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Al Qaeda had warned of Pakistan strike
Several weeks ago, naval intelligence traced an al Qaeda cell operating inside several navy bases in Karachi.
Wreckage of a P-3C Orion aircraft is seen at a major Pakistani naval air base following an attack by militants in Karachi. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Al Qaeda carried out the brazen attack on PNS Mehran naval air station in Karachi on May 22 after talks failed between the navy and al Qaeda over the release of naval officials arrested on suspicion of al Qaeda links, an Asia Times Online investigation reveals.
Pakistani security forces battled for 15 hours to clear the naval base after it had been stormed by a handful of well-armed militants.
At least 10 people were killed and two United States-made P3-C Orion surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft worth US$36 million each were destroyed before some of the attackers escaped through a cordon of thousands of armed forces.
An official statement placed the number of militants at six, with four killed and two escaping. Unofficial sources, though, claim there were 10 militants with six getting free. Asia Times Online contacts confirm that the attackers were from Ilyas Kashmiri’s 313 Brigade, the operational arm of al Qaeda.
Three attacks on navy buses in which at least nine people were killed last month were warning shots for navy officials to accept al Qaeda’s demands over the detained suspects.
The May 2 killing in Pakistan of Osama bin Laden spurred al Qaeda groups into developing a consensus for the attack in Karachi, in part as revenge for the death of their leader and also to deal a blow to Pakistan’s surveillance capacity against the Indian navy.
The deeper underlying motive, though, was a reaction to massive internal crackdowns on al Qaeda affiliates within the navy.
Volcano of militancy
Several weeks ago, naval intelligence traced an al Qaeda cell operating inside several navy bases in Karachi, the country’s largest city and key port.
“Islamic sentiments are common in the armed forces,” a senior navy official told Asia Times Online on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media.
“We never felt threatened by that. All armed forces around the world, whether American, British or Indian, take some inspiration from religion to motivate their cadre against the enemy. Pakistan came into existence on the two-nation theory that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations and therefore no one can separate Islam and Islamic sentiment from the armed forces of Pakistan,” the official said.
“Nonetheless, we observed an uneasy grouping on different naval bases in Karachi. While nobody can obstruct armed forces personnel for rendering religious rituals or studying Islam, the grouping [we observed] was against the discipline of the armed forces. That was the beginning of an intelligence operation in the navy to check for unscrupulous activities.”
The official explained the grouping was against the leadership of the armed forces and opposed to its nexus with the United States against Islamic militancy. When some messages were intercepted hinting at attacks on visiting American officials, intelligence had good reason to take action and after careful evaluation at least 10 people – mostly from the lower cadre – were arrested in a series of operations.
“That was the beginning of huge trouble,” the official said.
Those arrested were held in a naval intelligence office behind the chief minister’s residence in Karachi, but before proper interrogation could begin, the in-charge of the investigation received direct threats from militants who made it clear they knew where the men were being detained.
The detainees were promptly moved to a safer location, but the threats continued. Officials involved in the case believe the militants feared interrogation would lead to the arrest of more of their loyalists in the navy. The militants therefore made it clear that if those detained were not released, naval installations would be attacked.
It was clear the militants were receiving good inside information as they always knew where the suspects were being detained, indicating sizeable al Qaeda infiltration within the navy’s ranks. A senior-level naval conference was called at which an intelligence official insisted that the matter be handled with great care, otherwise the consequences could be disastrous. Everybody present agreed, and it was decided to open a line of communication with al Qaeda.
Abdul Samad Mansoori, a former student union activist and now part of 313 brigade, who originally hailed from Karachi but now lives in the North Waziristan tribal area was approached and talks begun. Al Qaeda demanded the immediate release of the officials without further interrogation. This was rejected.
The detainees were allowed to speak to their families and were well treated, but officials were desperate to interrogate them fully to get an idea of the strength of al Qaeda’s penetration. The militants were told that once interrogation was completed, the men would be discharged from the service and freed.
