Pak detains militants behind foiled rocket attacks

ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said today security agencies had detained militants behind two foiled rocket attacks in the capital Islamabad last week and that he may have been the target.

He also told a news conference the United States, Britain and NATO were in full agreement with Pakistan over how to tackle the problem of cross-border militancy fuelling a Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan.

Musharraf, who survived two al Qaeda-linked assassination attempts in 2003, said Islamist militants opposed to his support for the US-led war on terrorism were responsible for the attempted rocket attacks.

''We have unearthed the whole gang. They are again extremists,'' he said. ''They are out to disturb the peace of Pakistan. They want to dominate moderates.'' Musharraf, who held the news conference after a dinner with journalists in a break to his fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said: ''I am not an easy target. I can't say for sure whether I was the target. Maybe I was.'' Last Thursday, police recovered two Russian-made rockets attached to mobile phones across the road from Pakistan's parliament and presidency. On Saturday, two rockets were found on a hill near military intelligence headquarters.

In another security scare last week, a small explosive device exploded in a park near Musharraf's army residence in the town of Rawalpindi. The military said the blast was unrelated to the president.

NATO COMMANDER

Musharraf rejected media reports NATO's commander in Afghanistan, General David Richards, had visited Pakistan on Monday and yesterday to apply pressure on his government to take more forceful action against the Taliban.

''We are not so low that everybody can push us around. Is it a joke? No one came to press or pressurise us,'' he said.

Musharraf said Richards had endorsed Pakistan's approach toward the insurgency during talks yesterday.

His government signed a treaty with tribal elders in the North Waziristan tribal agency last month designed to stop pro-Taliban militants attacking the Pakistan army or Western and Afghan forces across the border.

Critics say the government appeared to have caved in to militant tribesmen's demands and that the treaty ran the risk of creating a safe haven for the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Musharraf said his government was seeking to empower the tribal chiefs so as to win back influence from pro-Taliban elements and that it was the only viable strategy following two years of fighting in Waziristan to smash al Qaeda.

''The focus has now shifted from al Qaeda to the Taliban. This is a serious shift,'' he said.

During the past month Musharraf has won cautious public support from US President George W Bush and Britain for the strategy adopted in Waziristan, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai has adopted a wait-and-see stance.

But in the past week several British newspapers have reported NATO commanders in Afghanistan wanted Pakistan to do more to stop militants crossing the border between the two countries.

''There was no difference of opinion (with Richards) on any issue. He fully agreed with our analysis and strategy. Everyone in the US and UK agreed with us. They are supporting us,'' said Musharraf.

REUTERS

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