Audio By Carbonatix
The CIA has added its support to the view that a Pakistani militant, Baitullah Mehsud, and al-Qaeda organised Benazir Bhutto's killing.
CIA Director, Michael Hayden, said that the former Pakistani prime minister was killed by fighters allied to Baitullah Mehsud though he refused to reveal the sources of the claim.
The Pakistani government accused Mehsud of the attack shortly after Ms Bhutto's death in Rawalpindi on 27 December.
Correspondents say that Mr Hayden's comments are the most comprehensive public assessment by US intelligence of Ms Bhutto's death.
Controversy however, still surrounds the circumstances of the killing- One or more attackers shot at her and detonated a bomb as she was leaving a rally in Rawalpindi.
Baitullah Mehsud has denied involvement. The Pakistani government says it intercepted a phone conversation proving that he was behind the attack.
'Organised campaign'
CIA Director, Michael Hayden, is now backing the Pakistani government's view saying that this was done by that network around Baitullah Mehsud. “We have no reason to question that," Mr Hayden told the Washington Post. He said the murder was "part of an organised campaign" that has included suicide bombings and other attacks on Pakistani leaders.
Mr Hayden said that the same forces were responsible for a new outbreak of violence sweeping across Pakistan which was undermining the stability of President Pervez Musharraf's government.
"You've got this nexus now that probably was always there in latency but is now active: a nexus between al-Qaeda and various extremist and separatist groups," Mr Hayden said.
"It is clear that their intention is to continue to try to do harm to the Pakistani state as it currently exists."
Forces belonging to Baitullah Mehsud have also been blamed by the government for seizing a fort from the military in the troubled region of South Waziristan.
SOURCE: BBC
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
If BoG isn’t a profit-making institution, it also can’t be a loss-making one – Kofi Bentil
31 minutes -
Rethinking intelligence in the age of Artificial Intelligence
1 hour -
‘Every day is about survival’ – Workers demand action beyond May Day celebrations
1 hour -
Clear leadership demonstrated in managing recent power crisis – Dr Theo Acheampong
1 hour -
Accountability is defective in the energy sector – Ben Boakye
1 hour -
From detection to creation: Why education must move beyond AI plagiarism
1 hour -
Ghanaians keep paying for inefficiencies in the power sector – Prof Bokpin
1 hour -
Ghana’s power system not robust, outages inevitable – Ben Boakye
1 hour -
Beyond insults: The I.D.E.M playbook for political parties in the age of the ‘social media minister’
1 hour -
Germany backs Moroccan sovereignty in Sahara dispute
2 hours -
Beyond Competence: How capacity shapes professional access and influence
2 hours -
Chamber of Mines calls on BoG to release full breakdown of mining export proceeds
2 hours -
We appeal to Ghanaians for patience as we replace more transformers – Energy Minister
2 hours -
Power stability has improved since 2025 compared to 2024 – Jinapor
2 hours -
Akosombo substation fire should never have happened – Ben Boakye
2 hours