland Yard team, and I presume that Mr Anjum was similarly not offered the right of reply. This is particularly important when a story is based entirely on one anonymous source, as this one was. Mr Anjum only had to call me at the High Commission or on my cell phone to ask if the story was true, as your other journalists do. I am sure that you will make sure this happens with all stories connected to the Scotland Yard team in particular, and the British High Commission in general, in the future.”

Meanwhile, John MacBrayne, Detective Superintendent of the New Scotland Yard team, sent the following letter to Additional Inspector General Abdul Majid:

“Regarding our earlier telephone conversation I have now had the opportunity to read the 19th January edition of the “The News”, I have read the article on page 1 entitled “UK team reports no co-operation “ I have particularly noted the claims within the article that on 10th January the New Scotland Yard team made a written complaint to the President’s office.

“I would like to reassure you that no such letter has ever been written and we have not made any complaint. Furthermore I have been entirely satisfied with the co-operation provided by you and your team. As you know, we are returning to London tomorrow and hope to come back to Islamabad and report our findings in the near future.

“I would also like to reassure you that throughout our stay in Pakistan we have given no media briefings and this will remain the case.”
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/arc_default.asp

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

AM,

Apart from merely posting, can we also have your views. They do give the essence and insight.

Or else, it is getting to mundane and one is not learning anything.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

AM,

Apart from merely posting, can we also have your views. They do give the essence and insight.

Or else, it is getting to mundane and one is not learning anything.

Sure thing Salim ,

I think this rebuttal, unchallenged as of yet, and may I add quite surprisingly since I have observed that Pakistani newspapers in general, and the Jang/The News specifically, will doggedly stick to their original report, does point out the lack of professionalism and objectivity in Pakistani journalism at times, and continues a trend of hounding Musharraf and anything associated with him on the flimsiest of pretexts.

I went back and found the report in question - and in typical journalistic style it quotes anonymous sources conveying the contents of said Scotland Yard letter. There is absolutely no mention of what Scotland Yard might think about the claims, in fact there isn't even any mention of the author attempting to contact SY or British officials to verify the story. Usually when the GoP is in this position, the media will stick to its guns and stubbornly claim that their reporter sticks by his story since that is what his "source" told him.

In this case I believe that the attempt to add fuel to the fire of "Musharraf/ISI did it", by questioning the cooperation extended to the SY team, led to a complete disregard of journalistic standards - but then that is hardly something new when it comes to the media and the Jang group (GEO TV). Its something a lot of members on PFF have been complaining about for quite a while.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Thanks.

So JANG owns GEO?

Good, I will keep this in mind.

 

[Asghar]

AM,

Apart from merely posting, can we also have your views. They do give the essence and insight.

Or else, it is getting to mundane and one is not learning anything.

Basically it is completely crap, very dishonest and disgraceful propaganda trying to poision the minds of illiterate people that the Government are not co-operating with Scotland Yard and therefore are trying to hide something. Most probably paid for by an opposition party.

P.S. Sorry for hijacking Agnostic, just wanted to add my view.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It is extraordinary that while Musharraf was the Chief, in addition to being the President, all was well.

Now that he is not Chief, it appears that those who were in the wings, like vultures are swooping down for the kill, so to say.

Indeed it is troubled times for Musharraf and Pakistan.

There will surely be many who will not agree with me, but then Musharraf is the linchpin for stability to Pakistan.

Once the elections are over in Pakistan, there is the danger of crass politicking, leading to political chaos. What worries is that all this politicking with allow the terrorist and fundamentalists a window to create further problems, leading to more chaos.

I am yet to understand why the West is so keen to have democracy return to Pakistan, knowing fully well that there will be nothing but chaos and people putting their hands in the till and bringing economic destabilisation.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Salim,

I believe that some in the West have allowed their democratic ideals to blind them just as religion has blinded some here. In the US it seems that this drive for democracy in Pakistan is driven primarily by the media, that affects the opinion of the common man which in turn puts pressure on the legislature.

There is also this human tendency to find simple, tangible solutions to complex problems - combine that with the success of democracy in the West, and to many it may perhaps seem that the one missing ingredient in Pakistan, Democracy, if introduced, will be the solution to our ills.

It makes me laugh to hear the pundits in the West talk of "not supporting individuals" (an all too obvious reference to Musharraf), and then they go on and advocate support for the PPP.

Do they not realize that parties like the PPP are essentially one man shows, and by supporting the PPP and BB they are in essence continuing the policy of supporting "individuals"?

Its all a mess, but is it realistic to expect the congressman/woman to attempt to explain the delicate nuances of the situation in Pakistan, when confronted by his constituency/the Media over his vote in favor of supporting a "Dictatorship"?

