ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 24, 2007
Surrounded Militant Kills Self In Pakistan
Former Guantanamo Prisoner Returned To Command Militants, Blows Self Up Near Afghan Border
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Video Chertoff: It's A Long War Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff talks with Katie Couric about the latest intelligence report from the waar on terror.
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Abdullah Mehsud, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, talks to the media as his bodyguard stand guard near Chagmalai in South Waziristan along the Afghan border in this Oct 14, 2004 file photo. (AP Photo/M. Sajjad/FILE)
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Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, right, sits with his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in this file image taken from an undated video shown on a pan-Arab satellite channel. (CBS)
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Fast Facts Pakistan Learn about the people, economy and history.
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Photo Essay Islamabad Mosque Siege Pakistani troops storm Red Mosque held by Islamic extremists.
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Special Report War On Terror Complete coverage of the military's battle against terrorism.
The demise of Abdullah Mehsud is a boost to the government, which faces growing U.S. pressure to crack down on Islamic militants battling security forces near the Afghan frontier.
A senior Pakistani security official tells CBS News on condition of anonymity, "Abdullah Mehsud was encircled and our forces were closing in on him. Suddenly there was an explosion in which he was killed."
CBS News' Farhan Bokhari reports that Mehsud's death marks a significant symbolic setback to the Taliban forces who have regrouped along that border in the last 18 months.
The security official tells CBS News Mehsud's death confirmed "the vulnerability of the Taliban leaders", but conceded his death "would not make a difference to the Taliban's ability to fight on."
Intelligence agents cornered Mehsud at the home of an Islamist politician in Zhob, a town 160 miles from the southwestern city of Quetta, police officials said.
"My information is that Abdullah Mehsud killed himself," Zhob police chief Atta Mohammed told The Associated Press. "Thanks be to God that only he was blown up and our men were safe."
Federal Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema confirmed Mehsud's death, but provided no details.
The one-legged militant was released from the U.S. jail for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in March 2004 after he was captured in Afghanistan fighting for the Taliban.
He quickly took up arms again, and became a leader of militants in the South Waziristan region on the Afghan border, and was wanted for the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers later that year.
One of the Chinese, who had been working on a dam project, was killed while the other was rescued alive in an operation by Pakistani commandos.
A Pakistani intelligence official said Mehsud was intercepted on his way back from Afghanistan's Helmand province, where the official said he led supporters fighting alongside the Taliban against Afghan and U.S. forces.
The intelligence official, who is not authorized to speak on the record to reporters, said Mehsud had been in Afghanistan for more than a year and that there was no evidence that he organized the recent violence in Pakistan.
Western diplomats tell Bokhari Mehsud's death comes as Pakistan's U.S.-backed military leader, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf appears more determined to demonstrate his willingness to attack militant targets near the border with Afghanistan.
Since Saturday, Pakistani troops have killed at least 35 pro-Taliban militants in a series of incursions near the border.
Pakistani officials were alarmed last week over a new U.S. national intelligence report which suggested al Qaeda's presence had grown in Pakistan's tribal regions — semi-autonomous territories along the Afghan border ruled largely by local tribal leaders according to decades of custom.
"The Pakistanis certainly seem to be trying to demonstrate that they are actively cleaning up the tribal area," said one senior Western diplomat, who spoke to CBS News on the condition that he would not be named. "The Pakistanis probably feel, if they don't clear up their own back yard, the U.S. (forces) in Afghanistan may cross the border to clean up the mess."
Officials said the house in Zhob, where three other men were arrested, belonged to Sheikh Mohammed Ayub and that he was not at home at the time.
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, a federal lawmaker for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, said Ayub had been expelled from the pro-Taliban party about four months earlier for "suspicious activities and violating party discipline." He declined to elaborate.
In other developments:
Violence has flared across Pakistan since a deadly military raid on a radical mosque in the capital Islamabad earlier this month. More than 300 people have died, most of them security forces.
Most of the violence has been in North Waziristan, a tribal region where a 10-month-old peace deal with between the government and militants has broken down and the army has redeployed troops backed by helicopters and artillery.
Officials are trying to resurrect the deal, signed in September by tribal elders who pledged to expel foreign militants and stop cross-border raids into Afghanistan.
However, Washington has described the accord as a failure which afforded al Qaeda breathing-room to regroup — and perhaps plot another big attack on the United States.
Arab, Afghan and Central Asian militants suspected of links with al Qaeda as well as Taliban and local militants operate in North and South Waziristan.
The area is viewed as a possible hiding place for al Qaeda chiefs Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri.
The government has angrily rejected suggestions from U.S. officials that American troops might conduct cross-border raids from Afghanistan on al Qaeda hideouts in the tribal belt along the frontier.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From War On Terror
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- please support our troops
demonic-rats won't fight the fascist nazi terrorislamic war...
