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All Roads Lead to Pakistan

As the Taliban continues its tradition of murdering innocent, unarmed civilians in brazen hotel attack. Round-up of allegedly Pak-based attack, Pak-bound arrests:

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Militants stormed Kabul’s most popular luxury hotel Monday, hunting down Westerners who cowered in a gym during a coordinated assault that killed seven people and could signal a new era of brazen Taliban attacks.

As usual, the AP can’t tell the difference between someone engaged in quasi-military activities and terrorism, but that’s a side issue. AP also appears eager to make a trend out of a single incident, a perspective applied here as usual to the benefit of “militants.” Other parties have to fight to get their trends recognized. Sorry, digression.

Dana Perino notes its a global war. Some countries would like to get out of there, a lot of foot-dragging, hemming, hawing on an issue that directly affects Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Australia … so far Antarctica hasn’t had any trouble.

Times of London, mastermind named. Pak-based, how about that.

Afghan intelligence today named a Pakistan-based militant as the mastermind behind yesterday’s suicide attack on Kabul’s main luxury hotel that killed eight people, several of them Westerners.

Siraj Haqqani, a leader thought to be based in the tribal area of North Waziristan, who had a $200,000 (£102,000) bounty placed on his head by the US miltary, was identified as Afghan officials released more details of the attack.

Times has more attack detail:

A guard shot and killed one attacker at the gate to the hotel’s parking lot, which triggered his suicide vest. A second attacker blew himself up near the entrance to the hotel’s lobby.

The third attacker however made it inside the hotel, and shot his way through the lobby and towards the gym, said Mr Saleh.

…

Witnesses have described scenes of carnage as an American special forces team entered the building in pursuit. Hundreds of terrified guests took shelter in the basement as a firefight raged in the hotel lobby and corridors. In the aftermath dead bodies were seen lying in pools of blood.

Robert Steward, an American guest, said: “They shot two or three people in the lobby and then got to the gym, where they shot three or four people. A Filipina who was working out in the gym was shot there.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d think the Times meant the American special forces team was responsible for shooting the Filipina maid, all that other carnage, but I’m sure its an innocent mistake.

Four arrested, one trying to escape to … you guessed it, Pakistan … one attacker wore a cop uniform. AP update:

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan officials have arrested four men following an attack on Kabul’s main luxury hotel, including one suspected of wearing a police uniform during the multi-pronged assault that killed eight, officials said Tuesday.

…

Police arrested a man named Humayun, allegedly a key link to Abdullah, in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday as he was trying to flee to Pakistan, Saleh said, accusing him of supplying the assailants with weapons, explosives and suicide vests and driving them to the hotel.

Saleh showed a picture taken from the hotel’s security cameras showing a gunman in a police uniform inside the hotel’s lobby, apparently the third attacker. He was apprehended 15 to 20 minutes after the attack began, he said.

“The third person, after killing a number of the guests, maybe he changed his mind for some reason, he didn’t detonate himself,” Saleh said. “He changed his clothes and later when security forces searched the premises, he was arrested.”

Authorities raided a house in Kabul early Tuesday where the alleged attackers had spent the night before the attack. Police found a video showing two of the assailants, identified as Farouq and Salahuddin, saying they were ready to die. The owner of the house and his brother were arrested.

“I commit this suicide attack for Allah,” the video showed the attacker named Farouq saying. He was believed to have blown himself up during the attack.

Salahuddin was captured and provided information that led to the arrest of Humayun, Saleh said.

I know Pakistan is a sensitive issue, stability a concern, rising Islamism, but at what point does the balance tip? Hopefully the Pak reaction against an increased U.S. special forces presence in the tribal areas was for public consumption. Here’s a little more on Pakistan’s own issues there.

NYT: “Militants escape control of Pakistan, officials say.” It’s about the ISI nurturing, losing control of Islamic extremists. Hard to say if that’s ISI making excuses for itself, covering for itself or genuinely concerned. Article observes that efforts to rein in and redirect the ISI have had limited success at best. But it’s not like this hasn’t become a major problem for the Pak military.

Reuters: “Pak forces clash with militants.”

AP: “Militants slain in Pakistan battle.”

Topics: Afghanistan, GWOT, Pakistan

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:02 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

5 Responses to “All Roads Lead to Pakistan”

1. The Thunder Run Says:
   January 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am

   Web Reconnaissance for 01/15/2008

   A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.

2. Don Surber » Blog Archive » Pak attack Says:
   January 15th, 2008 at 11:55 am

   [...] Jules Crittenden: “All Roads Lead to Pakistan.” [...]

3. PoliGazette » Blowback in Pakistan Says:
   January 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

   [...] conclusion: it’s certainly a tremendous mess. The ISI has lost control over the militants it once used against India. They’re now acting [...]

4. saltydog Says:
   January 15th, 2008 at 4:05 pm

   All of this is dangerous and very worrying. I wonder how the manikins running for president will handle the increase in problems in Afghanistan. I mean beyond blaming Bush. The blame game is handy if you have nothing constructive to offer.

   Please forgive the levity of this question, but I note that Farouq died. He ought to have stayed in the cave.

5. saltydog Says:
   January 15th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

   Shoot. Obviously, the levity had nothing to do with a question, since I didn’t ask one. I’d blame drink, but I haven’t had any. Seems like a good time to pour one.

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