Al Qaeda rejected these terms and expressed its displeasure with the attacks on the navy buses in April.
These incidents pointed to more than the one al Qaeda cell intelligence had tracked in the navy. The fear now was that if the problem was not addressed, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) supply lines could face a new threat. NATO convoys are routinely attacked once they begin the journey from Karachi to Afghanistan; now they could be at risk in Karachi port. Americans who often visit naval facilities in the city would also be in danger.
Therefore, another crackdown was conducted and more people were arrested. Those seized had different ethnic backgrounds. One naval commando came from South Waziristan’s Mehsud tribe and was believed to have received direct instructions from Hakeemullah Mehsud, the chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (Pakistan Taliban). Others were from Punjab province and Karachi, the capital of Sindh province.
After Bin Laden was killed by American Navy Seals in Abbottabad, 60 kilometers north of Islamabad, militants decided the time was ripe for major action.
Within a week, insiders at PNS Mehran provided maps, pictures of different exit and entry routes taken in daylight and at night, the location of hangers and details of likely reaction from external security forces.
As a result, the militants were able to enter the heavily guarded facility where one group targeted the aircraft, a second group took on the first strike force and a third finally escaped with the others providing covering fire. Those who stayed behind were killed.
This article featured in Asia Times Online on May 27, 2011 has been republished online with the permission of the publication. The original article can be viewed here.
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Reader Comments (36)
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Saleem, you live on !Recommend
Seriously, on the one hand we are dying, on the other hand those who are supposed to defend up sympathise with the terrorist. Rather than holding themselves to account hte military is more preocuppied with maintainings its “image”.Recommend
I strongly condemn the murder of Mr. Saleem Shahzad.
Having said that, nothing in this story has been substantiated and to me it is just a theory in the air based on unnamed sources.Recommend
Rip, saleemRecommend
Well done for printing this article here. It shows ‘them’ that if they try to suppress the truth, it will eventually come back with a vengeance.Recommend
Rest in Peace, Saleem. With a Heavy Heart.Recommend
This is insane! Mr. Shahzad was tortured and killed over this!
The story reveals nothing more than what could not be found in Intelligence 101 (or Introduction to Investigative Reporting). If asked to guess possibilities or imagine a scenarios or begin a thread to investigate current events(i.e. naval base attack); Mr. Shahzad’s reported logical sequence and connections would be in the first three possibilities. More over, even though not said openly most thinking individuals know this or would have guessed!
I find it extremely perturbing that there is an undertone amongst many of the well wishers that somehow Mr. Saleem Shahzad was to be blamed for the outcome (his murder) because of his chosen “subject of journalistic reporting” and somehow should have known better. Questioning the validity of his central theme in his report only shows intellectual shortcomings of monumental proportion. What is being questioned was the basis for brutal action by the party involved. Mr. Shahzad was killed over this! It is a sad reality of the prevailing psyche.
For you, a brave and true professional – You will always be in the thoughts of many for your courrage and true professionalism. Your ideals will serve as a guiding light and inspiration to many young and brave souls in the near future. May you rest in peace!Recommend
Rogue intelligence.Recommend
You will live in our hearts forever SaleemRecommend
@RP:
Isn’t it enough for its “substantiation” that the author got killed for writing this?Recommend
@Lobster
This is not the only thing he wrote.
Sorry! but it is not enough for me.Recommend
A very well articulated article and may the writer’s soul rest in peace. But in all honesty there is nothing written here that maligns the ISI or the armed forces for him to be killed by them.
Al quaida sympathizers in armed forces are nothing new. If anything this article highlights the struggle of forces to identify, isolate and capture such individual. The writer also mentions the armed forces didn’t give into AQ demands of releasing their denizens.
