'Zawahiri planned Benazir's assassination'

leader London, Feb 11: A video released by a top al-Qaeda commander has revealed that the assassination of the former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was planned by al-QaedaAiman Al-Zawahiri.

Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, who was believed to have been killed in a US drone strike in August 2008, has claimed that the decision to attack the former Pakistan premier was made by Zawahiri.

"The decision to kill former Pakistani Prime Minister and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto was made by al-Qaeda leader Aiman Al-Zawahiri," Yazid said in the twenty minute video received by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Bhutto was killed in a shootout on 27 Dec 2007.

Yazid is believed to be a close aide of Osama bin Laden's Egyptian deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Nation reported that Yazid also warned India of more attacks similar to Mumbai. "We will bring mujahideen and suicide attackers from all over the Muslim world to confront you (India). They will target your economic centers and raze them to the ground," Yazid was seen, as saying in the video recorded in Arabic.

ANI