Taliban may hijack airplanes, repeat 9/11 : warns intelligence

October 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban militants are planning to carry out suicide bombings across Pakistan to avenge the death of their chief Baitullah Mehsud who was killed by the security forces in April, a media report said citing intelligence sources. Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack in South Wazirisitan.

October 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency has categorically denied any links with the Taliban. The Daily Times quoted ISI Director General Lt.

October 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani intelligence authorities have warned that extremists may try to hijack Chinese airplanes and kidnap Chinese nationals working in the country. Intelligence agencies have issued notice to the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) asking them to strengthen security measures in and around Chinese establishments inside Pakistan.

September 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least 13 Taliban militants were killed in two suspected US drone attacks in Pakistan's lawless region near the Afghan border Tuesday, intelligence officials said. The first attack took place at around 9.30 a.m.

September 29th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has rejected media reports that top Taliban commander Mullah Omar was hiding in Quetta. A private television channel quoted Malik as saying that Omar was in Kandahar, Afghanistan and not in Quetta as was reported by The Sunday Times.

September 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A suspected US unmanned aircraft fired two missiles at a militant hideout in Pakistan's ungoverned tribal region on the border with Afghanistan, killing at least 12 people, intelligence officials said Friday. The attack took place Thursday just before midnight in Dandy Darpa Khel village near Mir Ali town of the North Waziristan tribal district, where Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters have havens.

September 24th, 2009 NEW YORK - Expressing concerns over the growing level of sophistication and organization among the Taliban leadership, top US military and intelligence officials have said that they believe that the Taliban still gets support from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistani Army. A report based on the assessment of the US led 'war on terror' by General Stanley McChrystal, the top military commander in Afghanistan, also highlights the increasing clout of the Taliban even after eight years of continuous struggle.

August 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani intelligence agencies believe the new Taliban chief named by the militant group Saturday is a look alike brother of Hakimullah Mehsud and not the real one, the Online news agency reported. Taliban in order to save their image are giving the impression that Hakimullah Mehsud is alive, while the truth is the man, also called by the same name, who has been selected as the new chief of Teherik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is his look alike brother, the report said citing intelligence sources.

August 22nd, 2009 PESHAWAR - Four relatives of Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud have been detained by the militants on suspicion that they tipped off the authorities about his whereabouts, and this led to his death. A foreign news agency said quoted a senior intelligence official as saying that Mehsud's father-in-law, Ikramuddin Mehsud, his son, one of his brothers and a nephew had been detained by the Taliban on suspicion that they had passed on information about Mehsud's whereabouts.

August 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least 70 people were killed and dozens injured Tuesday in clashes between Taliban militants and a pro-government militia in Pakistan's ungoverned tribal belt that borders Afghanistan, intelligence officials said Wednesday. The fighting erupted when dozens of militants loyal to local Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, attacked the followers of Turkistan Bittani, who allied with the government after defecting the Taliban, in Jandola area of tribal district South Waziristan.

July 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister's advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik has said that the major Taliban leadership has been wiped out from Swat. Talking to media persons here, Malik claimed that the military offensive being carried out in the North West Frontier Province's (NWFP) Swat and Malakand Divisions have been successful with top commanders of the Taliban killed.

June 27th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan intelligence agencies have warned that extremists may strike the US embassy, consulates and other strategically important American establishments in the country. According to an intelligence report, a militant named Muhammad Ayub, who belongs to Quetta, has been assigned the work to carry out terror strikes on US buildings, The Daily Times reports.

June 24th, 2009 KABUL - Afghan troops killed 23 Taliban fighters in Uruzgan province, a senior military commander said Wednesday. "Acting upon intelligence report, Afghan troops backed by the US-led Coalition forces pounded Taliban militants in Chinartook area, killing 23 rebels including their commander Mullah Ismael Kuchi," commander of Afghan Corps in the region General Shir Mohammad Zazi told Xinhua.

May 25th, 2009 LAHORE - US intelligence agencies have launched an intensive effort to examine the various tribes supporting the Afghan militancy to determine whether some can be broken off. Top military and intelligence officials say they know far too little about the disparate groups they are fighting and believe many fighters have been incorrectly labelled as the Taliban.

April 29th, 2009 LAHORE - The Pakistan Army, which has until now vowed to stay away from the country's politics, may be compelled to act and initiate a coup if the government continues its submissive performance, a former Saudi intelligence chief has said. According to Turki al-Faisal, Pakistan has failed to deal with the Taliban in the right manner.