Incredible! George S Patton's New Speech-Iraq & modern world
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyUX6wV1lBQ - Reply to this comment
- The Koran - If read by an educated person = Beautiful. Posted by patriot75
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Guess you haven't read it then, or if you did you're uneducated.
I've read it, I'm educated-aside from being boring, redundant and repetitive, as well as being a bastardization of the Bible/Torah, its full of hate, prejudice and condones violence against the "unbelievers" (all non-muslims).
The so-called quranic 'science' is also very primitive and quaint. This would never make it to NY Times best-sellers, more of a pulp fiction work if you ask me. - Reply to this comment
LEtting terrorist go ? Are we nuts ?
Ollie Olli in free. PC com calling, go home and be good.- Reply to this comment
- As a college professor in Political History, I can recall no conflict that once the enemy is captured, he is let go to fight again. Is this the outcome pleasing to ACLU ?
- Reply to this comment
- patriot75...there's not even anything worth reading in the koran for an educated person...what makes you think an educated person would find the koran beautiful???? what a joke...mohammed made all the sh*t up in the koran after stealing half of it from the jews and christians...there's no true love or peace from anything in the koran...it is a cult of death, brought about by a schizophrenic, pediphile...i SH*T on the koran!
- Reply to this comment
- WOW! Why don't they ALL do that?
- Reply to this comment
- Al Qaeda in Iraq is run by foreign leaders loyal to Osama bin Laden," Mr. Bush said. "Like bin Laden, they are cold-blooded killers who murder the innocent to achieve al Qaeda's objectives."
My question is if bush knew and knows this WHY did he stop pursuing Bin Laden?
Why did he say Bin Laden didn't concern him?
IS THIS THE CORRECT WAY TO PROTECT AMERICA??????? - Reply to this comment
- Lars008
You know I doubt that you are even American. This is a gut feeling. - Reply to this comment
- I understand that you always feel superior and your hand should be always kissed. I understand this arrogant mindset (which basically one of the major cause why people hate America). I don't generalize here because there are very nice and respectful Americans and I am sorry to say that you (lars 008) not one of them. But why shouldn't be easy for you to say thanks for people supported you and respect you. Do you want them also to hate you by acting arrogant. The problem that I pointed out to is that Americans need to know more about others.
Posted by wise80 at 06:08 PM : Jul 24, 2007
it is the fascist nazi terrorislam jihadist that feel superior haji... and that is why non muslims hate them...
name one islamic state that grants equal rights to non muslims haji???
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan - Reply to this comment
- This is good news for Pakistan. This fellow was responsible for the kidnapping of Chinese in Pakistan as well as other terrorist acts.
- Reply to this comment
- Lars 008,
I understand that you always feel superior and your hand should be always kissed. I understand this arrogant mindset (which basically one of the major cause why people hate America). I don't generalize here because there are very nice and respectful Americans and I am sorry to say that you (lars 008) not one of them. But why shouldn't be easy for you to say thanks for people supported you and respect you. Do you want them also to hate you by acting arrogant. The problem that I pointed out to is that Americans need to know more about others. - Reply to this comment
- Do you know that Kurds are those poeple who fought side by side with US army against Saddam? Do have any idea that if there were no Kurds in the North or Iraq US army had to open another battle front in North then would have lost more troops? Do you know that because of Kurds the 3 Northern cities are completely stabilized and there is no single US troops there because they don't commit any violence otherwise US had to send more 50 000 troops to those cities to stabilize it? And now you are accusing Kurd people of being radicals. You should kiss Kurds hand for that.I think you Americans need to read more and know about what is going on. You are completely in dark. If you need more information about Kurds I recommend you to see 60 minutes about Kurdistan by CBS then you know what is Kurd.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/20
07/02/16/60minutes/main2486679.shtml?sou
rce=search_story
Posted by wise80 at 05:24 PM : Jul 24, 2007
no... they should be kissing the coalition troops hands for saving them from saddam...
and they are... - Reply to this comment
- "do you know what osama bin laden, arafat, syria, iran, that ******, the sunnis, the kurds pretty much all of middle eastern and asian muslim jihadist have in common???
BELIEF IN RADICAL ISLAM."
*********
Do you know that Kurds are those poeple who fought side by side with US army against Saddam? Do have any idea that if there were no Kurds in the North or Iraq US army had to open another battle front in North then would have lost more troops? Do you know that because of Kurds the 3 Northern cities are completely stabilized and there is no single US troops there because they don't commit any violence otherwise US had to send more 50 000 troops to those cities to stabilize it? And now you are accusing Kurd people of being radicals. You should kiss Kurds hand for that.I think you Americans need to read more and know about what is going on. You are completely in dark. If you need more information about Kurds I recommend you to see 60 minutes about Kurdistan by CBS then you know what is Kurd.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/16/60minutes/main2486679.shtml?source=search_story - Reply to this comment
- Rumsfeld and Cheney had more of his ear than anyone and I doubt anyone could get next to him thanks to cheney and Rumsfeld. I am an Independent but he is wrong and he is trying to correct something that can not be corrected militarily only politicaly and that is where it all belongs , not on the democrats back who did not cause any of this. so Wake up and stop putting your foot in your mouth.
