Hakimullah appointed new TTP chief

[muse]

Another expression of "Peaceful and Democratic" Islamism:


Waliur Rehman new TTP chief: JUI-F leader

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader and NWFP MPA Mufti Kafaitullah has claimed that Mufti Waliur Rehman Mehsud has been appointed the new chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Dunya News reported on Sunday.

He said he was talking in his personal capacity and the JUI-F had nothing to do with the banned TTP.

He said there was no rift between the Taliban groups, adding that the media was not reporting the truth about what was happening in the Tribal Areas. “Our leadership and the media are both hostage to foreign powers,” he said, adding that an independent media could bring the truth about Taliban activities to the surface. Earlier, talking to the channel, Waliur Rehman denied that he had taken over as the TTP chief


So, enjoy - your "peaceful and democratic" Islamism - Shabash.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Pakistan Taliban commander vows Afghan fight

MAKEEN, Pakistan: Pakistani Taliban fighters are committed to helping the fight in Afghanistan and consider Barack Obama their ‘No 1 enemy,’ a top commander said amid uncertainty on Sunday about whether a new leader has been appointed to head the movement.



Waliur Rehman made the remarks in an interview with the Associated Press at a time of intense speculation over the next leader of the Al-Qaeda-allied group. A CIA missile strike on Aug. 5 is believed to have killed former chief Baitullah Meshsud. Rehman, a cousin of Baitullah, is seen as a strong candidate for the post.


Speaking Saturday – before aides to another Taliban commander said a second contender, Hakeemullah Meshud, had been appointed the next chief – Rehman said Baitullah had given him full control over the network and that a new leader ‘would be chosen within five days.’


He did not refer to the claim that Hakeemullah had become the leader – an omission that will add to doubts about whether that appointment had been agreed by all the top Taliban members. It will also likely be taken as a further sign the movement and its up to 25,000 fighters remain split over the succession.


Rehman met the AP in a forest near Makeen village in the heart of the semiautonomous lands close to the Afghan border where Al-Qaeda and the Taliban hold sway. Looking healthy and dressed in clean, ironed clothes, he was accompanied by five armed guards.


American officials are watching closely to see who succeeds Baitullah, in particular whether the new leader will direct more fighters across the border where US and Nato forces are facing soaring attacks by insurgents. Baitullah was believed to have mainly concentrated on attacking Pakistani targets.


‘We are with Afghan Taliban. We will keep on helping them until America and its allies are expelled,’ he said, adding this did not mean an end to attacks in Pakistan.



‘American President Obama and his allies are our enemy No 1,’ he said. ‘We will sacrifices our bodies, hearts and money to fight them.’


Like most other members of the Taliban network, he insisted Baitullah was alive but sick, hence the need for a new chief. US and Pakistani officials are almost certain he is dead, especially since the Taliban have provided no proof he is alive.


Two close aides to another commander, Maulvi Faqir Mohammed, told The Associated Press on Saturday a 42-member Taliban council, or shura, had appointed Hakeemullah their new leader in an unanimous decision on Friday.


‘Now all these talks of differences should end,’ said one of the aides, Bakht Zada. ‘There have not been any differences ever.’


Mohammed Amir Rana, an expert on Pakistani militant groups, said he believed the Taliban had not agreed on a replacement.


‘Maulvi Faqir Mohammad is trying to manipulate the race by announcing to the press that Hakeemullah is the head,’ he said. ‘Until now there is no consensus,’ he said, adding that supporters of Waliur Rehman did not accept him.


Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government had received intelligence reports about Hakeemullah's appointment ‘as the chief terrorist’ but there was no official confirmation. The Dawn newspaper quoted one unidentified intelligence officer as saying the announcement ‘was a ruse’ as part of the ongoing power struggle.


Earlier this month, Malik had claimed Rehman and Hakeemullah had been killed in a shootout between rival factions over who should take over the Taliban and its arms and cash.


‘There was no truth in those claims of mine or his death,’ Rehman said. ‘It is futile propaganda by enemies.’


Since Aug. 5, Pakistani officials have been eager to portray the Taliban as in disarray, saying commanders and the rank-and-file were fighting among themselves. At one point, Mohammed – who comes from a different part of the tribal region _ claimed to have taken over the leadership.


Hakeemullah comes from the same tribe as Baitullah and had been seen as a likely replacement.


As military chief of Baitullah's Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or Pakistani Taliban Movement, Hakeemullah commanded three tribal regions and had a reputation as Baitullah's most ruthless deputy. He first appeared in public to journalists in November 2008, when he offered to take reporters on a ride in a US Humvee taken from a supply truck heading to Afghanistan.


Authorities say he was behind threats to foreign embassies in Islamabad, and there was a 10 million rupee ($120,000) bounty on his head. Hakeemullah claimed responsibility for the June 9 bombing of the Pearl Continental hotel in the northwestern city of Peshawar, and the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore earlier this year.


