WINNING THE WoT:

Al-Qaeda cell caught in US squeeze (Syed Saleem Shahzad, 6/15/04, Asia Times)

An amateurish blunder has allowed Pakistan to arrest at least 10 members of a strong al-Qaeda sleeper cell, activated for last Thursday's attack in Karachi on the convoy of the powerful Lieutenant-General Ahsan Saleem Hayat, commander V Corps (Karachi).

Pakistan authorities are expected on Monday to confirm, among others, the arrest of Abu Mosab al-Balochi, an Arab, and Daud Badini, a Pakistani Baloch who has been involved in many sectarian killings, in connection with the attack, which claimed the lives of at least 10 people. Al-Balochi had a US$1 million bounty on his head and is a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the alleged planner of the September 11 attacks on the United States, who is now in US custody. Sheikh was also arrested in Pakistan more than a year ago.

Well-placed sources in Pakistani intelligence organizations have told Asia Times Online that the suspects were rounded up just hours after Thursday morning's attack. Also among the suspects is one Attaur Rehman of the al-Iqwan religious movement, whose head teaches radical Islam and which has strong links with sections of the military.

The sources explain that as soon as the Pakistan military moved into South Waziristan tribal area last week in its hunt for al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters believed to be sheltering there (under intense US pressure), the sleeper cell was activated in Karachi as retaliation.

One thing about poking at a hornet nest, it may increase your chance of getting stung but it certainly does stir the buggers up and get them out in the open where you can squish them.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 16, 2004 11:30 PM