Pakistan: Detained Taliban Commander Providing ‘Useful’ Info
Officials Say Mullah Baradar Being Held by ISI
Pakistan’s military has confirmed the capture of Taliban commander Mullah Baradar, saying he was caught up in a raid in the southern city of Karachi. Previous reports suggested he was caught along the border with Afghanistan.
Security officials say Baradar is being held by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, at their Karachi directorate. They say he has provided “useful information” to Pakistan, who has passed it along to the US.
Baradar is said to be in charge of military operations for the Taliban in southwestern Afghanistan, and some suggest he may in fact be the organization’s de facto second in command.
Though some have expressed hope that this capture would be of enormous significance, it is hardly without precedent. In 2007 the Taliban’s previous second-in-command, former Defense Minister Mullah Obaidullah, was
captured in Pakistan as well. Obaidullah’s current status is unknown, the Taliban claims they recovered him in a “prisoner swap” for Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin. Pakistan denied the swap but hasn’t commented on where Obaidullah currently is.
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Ram Sharma
February 18th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
If this Taliban terrorist is a "real catch" , how is it that he is being "questioned" in Pakiland and not in America ? American public is being made fools by our "ally in the the war against terrorism", Pakiland. For starters Taliban is Paki ISI creation. With American involvement in Afghanistan, these brain dead Islamic terrorists are operating in broad day light in Paki streets attacking American convoys to Afghanistan. It is only when push comes to real shove, Pakis produce "second or third in command" . Likes of Bin Ladan, Mullah Omar are safely tucked under the bed. A farce is being played out here. Not to be branded as talking to the terrorists, Obama administration is talking to this thug in secret to work out a deal for American withdrawal. Holbrook is in Pakiland at the same time. He is not there for vacation.
Tom
February 18th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
How did they make him “talk” ?