Rehamn was among Baitullah's closest advisers and deputies. Mehsud reportedly said during a shura that Rehman should be his successor if something happened to him.

 

[Spring Onion]

Another expression of "Peaceful and Democratic" Islamism:


Waliur Rehman new TTP chief: JUI-F leader

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader and NWFP MPA Mufti Kafaitullah has claimed that Mufti Waliur Rehman Mehsud has been appointed the new chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Dunya News reported on Sunday.

He said he was talking in his personal capacity and the JUI-F had nothing to do with the banned TTP.

He said there was no rift between the Taliban groups, adding that the media was not reporting the truth about what was happening in the Tribal Areas. “Our leadership and the media are both hostage to foreign powers,” he said, adding that an independent media could bring the truth about Taliban activities to the surface. Earlier, talking to the channel, Waliur Rehman denied that he had taken over as the TTP chief


So, enjoy - your "peaceful and democratic" Islamism - Shabash.

Muse first of why you are linking his statement for bashing islamists or whatever you may call them.

He had given the statement in his personal capacity. (Although JUI or any religious party even if the last thing on earth to choose i would never choose it) But i think linking everything and every statment to Islam just because we have some personal choices is also not right.

His claim that there was no rift in TTP is WRONG.

Now coming to the statement of Mufti Kifayatullah, well iwill also give some agreeing points to his statement about Waliur Rehman being new TTP head. Up till now i have been just reading posts of members here on this issue, and we have seen many claims.

Now if you analyse carefuly one needs no source to get to the bottom of what is going on.

1. The militants have been claiming that Baitullah is alive and he is not dead.

Now look at the developments. Just two days back the militants from TTP arrested the relatives of wife of Baitullah including her brothers. They are still in custody of militants and they are interrogating them suspecting them of providing the information for attack.

Now if Baitullah was alive why would the militants arrest his in-laws.


2. They had been faking that Hakimullah is alive too and will soon lead TTP. Its rubish specially when there had been a bad fight between followers of Hakimullah over controle of a post,.

3. Waliur Rehman had already been having bad intention for Hakimullah and never liked him. It is indeed more believable that he had killed Hakimullah.

4. But lets wait for some more time as i think the Government will soon come up with DNA of Hakimullah.

 

[TalibanSwatter]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan's extremist Taliban movement acknowledged Tuesday that its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, had died in the aftermath of a U.S. drone missile attack early this month and confirmed that two men would replace him.

Hakimullah Mehsud, a violent young jihadist with links to al Qaida , will be in nominal control but his rival, Waliur Rehman , will take charge of Waziristan, a vital region for the militant movement. Rehman, in a telephone interview Tuesday with reporters, threatened attacks against the West and called President Barack Obama "our foremost enemy."

The Pakistani Taliban provides sanctuary for al Qaida and the Afghan insurgents in Pakistan's lawless tribal area, and its leadership and goals will affect international forces in Afghanistan and terror plots against Western targets.

The militant group sustained heavy losses in late April following the launch of a U.S.-backed Pakistani army operation, and the death of Baitullah Mehsud appeared to leave it in disarray. Now Pakistan and the United States will be watching to see if new leadership can stabilize the Pakistani Taliban.

Both of the top contenders for the leadership said Baitullah had succumbed to his injuries Sunday, not on Aug. 5 , when a U.S. missile struck a house in South Waziristan , his native region, as U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials had thought.

The admission came after weeks of denials from militants that Baitullah, who brought together 13 extremist groups in the country's northwest to form Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in December 2007 , had been eliminated.

On the surface, the power struggle to replace Baitullah appears to have been won by Hakimullah, a trigger-happy tribesman with the reputation of a thug. But his rival, Rehman, who was closer to Baitullah and is regarded as much less brutal than Hakimullah, was given charge of the all-important Waziristan region.

"The real power is in Waziristan, and Waliur Rehman will run things there," said Saifullah Mahsud , an analyst at the FATA Research Center , an independent think tank in Islamabad . "It's a clever compromise formula. Waliur Rehman has the real power."

Remote, mountainous Waziristan is a potential hiding place for Osama bin Laden and a safe haven for jihadists from around the world.

According to a tribesman in South Waziristan , who could not be named for his own safety, Hakimullah, thought to be just 28, had threatened to form a breakaway group if he wasn't given the title of leader.

"In order to avoid bloodshed, Waliur Rehman has been forced by the Afghan side to agree. He's a decent, respected guy," said the tribesman.

He added that the dispute was mediated by a representative of Mullah Omar, founder of the Afghan Taliban, and Sirajuddin Haqqani , the son of veteran Afghan jihadist Jalaluddin Haqqani . The Pakistani Taliban regards its older Afghan counterpart as its mentor, and the Haqqani network in particular wields considerable influence over the Afghan branch.