So he had access to some inside sources but whats written here isnt motive enough for isi to execute him. It could be a further AQ strategy to malign the isi knowing fully that isi would be he prime suspect since they had made contact with saleem back in October.Recommend
According to Hong Kong based Asia Times, Pak Army have killed 44 journalists in 2010 alone in a bid to suppress truth. Well done Express Tribune for printing this. My favourite was an article by Syed Saleem Shahzad in in 2005 with a confession from a prominent ISI officer, Khalid Khawaja, Pak Army fomented trouble in Indian Kashmir and the Muslims in India have better rights than in Pakistan. This ISI officer was also subsequent murdered in murky circumstances, blamed on Taliban but Pak Army hand suspected.Recommend
Tolerance has no place in Pakistan, when I read this article, had a sad feeling inside me.
Kudos to ET for republishing the article as a tribute to brave soul Syed Saleem Shahzad, RIP.Recommend
RIP Saleem Shezahd.
This is surely the figment of imagination of the author, The way the author portrays Al Qaeda as an organisation that negotiates with governments is absurd. This sounds like the author has been listening to Donald Rumsfeld too much. It is a well known fact that “Al Qaeda” is an idealogical movement that has inspired Muslims to carry out disgraceful acts of terror throughout the world, to says that its an de-fact militant organisations, with a command and control and hierarchal system is nothing but American propaganda and a lie. It seem that author then adds Al Qaeda to his story to make it feel more dramatic and shocking. This story is nothing more then the fears of the West, typed up by a Pakistani, in Pakistan , confirming there worst nightmare,designed to gain maximum publicity and column space, and convieniantly printed just a few weeks before the next blockbuster book from the said author, which if im right is about ….Al Qaeda.Recommend
Had the “killers” would have not pursued to teach him a lesson, this whole report would have been ignored.Recommend
@RP I hope you employ the same demand for evidence when faced with outlandish conspiracy theories blaming America for all of pakistan’s troubles.Recommend
God bless the ISIRecommend
Thank you Express Tribune! Saleem Shahzad, not forgotten.Recommend
@Porterhouse
Yes, and I also demand evidence from the Americans when they say they killed Osama in Abbotabad.Recommend
@RP, sitting in a Arm Chair in front of the laptop in a AC room & saying Shehzad “This is not the only thing he wrote.Sorry! but it is not enough for me.” is very easy.
He lost his life in trying to bring the truth. & Neither the Army/ISI has denied nor rebutted what he has written. So, it might be the truth.
Why dont you try to go NWFP yourself and do some journalism? It needs courage & dedication like Shehzad who sacrificed his life. & there are losers who says “this is not enough”.
Rest in Peace Saleem Shahzad, May God Bless Your Family with all the courage to face this difficult time.Recommend
When i saw the name Syed Saleem Shahzad on the Article in ET, I immediately clicked only to post my respects to Shahzad. Ofcourse, am disappointed by some of the comments who cant even see the sacrifice.
This is my second post in the same article, but could not stop myself from making a second post.
Thanks ET for posting this news item. Currently, I am here in Singapore, but make sure i read ET online everyday.Recommend
RIP Saleem ShezahdRecommend
Shehzad has done a great favour to this country through this story.
May Allah bless his soul.Recommend
This story was published on May, 27. I along with Manzoor Bhai and Iftikhar Bhai when read this story, we were really shocked and one among us said, he must have been contacted by *, one among us replied, he must have been and then on May 29, we came to know Saleem Shahzad has been kidnapped. May his soul rest in peace. AmeenRecommend
WOW This is first time i’m reading comments and I don’t see any India did. You’re country finally realizing who is the real enemy.Recommend
Hail your Spirit for the Journalism in search of truth brother :)
You will always remain in heart and with you we pray May Almighty give strength to all Journalist and their families to stand up for freedom of expression and highlighting issues which relates to each and every one of us .Recommend
The FARISHTAS who picked Saleem Shahazad don’t want to kill him, they just wanted to gave him a lesson like the one they recently gave to Omer Cheema of Geo and wanted to know the source of information Saleem had, but the poor Saleem was too weak for that sort of torture and a kick to his chest blown his liver and the FARISHTAS had to dump his body.
