Obama Talks Tough on Pakistan

President, Clinton cite US arrests, but link to Pakistan appears weak

(NEWSER) - The White House has been overstating the link between recent domestic terrorism arrests and al-Qaeda activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, security experts say. In justifying the Afghanistan troop buildup, President Obama cited recent arrests within the US; Hillary Clinton cited some of the same incidents a few days later. But the connection between al-Qaeda’s nerve center in Pakistan and those arrests is much more nebulous than they’re implying, counterterrorism officials tell the Washington Independent . More»

Discovery suggests suspects hiding in South Waziristan

(AP) - Pakistani soldiers battling their way into a Taliban stronghold along the Afghan border have seized passports that may be linked to 9/11 suspects. One is a German document belonging to a man named Said Bahaji, believed to be a member of the Hamburg cell that conceived the attacks. The passport indicates he arrived in Karachi on Sept. 4, 2001. More»

(NEWSER) - The US and Pakistan were this close to catching Osama bin Laden about 5 years ago, says former President Pervez Musharraf. "Then, suddenly, we lost track." In a question-and-answer forum following a speech in South Dakota, Musharraf said intelligence closed in on the al-Qaeda leader in a "broad location" before fizzling, notes USA Today. "I don't know whether he's dead or alive," he added. "It was a failure of Pakistan and a failure of US intelligence also." More»

(NEWSER) - US and Pakistani officials say they're all but certain they killed Baitullah Mehsud, yet one of his fellow Taliban commanders says that's just a bunch of "ridiculous" propaganda. Mehsud, he insists to the BBC, is alive and will stay underground for a few days before issuing a public statement. He offered no proof, however, and some analysts suggest he may be buying time to take over the Pakistan Taliban himself, notes Reuters. More»

(NEWSER) - Potentially big news out of Pakistan: A US drone may have killed Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, reports Reuters. "There is reason to believe that reports of his death may be true, but it can't be confirmed at this time," said an anonymous US official. Mehsud is an al-Qaeda ally and a top target of American forces. Among other things, he's accused of orchestrating the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. More»