Hakimullah could be the choice of al Qaida , analysts say, as he is linked closely to two terrorist groups banned in Pakistan — Sipah-e-Sahaba and its even more extreme offshoot, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi — that now take their lead from bin Laden.

Hakimullah formerly belonged to Sipah-e-Sahaba. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is regarded as a key al Qaida facilitator in Pakistan and played a role in many of the bombings and other attacks that have rocked the country over the last two years, including the assault on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team earlier this year.

Given the rivalry between Rehman, who is more popular in South Waziristan , and Hakimullah, analysts think that the power struggle could erupt again. According to an unconfirmed report, denied by the Taliban , the rivalry had led to a gun battle earlier this month in which both were injured. Until Tuesday, many were convinced that Hakimullah had died in that clash.

The pair appeared to be sitting together as they called select local journalists Tuesday evening, after the end of the Ramadan fast, as they passed the phone between them, according to one person who spoke to both.

"There are no differences between the various Taliban factions, and we are all united," Rehman told reporters from an undisclosed location.

Rehman, who has a religious education, unlike Hakimullah, hit out at the West, even threatening attacks.

"Obama is our foremost enemy and our workers are raring to face him," Rehman said. "Our workers cherish death more than the life and London , Paris and New York are not far away from them."

The Pakistani Taliban has no known capacity to mount attacks in the West.

Speaking before the announcement on the Taliban leadership, Pakistan's interior minister, Rehman Malik , was confident that the extremist movement was sinking.

"They cannot hide," Malik said. "We are close to their jugular vein. Now the people have turned against them."

 

[Silent observer]

Pakistani Taliban name two extremists to replace assassinated leader

By Saeed Shah, McClatchy Newspapers Saeed Shah, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Tue Aug 25, 6:28 pm ET

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan's extremist Taliban movement acknowledged Tuesday that its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, had died in the aftermath of a U.S. drone missile attack early this month and confirmed that two men would replace him.

Hakimullah Mehsud, a violent young jihadist with links to al Qaida , will be in nominal control but his rival, Waliur Rehman , will take charge of Waziristan, a vital region for the militant movement. Rehman, in a telephone interview Tuesday with reporters, threatened attacks against the West and called President Barack Obama "our foremost enemy."

The Pakistani Taliban provides sanctuary for al Qaida and the Afghan insurgents in Pakistan's lawless tribal area, and its leadership and goals will affect international forces in Afghanistan and terror plots against Western targets.
The militant group sustained heavy losses in late April following the launch of a U.S.-backed Pakistani army operation, and the death of Baitullah Mehsud appeared to leave it in disarray. Now Pakistan and the United States will be watching to see if new leadership can stabilize the Pakistani Taliban.

Both of the top contenders for the leadership said Baitullah had succumbed to his injuries Sunday, not on Aug. 5 , when a U.S. missile struck a house in South Waziristan , his native region, as U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials had thought.

The admission came after weeks of denials from militants that Baitullah, who brought together 13 extremist groups in the country's northwest to form Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in December 2007 , had been eliminated.
On the surface, the power struggle to replace Baitullah appears to have been won by Hakimullah, a trigger-happy tribesman with the reputation of a thug. But his rival, Rehman, who was closer to Baitullah and is regarded as much less brutal than Hakimullah, was given charge of the all-important Waziristan region.
"The real power is in Waziristan, and Waliur Rehman will run things there," said Saifullah Mahsud , an analyst at the FATA Research Center , an independent think tank in Islamabad . "It's a clever compromise formula. Waliur Rehman has the real power."

Remote, mountainous Waziristan is a potential hiding place for Osama bin Laden and a safe haven for jihadists from around the world.
According to a tribesman in South Waziristan , who could not be named for his own safety, Hakimullah, thought to be just 28, had threatened to form a breakaway group if he wasn't given the title of leader.
"In order to avoid bloodshed, Waliur Rehman has been forced by the Afghan side to agree. He's a decent, respected guy," said the tribesman.
He added that the dispute was mediated by a representative of Mullah Omar, founder of the Afghan Taliban, and Sirajuddin Haqqani , the son of veteran Afghan jihadist Jalaluddin Haqqani . The Pakistani Taliban regards its older Afghan counterpart as its mentor, and the Haqqani network in particular wields considerable influence over the Afghan branch.

Hakimullah could be the choice of al Qaida , analysts say, as he is linked closely to two terrorist groups banned in Pakistan — Sipah-e-Sahaba and its even more extreme offshoot, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi — that now take their lead from bin Laden.

Hakimullah formerly belonged to Sipah-e-Sahaba. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is regarded as a key al Qaida facilitator in Pakistan and played a role in many of the bombings and other attacks that have rocked the country over the last two years, including the assault on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team earlier this year.

