http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=135386&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26
Air base attack shows Taliban spy network Published: Wednesday, 28 February, 2007, 08:46 AM Doha Time By Rana Jawad and Danny Kemp ISLAMABAD: A suicide attack at an Afghan air base where US Vice President Dick Cheney was staying shows that the Taliban and Al Qaeda have penetrated local intelligence agencies, analysts said. The blast early yesterday at Bagram Air Base near Kabul also highlights the increasing sophistication of the extremist outfits as they prepare for a feared spring offensive against Western troops, they said. The day before the explosion Cheney warned President Pervez Musharraf of neighbouring Pakistan to crack down on militants regrouping in Pakistan’s tribal areas to mount attacks across the border and further afield. “This shows how much the militants have penetrated the intelligence of the Afghan security forces. It is a most shocking attack,” retired Pakistani general turned analyst Talat Masood said. Cheney’s visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan were unannounced and shrouded in even tighter secrecy than when US President George W Bush travelled to the two countries in March 2006. Author Ahmed Rashid, who has written a book on the Taliban, said the bombing was a “very provocative” move by the Taliban. “They were waiting for a high-level visit to carry out an attack. This visit, although highly secretive, was known in circles in Kabul and Islamabad,” he said. A senior Pakistani counter-terrorism official said the “sophisticated” attack “indicates the militants’ preparedness and the quality of their intelligence collection in the run-up to the so-called spring offensive.” He added: “They must have had information (a) few days before that the US Vice President would be in town and stay at Bagram. This is not something you can plan with 12 hours’ notice.” Cheney’s trip came amid reports that he would deliver a tough message to Musharraf, a key US ally since abandoning Pakistan’s support for the Taliban regime after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US. The US deputy leader had told Pakistan of “serious US concerns” over intelligence being picked up of an impending Taliban offensive against allied forces in Afghanistan, a Pakistani statement said. Pakistan has been accused by its allies of failing to stop cross-border attacks on Afghan, US and Nato forces, with particular concern about a peace deal it signed with militants in the troubled tribal region of North Waziristan. “The Americans think Pakistan should move swiftly in the tribal areas before the anticipated spring offensive by Taliban,” added a senior Pakistani government official, referring to the Musharraf-Cheney talks. “It is a make or break scenario for the US administration because they know if they are not able to manage it, things are going to get out of their hands very quickly in Afghanistan,” the official said. Military ruler Musharraf’s response to the renewed pressure will, however, likely be guided at least as much by domestic politics, including his balancing act with hardline religious parties and calls for increased democracy, analysts and officials said. – AFP +++ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
