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Al-Qaeda Ally Denies Hand in Bhutto Killing

Pakistan accuses him, but Mehsud would never 'attack a woman'

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 29, 2007 6:21 AM CST

(Newser) – A representative of Baitullah Mehsud, the al-Qaeda leader Pakistan has fingered in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, strongly denied any involvement in her death today. Giving further support to the claims of a cover-up by Bhutto's partisans, the spokesman for Mehsud said "he had no involvement in this attack" and that "it is against tribal tradition and custom to attack a woman."

Mehsud's representative, speaking to news agencies from the mountainous area of South Waziristan on the Afghan border, insisted that "we are only against America, and we don't consider political leaders of Pakistan our enemy." The denial is at odds with what is alleged to be the transcript of an intercepted phone call released by Pakistan's interior ministry yesterday in which Mehsud congratulates operatives on the success of the assassination.

Baitullah Mehsud's late brother-in-arms Abdullah Mehsud talks to reporters near Chagmalai on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 in South Waziristan along Afghanistan border. Pakistan's government asserted Friday Dec. 28, 2007 that al-Qaida was behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and offered the transcript of a conversation as proof. We strongly deny...
Baitullah Mehsud's late brother-in-arms Abdullah Mehsud talks to reporters near Chagmalai on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 in South Waziristan along Afghanistan border. Pakistan's government asserted Friday...   (Associated Press)
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto  arrives to address to her last public rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in this Dec. 27, 2007 file photo. In an Oct. 26 email sent to CNN's Wolf Blitzer through an intermediary, Bhutto complained about her security, stating  that if anything happened to her, I...
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto arrives to address to her last public rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in this Dec. 27, 2007 file photo. In an Oct. 26 email sent to CNN's Wolf Blitzer through...   (Associated Press)
Women supporters of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto chant slogans during a protest rally in Multan, Pakistan on Friday, Dec 28, 2007. Bhutto's supporters rampaged through cities to protest her assassination less than two weeks before a crucial election, ransacking banks and setting train stations ablaze, officials said. (AP Photo/Khalid...
Women supporters of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto chant slogans during a protest rally in Multan, Pakistan on Friday, Dec 28, 2007. Bhutto's supporters rampaged through cities to protest her...   (Associated Press)
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