Given the rivalry between Rehman, who is more popular in South Waziristan , and Hakimullah, analysts think that the power struggle could erupt again. According to an unconfirmed report, denied by the Taliban , the rivalry had led to a gun battle earlier this month in which both were injured. Until Tuesday, many were convinced that Hakimullah had died in that clash.

The pair appeared to be sitting together as they called select local journalists Tuesday evening, after the end of the Ramadan fast, as they passed the phone between them, according to one person who spoke to both.

"There are no differences between the various Taliban factions, and we are all united," Rehman told reporters from an undisclosed location.
Rehman, who has a religious education, unlike Hakimullah, hit out at the West, even threatening attacks.

"Obama is our foremost enemy and our workers are raring to face him," Rehman said. "Our workers cherish death more than the life and London , Paris and New York are not far away from them."

The Pakistani Taliban has no known capacity to mount attacks in the West.
Speaking before the announcement on the Taliban leadership, Pakistan's interior minister, Rehman Malik , was confident that the extremist movement was sinking.

"They cannot hide," Malik said. "We are close to their jugular vein. Now the people have turned against them."

 

[Xeric]

Pakistan News PakTribune.Com

Power-sharing formula to maintain TTP unity

Wednesday August 26, 2009 (1159 PST)


PESHAWAR: The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to have resolved the issue of succession, for the time-being at least, after belatedly conceding Baitullah Mehsud’s death and distributing the two most important positions in the organisation among the main contenders, Hakimullah Mehsud and Maulana Waliur Rahman Mehsud.

Under the power-sharing formula, the younger man Hakimullah was chosen the TTP central Ameer, or head, and Waliur Rahman was made the leader of the militants in their stronghold of South Waziristan.

Hakimullah, who studied in a Madrassa for some years but didn’t graduate as a Mullah, would be heavily dependent on Waliur Rahman for both manpower and resources to run the TTP. Waliur Rahman, a cousin of Baitullah and his close aide, would apparently continue to control the organisation’s affairs as he did in the last years of the ailing Baitullah’s life. Moreover, he would wield considerable influence as the TTP Ameer for South Waziristan, the birthplace and headquarters of the militant group.

For 20 days, the Pakistani Taliban commanders tried to hide and deny Baitullah’s death. They conceded his death when it became impossible to keep denying it any further. The evidence was piling up and the Taliban were unable to provide any proof of Baitullah’s life.

It appears that Baitullah was killed along with his wife on the night of August 5 when US drones fired missiles at his father-in-law Maulana Ikramuddin’s house in Zangara village near Ladha town in South Waziristan. The story that Hakimullah fed to the media on Tuesday about Baitullah getting critically injured in the drone attack and succumbing to his injuries just two days ago may not be true. Until now he and other TTP commanders were claiming that Baitullah was ill rather than injured. As an afterthought, Hakimullah and his men are now presenting to the media a new story and sequence of events. And this narration is based on the fact that Baitullah fell unconscious after suffering injuries in the US drone-and-missile strike on August 5 and breathed his last on August 22 or 23. It would be hard to believe this story following the less-than-credible denials and explanations that the TTP commanders made during the last few weeks.

There was no way that the new TTP leader would come from any place outside South Waziristan. It had to be a South Waziristani and also someone from the Mehsud tribe. Baitullah’s fellow Mehsuds in the TTP would not have agreed to pass on the leadership to anyone else. Neither Maulana Faqir Muhammad, the TTP deputy leader and the Taliban commander for Bajaur Agency, nor Maulana Fazlullah from Swat, Tariq Afridi from Darra Adamkhel and Abdul Wali alias Omar Khalid from Mohmand Agency had any fighting chance to head the organisation after Baitullah’s death. The swiftness with which Maulana Faqir Muhammad withdrew his claim to Baitullah’s position as the TTP head revealed his own weak position and underscored the inevitability of having someone from South Waziristan to replace Baitullah.

In the absence of a strong leader like Baitullah, the TTP would no longer be the same active organisation that it was during his life. Differences in its ranks could emerge, more so if the Taliban continue to suffer setbacks at the hands of Pakistan’s armed forces and the US drones. Though both Hakimullah, an emotional young man aged less than 30, and the far more mature Waliur Rahman together phoned the BBC Urdu service in Islamabad on Tuesday to formally announce Baitullah’s death and at the same time show that they have no differences, the issue of unity or disunity in the TTP ranks would continue to be discussed. Their show of solidarity in the time of grief for the TTP rank and file due to Baitullah’s death was most likely designed to keep the morale of the Taliban fighters high. It was also aimed at assuring the Taliban troops that their two most important commanders are united and not fighting each other as claimed by the government.

End.