It was a Qatal e Khatta and it was not the first one or the last one, This murder reminds me GestapoRecommend
Time has come to exorcise the ghost of Zia from every section of Pakistani society. If we do not, then the time is not far when Turkish style revolution by Kamal Ataturk will take place in Pakistan.
Religion-based oppression is already beyond the capacity of the people. Lets pray to Allah that innocent people are not killed..
It is fashion to mouth the islamic based religious similes, which is absolutely superficial — nothing from heart. Give them dollars they will change even their religion.Recommend
I like Tigjt Dhoti’s comments in this newspaperRecommend
When I read his (Shahzad) report earlier, I thought what a brave man he is and how can he be alive in Pakistan? Some army touts would still deny the obvious and create doubts. However, Shahzad himself told his family and friends that he may be killed and if it happens then who would be responsible. Still the touts want more proof. Perhaps they would not be satisfied because Shahzad’s kids are still alive.
I distinctly remember the day when Pakistani army hanged the first elected PM of Pakistan. That day they proved to the Pakistanis that they can do anything against any Pakistani and still get away with that, and they actually did get away with that. When ZAB could not do anything except to die then these guy have no chance even if they want to and we know that they are no ZAB.Recommend
It’s not the citizens who decide that what is written is or is not severe enough to warrant torture and murder.
It’s the people who do the torturing and murder. Throughout history, merely hinting at the slightest fault in an organization/government was enough to get you killed. Not even that sometimes. Someone who made the simple accusation of another was even sometimes more than enough reason for them to kill the one accused.
You guys seem to forget that if someone is willing to torture and kill someone for any reason, they are already of a mindset of willing to torture and kill for almost any reason.
You’re forcing yourself to see the good in the bad, when there is only the bad and even worse to choose from.Recommend
The reason he was killed because he differed to tell something that is not in tune with the popular narrative.
According to the ‘Who Benefits’ theorists, only India alone could have carried out the brazen attack on the Navy. Only they had the capacity and intention to hurt Pakistani interests.
Most people in Pakistan believe this, influenced by the learned opinion of the great defence analysts on TV shows.
—But, this man says something which none of us want to believe.
—He says something which we don’t want to hear.
—He says something which makes us unhappy to hear.
It is for the same reason, Bhatti and Taseer were murdered. Both of them held views which were not acceptable to most of the people of Pakistan. (When Shahbaz Bhatti was killed, people showered rose petals on his killer. Let’s not forget that.)
The message seems to be clear: Don’t rock the boat of popular version and don’t try to swim against the popular tide.Recommend
God bless shahzad’s soul……..The media was geared towards repairing the image of armed forces and ISI, that is under serious threat by enemy’s of Pakistan….Saleem’s murder may be seen in that context as well…..This may be an effort to pitch Media against state agencies ……watch out….please ….we are victims of a bigger conspiracy….lets not attack our own insitutions, that are standing in the way of external threats to our existance.. similarly the armed forces are also expected to avoid chasing shadows on pointing of US…Our forces are motivated on the basis of idiology so the chances of maligning various members with idiological orientation may be avoided. Such drastic actions may lead to lowering of morale and hypocracy that is already so rampant in our culture. nontheless we must look for those black sheep, who might have sold their souls to US and Company including Al Quada……PAKISTAN ZINDA BAD….PAK AFWAJ PAYNDA BADRecommend
@Fauji:
You, without a doubt, are part of the problem.
If you’re so into preserving your country’s image then it is in your best interest to not open your mouth. Or, at least, not to speak for anyone else.
It’s conspiracies like your’s that make people have a hard time respecting Pakistan. If you’re dumb enough to believe something like that, you’re certainly too stupid to take seriously. You cancel out your very own voice due to the abundance of nonsense you say. The very idea that those things being believed by anyone is unsettling in terms of getting out of the hole that has been dug.Recommend
@Mark
Anybody proposing possible alternative motives is a conspiracy theorist.
“Dumb” are those who accept whatever is fed to them without question. People who exercise their minds and analyse the situation looking at all possibilities look pretty smart to me.Recommend