Pakistan Secretly OK'd bin Laden Hit—10 Years Ago

Pakistan jails Shakil Afridi for treason

(NEWSER) - The Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA take down the world's most notorious terrorist will spend the next 33 years of his life in prison for his troubles. Dr. Shakil Afridi ran a vaccination program that the US used to verify Osama bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad, reports Reuters , and Pakistan today slapped him with the stiff sentence for treason. Adding insult to injury, he was ordered to pay a fine of about $3,500—or spend an extra three and a half years behind bars, notes the AP . More»

John Kerry's visit leads to joint pledge

(NEWSER) - The US and Pakistan have agreed to work together in the future against "high value targets" in Pakistan, the countries announced in a joint statement today. The news comes after Sen. John Kerry arrived in Pakistan last night, intending to send a strong message following the death of Osama bin Laden: Cooperate more when it comes to rooting out terrorists, or face "profound" changes in the US-Pakistan relationship—which could include kissing billions in aid goodbye. Kerry is the most senior US official to go to Pakistan since bin Laden's death, but since issuing the joint pledge, he said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will soon announce her own plans to visit, the AP reports. More»

Intelligence chief denounces US, says he is ready to resign

(NEWSER) - Pakistan's parliament has condemned the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and passed a resolution stating that Pakistan will revisit its ties with the US. Supply lines to US troops in Afghanistan could be cut if there are any more such attacks, parliament warned. The announcement came at the end of a heated 11-hour session held behind closed doors, the New York Times reports. Pakistan's intelligence chief denounced the US raid and said he was ready to resign over the incident. More»

Even as army orders reduction in US forces, as some question legality of raid

(NEWSER) - Pakistan's army today admitted to "shortcomings in developing intelligence on the presence" of Osama bin Laden, then promptly ordered a reduction in US military in the country to "minimum essential" levels. The reduction is apparently meant to protest the independent US raid on bin Laden's compound, which has been criticized in Pakistan as violating that country's sovereignty, the AP reports. Pakistan earlier warned of "disastrous consequences" if the US carries out other, similar raids in the future. More»

Hamas blasts 'killing of an Arab holy warrior'

(NEWSER) - Reaction to Osama bin Laden's death is pouring in from around the world—and not everybody's cheering, Reuters reports:

• Hamas: “We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior,” said Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s leader in the Gaza Strip. “We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood.”