Counterterrorism Blog

(UPDATE: See actual video of the shooting of Benazir Bhutto.)

From AFP News:

Alleged Al-Qaeda leader Baitullah Mehsud denied any involvement in Benazir Bhutto's death after the Pakistan government blamed him for the killing, his spokesman told AFP on Saturday.

"He had no involvement in this attack," spokesman Maulana Omar said in a telephone call. "This is a conspiracy of the government, army and intelligence agencies."

The spokesman said he was calling from Pakistan's Waziristan area, a lawless tribal region where Pakistani government forces have been battling Islamist militants.

"It is against tribal tradition and custom to attack a woman," Omar said.

The Pakistan Interior Ministry claims Mehsud directed the October Karachi bombing against Bhutto that killed over 140 people. From the Associated Press:

Mehsud heads Tehrik-i-Taliban, a newly formed coalition of Islamic militants committed to waging holy war against the government, which is a key U.S. ally in its war on terror. Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party accused the government of trying to frame Mehsud, saying the militant — through emissaries — had previously told Bhutto he was not involved in the Karachi bombing.

A point to consider: Bhutto could have been killed easily at any time while living in Dubai, according to a CT Blog fan (someone I have cited often) who lived near Bhutto and met her in a hotel there. Bhutto had been preparing for her return for some time before she actually entered the country. The perpetrators intentionally waited for her entry into Pakistan for maximum exposure and impact.

EDIT: I added "Alleged" to the title to qualify Mehsud's affiliation with Al Qaeda, consistent with his description in the AFP article. Strictly speaking, Tehrik-i-Taliban is not Al Qaeda. CNN quotes a "senior US official" who describes Mehsud as a "Taliban leader" and attributing the attack to Mehsud. You can read a BBC profile of Mehsud.

Animesh Roul discussed Mehsud in posts about the situation in Pakistan on February 12 and on November 9.