Pakistan Security Brief - May 14, 2010

Pakistan Security Brief – May 14, 2010

New arrests in Pakistan and US provide more evidence of TTP link in NY bomb attempt; TTP spokesman Azam Tariq warns that America will “burn”; NATO operation on Pakistan-Afghanistan border may have crossed into North Waziristan; militant commander arrested in Kurram; search operation conducted, fighter jets bomb militant positions in Khyber; six injured in Peshawar prison riot; investigative report examines role of poverty in Taliban’s garnering of support and recruitment in Swat; Pakistani court acquits nine terror suspects; intelligence officials say captured military vehicles likely to be used in future terror attack in Punjab; ICRC limits operations in Balochistan after receiving threats; more militants are using Karachi as a safe haven; two killed in targeted killing in Karachi.

NY bomb investigation

• More arrests have been made in connection with the May 1 attempted car bombing in New York City’s Times Square. On Thursday, authorities in Pakistan arrested a man with suspected ties to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who later claimed to have been an accomplice of Shahzad. US intelligence officials said that the suspect’s story had been corroborated, providing an “independent stream” of evidence linking the TTP to the foiled terror plot. In addition, the FBI said that on Thursday it arrested two suspects in a Boston suburb and a third suspect in Portland, Maine who are believed to have provided funding to Shahzad. Officials said that raids were also conducted in suburbs of New York and Philadelphia but did not result in any arrests.[1]

TTP statements

• A new video has emerged of TTP spokesman Azam Tariq issuing renewed threats against both the US and Pakistan. Tariq called for the overthrow of the Pakistani government, calling it “anti-Islam” and “anti-people”, adding that Taliban militants were winning in the fight against security forces’ operations in the tribal areas. Additionally, Tariq also threatened the US and its “imperialist allies” and declared that “America will burn”, ambiguously referring to attacks on US soil.[2]

FATA

• A NATO military operation along the Afghan border with North Waziristan on Thursday may have crossed over into Pakistan as security forces were pursuing Taliban militants, according to local media sources. Additionally, two NATO fighter jets reportedly entered Pakistani airspace to bomb militant hideouts in the Shawal Valley of North Waziristan. Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas called these reports “incorrect” and denied that the skirmish spilled over into Pakistani territory. However, other military officials admitted that it was still unclear whether the operation was directed against militants on the Afghan side of the border or whether militants on the Pakistani side were being targeted.[3]

• On Thursday, a top Taliban commander was arrested after security forces pulled over his vehicle in Kurram Agency. The arrested commander, identified as Muhammad Ali, belonged to the group of Maulvi Noor Jamal, alias Maulvi Toofan, and is believed to have been responsible for several attacks on security forces in Kurram.[4]

• Frontier Constabulary forces conducted a search operation in the Sepah area of Khyber Agency’s Bara sub-district, arresting 51 suspects and recovering a large arms and ammunition cache. Also in Khyber, Pakistani Air Force fighter jets bombed several militant hideouts in Tirah Valley, reportedly killing nine militants and wounding ten others.[5]

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

• Three police officers were among the six people injured on Thursday morning when prisoners in the overcrowded Peshawar Central Prison took a guard hostage and began pelting other prison officials with stones and bricks. The primary cause of the incident was reportedly a dispute over prisoners’ permission to use cell phones, which was becoming an increasingly common practice among detainees. Police later broke up the clash with batons and tear gas.[6]

• A new investigative report examines how problems of poverty and development in Swat combined with the Pakistani government’s failure to respond to these issues were key factors which allowed the Taliban to garner local support and new recruits. The report also looks at the potential of the Taliban to use these same issues to mobilize support in Punjab province.[7]

Punjab

• An anti-terrorism court acquitted nine terror suspects on Thursday due to a lack of sufficient of evidence. However, the suspects will be held under house arrest since they are still under investigation. The men were accused of being involved in two suicide bombings conducted against military vehicles in Rawalpindi in February 2008. The first attack killed eight people, including a senior military officer, and wounded 25 others while the second attack left six people dead and 38 more wounded.[8]

• Intelligence officials in Pakistan said on Thursday that two military vehicles recently stolen from army personnel in Islamabad are likely be used in future terror attacks.[9]

Balochistan

• A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Amanullah, has said that the organization will limit its activities in Balochistan after receiving several undisclosed threats. Amanullah also stated that although the two ICRC offices in Quetta are still operating, their operations have been scaled back and both its foreign and local staff members have been asked to restrict their travel.[10]

Karachi

• Security officials in Pakistan have indicated that a growing number of militants from the tribal areas are taking refuge in the suburbs of Karachi. Militants in these areas are now reportedly working in smaller, more independent groups and there is also evidence of increased cooperation between similar-minded organizations such as the TTP, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Independent cells of militant groups are also conducting an increasing number of financing activities, such as the extortion of wealthy businessmen as well as cyber crimes. Officials also said that it is only because of diligent intelligence efforts that authorities have been able to foil attempted terror attacks in the city.[11]

• An Awami National Party (ANP) leader and a child were shot to death in a “targeted killing” incident in Karachi. Four unidentified gunmen reportedly exited a vehicle and opened fire on the ANP office near Al-Asif Square. Panic struck the adjacent market when the armed men fired their weapons into the air during their getaway and there were also later reports of burnt tires blocking the nearby Super Highway as people threw stones at passing vehicles despite the police presence there at the time.[12]