Intelligence sharing: ‘US delayed information on bomb-making factories’
Army official says no factories were found by the time they were informed.
WANA:
General Officer Commanding (GOC) Wana Major-General Rizwan has said the United States had delayed passing on information of bomb-making factories in South Waziristan, Express 24/7 reported on Thursday.
Speaking to the media in Wana, Major General Rizwan said the army did not find any such factories in the area when the information was received.
Earlier, CIA chief Leon Panetta shared “evidence of suspected collusion with pro-Afghan Taliban militants in the tribal areas” with Pakistan’s senior military leaders.
According to media reports, Panetta had shared with Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence Director-General Ahmed Shuja Pasha a 10-minute edited video that showed militants evacuating two bomb-making factories in Waziristan. One of the factories was based in Miranshah, North Waziristan while the other was in South Waziristan.
According to sources, Panetta alleged that the militants were tipped off within 24 hours of the US sharing information on the facilities with the Pakistanis.
When Pakistani troops later arrived at the scene of the two bomb-making facilities, the militants were gone.
Sources said that the CIA believes elements within the “Pakistani security apparatus” had informed the militants that they would be targeted.
The GOC said that intrusion of Afghan militants into Pakistan will not be tolerated, adding that permanent deployment of forces in the Shawal area, which borders North and South Waziristan, was impossible.
He added that the operation in the region was being conducted with the help of local people.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2011.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) Wana Major-General Rizwan has said the United States had delayed passing on information of bomb-making factories in South Waziristan, Express 24/7 reported on Thursday.
Speaking to the media in Wana, Major General Rizwan said the army did not find any such factories in the area when the information was received.
Earlier, CIA chief Leon Panetta shared “evidence of suspected collusion with pro-Afghan Taliban militants in the tribal areas” with Pakistan’s senior military leaders.
According to media reports, Panetta had shared with Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence Director-General Ahmed Shuja Pasha a 10-minute edited video that showed militants evacuating two bomb-making factories in Waziristan. One of the factories was based in Miranshah, North Waziristan while the other was in South Waziristan.
According to sources, Panetta alleged that the militants were tipped off within 24 hours of the US sharing information on the facilities with the Pakistanis.
When Pakistani troops later arrived at the scene of the two bomb-making facilities, the militants were gone.
Sources said that the CIA believes elements within the “Pakistani security apparatus” had informed the militants that they would be targeted.
The GOC said that intrusion of Afghan militants into Pakistan will not be tolerated, adding that permanent deployment of forces in the Shawal area, which borders North and South Waziristan, was impossible.
He added that the operation in the region was being conducted with the help of local people.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2011.