Aliases: Abu Mohamed Al-Masri, Saleh, Abu Mariam
Posted on 03/29/2004 10:09:30 PM PST by Valin
ISLAMABAD: Director General ISPR, Major General Shaukat Sultan Monday said Chief of al-Qaeda intelligence was killed during the recent operation in South Waziristan.
"It has also been confirmed that Abdullah who was the chief of al-Qaeda intelligence was killed in that operation," he told reporters at a foreign office briefing here.
The DG ISPR said he did not have any other details about the man, including his full name.
ISPR on Saturday had announced that Tahir Yoldeshev , one of the top al-Qaida leaders had been injured during the operation and was now on the run and hiding somewhere. He said according to independent sources, Yoldeshev was number 10 in the al-Qaida hierarchy.
He said the recent operations in South Waziristan Agency are part of Pakistan's efforts to root out terrorism in all its manifestations from its territory.
"It is a continuing effort by Pakistan against criminals, outlaws and terrorists who have found sanctuary any where in Pakistan. The Government's commitment to Pakistani society and International community to fight terrorism makes it incumbent upon us to take on this menace frontally," he added.
The DG ISPR said these extremist elements, though small in number, have a negative impact on the society and create insecurity amongst the masses.
"We can no longer ignore this problem and allow it to become a monster destroying the fabric of our moderate society. We have to tackle it with firmness and resolve," he added.
He said during the ongoing efforts against terrorism in the country outlaws have been apprehended from various parts of the country. Same efforts will continue throughout the country including tribal areas till these areas were cleaned up of all such elements, he added.
Maj. Gen Shaukat Sultan said the army's entry into tribal areas has been openly welcomed by all the tribes, they garlanded the soldiers and are cooperating in the uplift of the area.
"Only certain delinquent individuals and foreign elements ,where present, are creating problems," he added.
He said the recently concluded Wana Operation was part of Pakistan's resolve to flush out miscreants and criminal elements from the territory. He said the focus was on foreign elements.
As regards the locals, he hoped most of problems could be resolved through a political process, socio-economic uplift and giving access to backward areas to amenities of life and national mainstream. "Use of force is certainly the last resort," he added.
He said in this particular operation the objectives were largely achieved that included destruction of a major terrorist stronghold, defense works like tunnels, trenches, towers, communication system.
Secondly, he said most of the miscreants were killed, captured or dispersed in small groups and local facilitator of the terrorists have been uncovered. A sizeable quantity of arms and ammunition has also been captured, he added.
The DG ISPR said, 63 miscreants have been killed and 163 arrested which include 73 foreigners and 94 locals. Killing of 63 miscreants including local and foreign militants have been confirmed through radio intercepts and the investigation of arrested persons, he added.
He said it was also verified through radio intercepts that 26 burials were carried out by the suspected terrorists on the first day of the Operation March 16.
Responding to a question, he said 45 jawans of the military and paramilitary troops embraced "Shahadat" and 26 others were wounded during the operation. He acknowledged the casualties were high but added it was a kind of an operation where forces could not use all optimum fire power to avoid collateral damage.
Foreign Office Spokesman Masood Khan, responding to a question said, as a result of investigation into proliferation issue, it was established that no high-level military official was involved.
Replying to a question, Khan said Pakistan has not received any formal or informal communication from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)for inspection of country's nuclear sites.
However, he once again made it clear that there was no question of such inspection as Pakistan was not NPT signatory. He said Pakistan was member of the IAEA and its Board of Governor and was cooperating with the Agency and would continue to do so.
The Spokesman said Pakistan's Mission in Vienna had contacted the IAEA spokesperson who denied making any remarks about such a inspection, as was reported in a section of the press lately.
DG ISPR, about killing of innocent persons in the Wana operation, said the forces had given four hours to the people of the area to vacate the area and they did go. He said later all efforts were made not to fire onto the houses and people till the time the security forces were fired upon. However, he said, chances of innocent people being hit could not be ruled out.
He said no tribe opposed entry of army into the area and there were only few individuals.
About the handing over of the arrested foreign suspects to the United States, he said they would be first investigated in the country. He however recalled that the government had said that they would be dealt with under the country's law.
Masood Khan, foreign office spokesman, while responding to a question agreed with a reported statement by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that peace could not be one sided. "When we have disputes then both parties have to work together and have to resolve these issues on the basis of mutuality and reciprocity," he added.
DG ISPR also stated, when asked, that he did not manhandle a cameraman and only stopped him from committing an unethical journalist act in South Waziristan. He said all were told not to photograph prisoners from close distance from security point of view. "Had any thing happened to that cameraman who would have been responsible for them?" he asked.
He also categorically stated that all 12 paramilitary troops captured were released unconditionally and there was no quid pro quo.
Masood Khan while responding to a question dispelled the impression that operation against terrorists were being carried out under any external pressure.
He said it was in country's own national interests to root out extremism and terrorism from the society. "The objective is to eliminate terrorism from Pakistani soil, and all those on the run and hiding cannot hold our tribal areas hostage," he added.
He said those in hiding and their foreign intruders would be denied sanctuaries in the country in all circumstances.
Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan also observed that not all foreign intruders in the area were living with the connivance of the local people.
"Some of them living here forcibly and some of them are offering rent as high as 500 dollars a month for a compound they are hiding, so some of them are offering money to the locals who live over there," he added.
The DG ISPR paid rich tributes to soldiers who took part in the operation and laid down their lives for a national cause. "They remained steadfast in spite of the hardship and setbacks and fought valiantly to accomplish the mission," he added.
He said, the security forces both paramilitary and the Army would remain combat ready in respective areas of responsibilities to launch operation wherever it was essential in future to ensure that area was cleaned up, the people there were not hostage to foreign elements and the writ of the state was maintained and tribes lived in peace and harmony.
Aliases: Abu Mohamed Al-Masri, Saleh, Abu Mariam
Well they bagged 63 miscreants..but what about the Al-Qaida......any of those guys got snuffed....?
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