US/Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban claims to US deadly shootings unlikely

Article published on the 2009-04-04 Latest update 2009-04-04 12:06 TU

Police outside the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, NY, 3 April 2009
(Photo: Stan Honda/AFP)

The leader of the Taliban in Pakistan, Baitullah Mehsud, has claimed to have ordered the attack on an immigration centre in the US state of New York Friday, where 13 people were shot dead. But Pakistani security officials say Mehsud does not have the capability of carrying out an attack inside the US. Police in Binghamton, some 260km northwest of New York City, say the shootings at the American Civic Association were apparently carried out by a lone Vietnamese gunman who turned the gun on himself.

“Whatever happened in America yesterday was done by our men,” Mehsud told journalists in a telephone call. “Two of my men, one of whom was Pakistani and the other a foreigner carried out the operation.”

He made the same claim in another call to the BBC.

Mehsud also threatened further attacks, saying “we will carry out a big suicide attack on the White House and Washington very soon.”

Correspondent Rana Jawad in Islamabad said that Pakistan security officers immediately rubbished Mehsud's claim of responsibility for the Binghamton attacks.

“They said Mehsud does not have the capability to carry out such a site inside the US,” he said. “Although they concede that Baitullah Mehsud is deeply linked to Al-Qaida and Al-Qaida does have the capability because of its reach.”

Security officials said the details given by Mehsud did not match what police found at the scene.

The shooter shot two receptionists, one of whom was able to call the police. He then walked into a classroom where people were taking a US citizenship exam, and opened fire.

Thirteen people were killed and four were critically injured in the shooting. Twenty-six people hid in the basement, while about 40 escaped the building.

Mehsud claims to have ordered the attack in revenge for US drone attacks in Afghanistan. As drone attacks have increased, the Taliban have been claiming responsibility for attacks in Pakistan.

Jawad says Mehsud's claim to the US attack is likely part of the same propaganda.

“Taliban have increased their propaganda of scoring points after each drone attack by claiming, one way or another, responsibly of terrorist attacks in Pakistan,” he said. “I think these drone attacks have really dented Taliban and Al-Qaida movement in the tribal areas. And in order to keep up their morale, they are striking inside Pakistan and telling their rank and file that the are arranging these attacks.”

The United States has been offering a five million dollar (3.7 million euro) reward for information leading to Mehsud's capture.