FBI rejects Baitullah's claim on New York terror attack

Washington/London, Apr. 4 (ANI): The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Saturday rejected the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud's claim that he was responsible for Friday's attack on a US immigration assistance center in New York, in which 14 people were killed.

"Based on the evidence, we can firmly discount that claim," the Dawn quoted FBI Spokesman Richard Kolko as saying.

Earlier in the day, Baitullah has claimed responsibility for the attack on an immigration center in New York.

Mehsud called an international news agency from an undisclosed location and claimed that the Taliban was behind Friday's shootout where Chinese American gunman killed 14 people and wounded 40 others.

Mehsud said the strike was in retaliation to the US-led drone attacks inside Pakistan along the Afghan border.

However, New York Police have identified the gunman as 41-year-old Jiverly Wong, a former IBM employee. Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski said the rampage "obviously was premeditated" and began with the shooting of two receptionists.

Wong was later found dead by the SWAT team with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in an office.

A senior Pak intelligence official said the US Army and Pakistan military have agreed to carry out strikes on Mehsud's hideout and terror camps along the ungoverned Pak-Afghan border area. (ANI)