TTP demand release of bin Laden's widows, threaten attacks
Pakistan's government has charged bin Laden's three widows with illegally entering and staying in the country, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday.
“If the family of Osama bin Laden is not released as soon as possible, we will attack the judges, the lawyers and the security officials involved in their trial,” Ehsanullah Ehsan of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) told Reuters.
“We will carry out suicide bombings against security forces and the government across the country.”
Malik did not specify which court was dealing with the case. The three women will have to stand trial, but it was not clear what punishment they face if convicted.
Bin Laden was killed in a secret US raid in Abbottabad in May last year.
The al Qaeda leader's body was flown out by American special forces, but his three wives and an undisclosed number of children were among the 16 people detained by Pakistani authorities after the raid.
Two of the wives are Saudi nationals, and one is from Yemen, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
Pakistan had previously said that it would repatriate the women after a government commission probing the bin Laden raid had completed its questioning.
The commission has interviewed the family members for clues about how the al Qaeda chief managed to stay in the country undetected.
The TTP vowed revenge after bin Laden's death last year, and carried out high-profile attacks across Pakistan. It bombed an American consulate convoy, laid siege to a naval base and killed paramilitary cadets.
Formed in 2007, the TTP is an umbrella group of various Pakistani militant factions operating in Pakistan's unruly northwestern tribal areas along the porous border with Afghanistan.
TTP's spokesman also threatened attacks against Shad Begum, a women's rights activist based in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
The US State Department honoured Begum with the 2012 International Women of Courage award at a ceremony in Washington on Thursday.
“She works for a secular and infidel system in Pakistan,” Ehsan said. “That is why America has given her this prize.”
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Lets see... Will Bin Laden's wives chose five room accomodation in Islamabad over TTP madmen. Who are these people kidding?
How come TTP , Pakistan Taliban is bad as per Pakistanis and their brothers , the Afghan Taliban, are good as per the national narrative popularized by the establishment in Pakistan ? Is reasoning and logic banned by law ?
@Kamran: Yeah, the outsiders should just sit back and wait for you to deal with them. Right? I mean the proof is in the examples. Examples such as... Such as... um, a little help? Someone?
Deport all illegal terrorists and their wives to their countries and kill all TTP thugs.
@Megatron: Your comments not understood, so please clarify.
Govt. should question the wives for information and let them go back to their own country. Detaining the wives raises the suspicion that they are in possession of info that the ISI/Army does not want to become public once they are out of the country. It is not a sufficient reason to keep them here and endanger all of us. We dont want them here or anything to do with OBL.
Is it not sad to see the terrorists, who are the real enemy of Pakistan, yet again threaten the Pakistani establishment with death and destruction for a few people who were living illegally in Pakistan? TTP only know one thing: attack and kill as many innocent people as they can. They also threatened Shad Begum, an activist and an attorney from Dir. Shad Begum is a courageous woman. In an area where women are given no role in civil and political arenas, since 2001 she has single-handedly changed the political context of local government for women in the district of Dir. Shad Begum is a social worker and attorney. She also founded the first women's NGO in Dir. For her courage and unparalleled work as an activist, Shad Begum was awarded the US 2012 International Woman of Courage award by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
We cannot let ourselves be bullied by a bunch of cowards who feel proud to threaten and kill innocent people. It is time to go after them with full force. Only then will peace prevail.
Maj David Nevers DET-United States Central Command www.centcom.mil/ur
I still remember the word 'ILAKAH-E-GHER' (areas of unknown) where thieves, extortionist, killers etc. used to be provided safe haven by locals Sardars, Maliks, Mehsuds etc. against cash, women or favours.
The government and the people of Pakistan kept sleeping, ignoring and let these people who belonged in a prison to live freely. Dictators or so called protectors for Islam from Saudi, Qatari and other emirates latter used these gangs to neutralize Iran.
From tribal areas these terrorist now live door next to mine and yours. They are not loyal to any country or any religion, very much like most living in Pakistan. They work for money and use Islam as a reason to justify their acts. To stop them we need patriots, and willingness to compromise our life for future our children, but most importantly act not just sit and comment. I dont see if we are ready, or capable to take on the Taliban's! we are too a self centred as a nation, bunch of lazy Hippocratics, that dont even care of what will this to do our generations to come.
Its a hopeless situation and even more a useless nation. Why not Handover the the wife's like we handed over Raymond Davis, just make sure to price it right my fellow citizen's. And do make sure to vote for the same leader who dam cares about your country but who will give you some favours. We are really a bunch of great looser's!
@Reddy: We have the same issue with normal Americans and Rednecks. Can't tell them apart.
@well-wisher: You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!
Pakistan military has to decisively deal with TTP since half measures wont do anymore. If this outfit is allowed to succeed, many others will join it and which would not be so easy to confront even by the best armies of the world.
If the women are not charged with any crime under the law why are they being held? Threats are not the issue. The issue is that there is a general perception that the law is not applied equally without fear or favour. Bullying the minnows with hatf will only breed more resentment against injustice. Due process must prevail. No more arbitrary decisions, suo moto notices, compromises, laws of necessity or short cuts please. We expect our law makers our government and our judiciary to live under and by our laws.
They (TTP) are more loyal to a dead Bedouin Arab terrorist and his wives than to their own country. Pakistan will always be slaves to the Arabs if they continue on this path...
The terrorist loving Lahore High Court will free these women.... who wants to bet?
@Reddy: There is no need for an outsider to take interest in 'Religious Extremists' ... unless they know what 'Death' means
@Reddy: Reddy ! You hit the target .
Pakistan should repatriate them to their respective country. Osama committed crime not their family. Deport them if living illegally and let their country deal with them.
most of the Pakistanis do believe in and vouch for this statement "“She works for a secular and infidel system in Pakistan,”. this is precisely the reason why it is difficult for an outsider to differentiate between normal Pakistani and a terrorist, both of them share common opinion on their perceived problems.
This threat from TTP should be neutralised asap. The republic should take them on head on and once and for all wipe them out.
time to see how independent the Judiciary really is... on a side note, does this qualify as contempt of court? a suo motto perhaps against this statement
Hope Pakistani army shows their ammunitions like hatf missiles and other so called deadly weapons against these minnows who threaten the judiciary,police and civil government in islamabad.