Just throwing this out there, although it would be kind of funny if it was true.
Some months ago, a few weeks after the US issued a clear warning to Pakistan to back out of its support of the guerrillas in Afghanistan, the US presented Pakistani authorities with a list of 23 Pakistani scientists said to have assisted Iran in its nuclear program. The details were comprehensive, including names and travel records. The International Atomic Energy Agency revealed recently that Iran’s sensitive uranium enrichment program had been facilitated with Pakistani connivance about 16 years ago. As a result, several of Pakistan’s retired and serving atomic scientists were investigated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the father of Pakistan’s atomic program, Dr Abd al-Qadir Khan. This development once again rattled Pakistan’s decision-makers, and it was at this time that they developed a plan to stage-manage an attempt on Musharraf’s life (December 14) to disseminate the message that "extremist elements" were out of control because of the US presence and influence in the country and Musharraf’s support for Washington. In an ironic twist, though, another, and apparently real, attempt was made on Musharraf’s life on December 26. A federal minister very close to the president told this correspondent on the condition of anonymity that the second attempt was totally unexpected, and highly sophisticated.
| I can actually buy this. The first attack had a manufactured feel to it, as several of us commented at that time. It probably flat ruined their day that Sammy was captured the same day. I haven't seen anybody suggest the second attack wasn't genuine. Despte having similar circumstance and techniques, it lacks the odor of fine antique herring that lingered over the first. |
Investigations into this attack were conducted jointly by Pakistani civil and military agencies, and they concluded that a few Afghan and Pakistanis were involved. Further, they maintain that the conspiracy was planned by Afghan and Indian intelligence agencies using a renegade faction of the banned militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed as a front. According to the minister, the leader of the faction, Maulana Abdul Jabbar, was already under detention when the attempt on the life of Musharraf was made. The minister adds that Pakistan avoided pointing a finger at India as the SAARC summit was imminent, but now that the event is over, reaction, and even retaliation, has not been ruled out.
That doesn’t bode well
| They always make that charge that RAW was involved. I haven't seen a single incident so far that's actually been shown to involve them. |
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