Posted by starleo146 at 02:36 PM : Jul 24, 2007
Another LIB wailing about right and wrong. This country is at war! This President has defended the homeland for six years now, and I for one am grateful.
Islamo-fascists want to kill every American. Think about that and tell us what your answer is. SURRENDER (withdrawl, re-deployment or whatever you want to call it) is NOT a rational response! - Reply to this comment
- Posted by xzavierbrown at 04:09 PM : Jul 24, 2007
FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM TO ENSLAVE NON MUSLIM WORLD
HAMAS MICKEY MOUSE SAYS
Islamic rule will benefit Christians and Jews
by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook - May 14, 2007
The force behind Hamas TV%u2019s controversial Mickey Mouse clone said today that his children%u2019s television program will continue to promote worldwide Islamic supremacy, for everyone's benefit, including Christians and Jews.
In a long interview on Hamas TV, Hazim Al-Sha%u2019arawi, Deputy Director of Al-Aqsa TV and one of the creators of the Hamas children%u2019s TV show Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers, said that using the program to promote Islamic rule over other religions is actually promoting %u201Cjustice, goodness and world love.%u201D
Al-Aqsa TV and the Palestinian Authority have been under fire since PMW reported last week that Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers was using a character named Farfur, a knockoff of Disney%u2019s Mickey Mouse character, to convey messages about Islamic supremacy as well as hatred of Jews, Israel and the U.S. Despite public statements by PA Minister of Information Mustafa Barghouti that the show would be taken off the air until it could be reviewed and revised, a new episode of the program %u2013 featuring Al-Sha%u2019arawi as one of the hosts %u2013 ran Friday.
http://pmw.org.il/bulletins_may2007.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S995NCeaUg - Reply to this comment
- rest assured that the ACLU and those enligthened liberals WILL HOLD A NUDE CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL in honor of thier fallen brethren.
gotta love that liberal way of shock and awe.
By the way,
There is a vigil in pakistan and ALL ACLU AND EVERY LIBERAL WHO DEFENDED AND FOUGHT FOR THIS GUY'S RELEASE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND (one way airline ticket is free, must have shaven and clean neck for possible video shoot or willing to stay in a confined room for undisclosed period of time a must) - Reply to this comment
- Another former prisoner from Guantanamo who is right back at it again. This is what you get when you moronic liberals start crying about the rights of these *** holes. This guy should have been detained for th rest of his life. The only good that came of this is that he killed himself and saved us the time and expense. Keep it up and before you knwo it they'll all be out and ready to attack us again... Good luck.
Posted by guyfrompa45 at 03:27 PM : Jul 24, 2007
hmmmm maybe he was guilty... too bad he saved us the trouble/pleasure of killing him...
hahahahahaha - Reply to this comment
- Posted by starleo146 at 02:21 PM : Jul 24, 2007
+ report abuse
*******
do you know what osama bin laden, arafat, syria, iran, that ******, the sunnis, the kurds pretty much all of middle eastern and asian muslim jihadist have in common???
BELIEF IN RADICAL ISLAM.
now you seem to be a smart one, now if you are at war with terrorism..who or what would you go after to solve this problem? kill osama? nuke Iran? assasinate arafat?? how about dealing with radical islam. we have rooted ourselves in iraq..now my only problem with that is that we are BOGGED DOWN in iraq..we should expand and plant the seed of a 'society with options', call it whatever you want but something that would 1. water down that rabid islamic ideology 2. give the people an option to either go on a jihadist or work for IBM or be a complete slacker.
This will not happen in a day or a year or a decade..this will take a long time. The only time war ends that fast as you expected is in a hollywood movie. - Reply to this comment
- we should hold the ACLU, the United Nations and the International Red Cross guilty of terrorism for conspiring with Abdullah Mehsud to kill innocent people.
- Reply to this comment
- IT IS TIME TO DEFEAT FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM ONCE AND FOR ALL%u2026
In 1786, Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador to France, and John Adams, then American Ambassador to Britain, met in London with Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja, the Dey%u2019s ambassador to Britain, in an attempt to negotiate a peace treaty based on Congress%u2019 vote of funding. To Congress, these two future presidents later reported the reasons for the Muslims%u2019 hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous contacts.
%u2026that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman (Muslim) who should be slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise.
Sound familiar?
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison defeated the fascist nazi muslims 200 years ago
And again 100 years ago with Theodore Roosevelt
Tunisia in 1881 by France and Libya in 1911 by Italy. By then most of the Islamic world was under Christian domination. With the Ottoman Empire defeated in WW1, secularist Turkish rebels in 1923 overthrew the last Islamic Caliphate,
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6bdec278-6a71-4436-bc4d-29d1c54b0ad7 - Reply to this comment
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