Of course the oil money from the Arab states seems to allow the same morality to go down the drain, opinions of the constituents be damned, and the Media too deems it perfectly acceptable, bar some minor pieces here and there, that a relationship with nations far more dictatorial than ours continue.

Maybe it was the appeal of a Westernized, highly educated, intelligent and liberal female Muslim leader that enraptured them - "she is one of us!" - and the feverish demand for democracy stemmed from a desire to see "one like us" rule a bedeviled nation, and solve all those seemingly intractable problems.

 

[dabong1]

UK police say blast killed Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto's party disagrees with Scotland Yard's account
British detectives investigating the death of ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto say she died from the effect of a bomb blast, not gunfire.
Detectives from Scotland Yard were asked by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to examine the circumstances surrounding Bhutto's death in December.

Scotland Yard's account matches that of the Pakistani authorities.

But Bhutto's party has insisted she was shot by an assassin, and has accused the government of a cover-up.

The BBC's Aamer Ahmed Khan says the exact cause of death may help shed light on who was behind the attack.

Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has suggested that if sophisticated weaponry were used it could indicate the involvement of elements of the security establishment.

The only tenable cause... [is] impact due to the effects of the bomb blast

Dr Nathaniel Cary
British Home Office pathologist


Scotland Yard report on Benazir Bhutto's assassination [163KB]
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UK police report - key points
Bhutto party fights for legacy

TV pictures that emerged after Bhutto's death on 27 December appeared to show a gunman aiming a weapon at the Pakistani opposition leader as she stood through the escape hatch of a vehicle during a rally in Rawalpindi.


The UK police report confirmed that shots were fired - but said they were not the cause of death.

It said after discharging his firearm the attacker had detonated explosives, blowing himself up.

"The blast caused a violent collision between her head and the escape hatch area of the vehicle, causing a severe and fatal head injury," said the report, signed by Detective Superintendent John MacBrayne.

The report said the evidence suggested there was only one attacker, not two, as had been speculated.

Limited evidence

The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says there may be some scepticism over the report, since there has been no post-mortem on Bhutto's body, and the scene of the crime was hosed down within hours, compromising forensic evidence.


Newspapers pictured the man who apparently shot at Benazir Bhutto

However, the report said "the evidence that is available is sufficient for reliable conclusions to be drawn".

UK police reached their conclusions by studying TV footage of the assassination, and X-rays of the victim.

X-rays of Bhutto's head showed the only apparent injury was a major trauma to the right side of the head, and experts agreed this could not be a gunshot entry or exit wound, the report said.

It cited British Home Office pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary, who said: "The only tenable cause for the rapidly fatal head injury in this case is that it occurred as the result of impact due to the effects of the bomb blast."

There were no X-rays of Bhutto's body, but Dr Cary said it is unlikely her body would have been hit by bullets through the vehicle's armour plating.

The PPP said it was not convinced by British police conclusions.

"The party is still looking at the Scotland Yard report - however, it is difficult to agree with its findings on the cause of death," party spokeswoman Sherry Rehman said.

"We do believe that she was killed by an assassin's bullet," she added.

Scotland Yard's "terms of reference were limited", she said, reiterating calls for a United Nations inquiry into the killing.

The report, released by the British High Commission in Islamabad, said determining who was behind the attack was not the job of British police, but a matter for the Pakistani authorities.

Militant accused

Pakistani officials said on Thursday that they had made two arrests over the murder.

"We've arrested two important suspects. One of the names in Husnan Gul and the name of the second is Rufukat," announced the officer in charge of the committee investigating Bhutto's death, Chaudhry Abdul Majid.

"Apparently they were the facilitators in this case. Facilitators of the suicide bomber."

He said they were arrested following information gleaned from a 15-year old boy arrested last month in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.

The boy said he was part of a team instructed to kill the opposition leader, and named a local militia commander, Baitullah Mehsud, as being behind the assassination, officials say.

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | UK police say blast killed Bhutto

 

[blain2]

Can we ever expect PPP to go along with anything the government says? In the minds of the PPP, the Scotland Yard investigators have been bribed...

Its very much possible that gun shots missed BB, and she was actually killed by the concussion/contusions to the head from the blast...the bottom line is that she was killed by some assasin...why is the gun fire vs. bomb blast debate necessary? In either case, somebody got through the security cordon with the aim of killing her...why are cycles being wasted on this unnecessary debate in Pakistan? But then I should know better that ours is a land of stupid intrigue and conspiracy theories...

 

[JK!]

PPP is like a child which will now sulk because they weren't right.

And this is the party which gets the most votes in Pakistan?!

 

[MastanKhan]

Jk,

It is mentally retarded children voting for oppurtunistic children---and niether one of them have any conscience---and niether one of them realize their folly.

 

[ahussains]

Can childrens are going to get maximum votes again ?