The late al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. PHOTO: FILE
According to The New York Times, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha knew where the late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was hiding.
The newspaper alleges that a Pakistani official stated that United States had direct evidence about the ISI chief knowing Bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad at the time.
“He knew of Osama’s whereabouts, yes,” the official said.
According to an inside source of the paper, there was a special desk for the Bin Laden case at the ISI. The desk worked independently and was led by an officer who did not report to any higher authorities.
The New York Times also reported that the Pakistan government was providing a haven to the Taliban. Further, the newspaper alleged that former president Pervez Musharraf was involved in the conspiracy to remove Benazir Bhutto from power.
The paper also alleged that a former ISI chief and retired general, Ziaddun Butt said that he thought that former President Pervez Musharraf had arranged to hide Bin Laden in Abbottabad. However, he did not have any proof.
COMMENTS (89)
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@Sexton Blake: Obviously you neglected to EVER read the Abbottabad report, along with the various interviews of Osama bin Laden's wives and children that were found at the compound after the raid, where they claimed that he was there! Eye witness testimony from those family members must be unacceptable in the @Sexton Blake court of law!!!
@numbersnumbers: Dear Numbers, The Abbottabad report is based upon mythical US reported activities without one shred of physical evidence that would stand up in court. It is obvious that the writer of the report was not present during the US instigated mayhem and is basically relating hearsay. The Abbottabad navy seal operation was a covert US operation. Obviously, nobody in Pakistan knew or knows anything about the operation except for a couple of wrecked helicopters, dead bodies, and what they have been told. Certainly no physical evidence that OBL was detained, either dead or alive, Most damning was lack of DNA and video footage. In regard to Al Jazeera being credible I would suggest that you hire a top lawyer if you buy a house from them. Do not just take their word for it that they have good title. If you buy a house from anyone in the White House engage a whole battery of top lawyers.
@Janet Garcia -Texas USA: Dear Janet, At least Pakistan has not bombed several countries into the stone-age, killed several million people and nuclear radiated their countries for the next 4.9 billion years. You may be lucky. ET moderators feel uneasy with this type of input even though they know it is true.
..no need for any report to state what the entire world already knew...!
@Sexton Blake: Once again, the Abbottabad report (nearly 337 pages worth) is available for anyone (even @Sexton Blake!) to read on Al Jazeera, but it remains a state secret in Pakistan! Wonder who is considered MORE CREDIBLE, Al Jazeera or @Sexton Blake?????
News to me are news when backed by proof. whatever is in article was assumed by many. So why write this article at all. And poor Raza, everyone should know, English is not our first language and to make a small mistake like this is normal.
@numbersnumbers: Abbottabad Report Dear numbers, I do not think that anybody has ever said that the US propaganda machine does not know how to write in English, and it certainly has access to MI6 inspired rags such as the BBC and its off-shoot Al Jazeera. @Professor, I have a lease on a cave complete with dialysis machine. Do you think you could sell it for me?
The CIA must seriously think of dropping the term "Intelligence" from its name.
None of what is written by Carlotta Gall in NYT is news to anybody, so no idea what the fuss is about. It is absolutely clear that right hand does not know what the left hand is doing and one arm of the Government may be doing the opposite of the other. When a country has no go zones even for journalists, it is a dead giveaway that some hanky panky is going on. Secondly most foreigners are often tailed by intelligence agencies, why would a country waste manpower and resources when there is nothing to hide. A country which is a victim of terrorism will welcome global media to travel around and ascertain facts and raise awareness. Journalists being knocked off and killers not being found is another dead giveaway.
It was known to some that OBL opted to travel incognito and occasionally visit an associate. Hie was then driven in a large SUV with blackened windows and broad arrow vehicle plates. In the 67 year history of Pakistan has anyone had the authority to stop and search a vehicle carrying Broad Arrow plates? The answer of course in NO.
Shamy@ Are you Raza's secretary or only pretending to be so stupid?
Sid@ Couldn't agree more with you
Carlotta Gall, the award winning journalist who wrote the book of which only an excerpt was published in The New York Times is highly respected and considered a creditworthy reporter worldwide. Her information is based on firsthand information she received from Pakistani, not American, sources including former officials of the Musharraf establishment.
As some of the comments indicate, we remain mired in conspiracy, voodoo and extraterrestrial beliefs and use those as the guiding principles in explaining even some of the more fundamental sociopolitical phenomenon. That said, the good news, however, is that there is a palpable urge to learn and understand, a hopeful tendency for a people who have had to endure tinpot dictators and half-baked politicians.
If ISI knew then it should be shut down for being complicit, if ISI did not know then it should be shut down for downright incompetence
I'm totally confused as to what NYT is claiming as breaking news. Everybody knew where he was hiding. He was a celebrity in Pakistan who was televised almost every day so whats the big deal. They are the stupid ones who could not find him for over 10 years. hahahaha When will USA grow up and stop giving blatant lies to the world to cover up the dirty games they play in the background. Having badly lost the war they are now pointing fingers left right and center. Shame on world super power which is going down by the day.
And for all fellow brothers its no big deal if Raza made a mistake. Instead of backfiring at him nobody has bothered to tell him the difference. Heaven is paradise and Haven is a place of safety or refuge. Relax guys and educate your fellow brothers for English is not our first language.
ISI chief knew whereabouts of Osama bin Laden's hideout: NYTT
THEREFOR, US HAS DECIDED TO GIVE ITS MRAPS VEHICLES TO PAKISTANI ARMY FOR FREE. LOLZ
@Indian: Indians with the high rate of reported gang rapes should say that! Experience matters
@raza: Your comment is just a tip of the Iceberg.
Very unkind of people to make fun of @raza. For haven's sake, he is the future of Bakistan.
Not surprised at all, the fugitive had someone at the highest level giving him protection. It is a tragedy that a significant portion of our population still believes that the terrorist ustaad died in 2001. This is also not surprising, even though it is sad, when Lal Masjid chaps are hailed as hero, likes of Shamiullah, Fazlullah and demands for lowering (rather removing) minimum age for girl for marriage and unhindered polygamy rule our local headlines.
If the "agencies" seriously thought they would get away with this, it doesn't show them in very smart light. Maybe the ones at the helm have very little understanding about what ramifications this may have on the future of the nation and its equation with the rest of the world.
@Saleem-Another futile attempt by the western media to malign Pak’s good name.? The western media DOES not need any attempts to malign Pakistan's name you all do a great job by your selves to do it yourself!
Calm down guys, maybe Raza meant it sarcastically. A haven can be a heaven for a refugee or a fugitive. LOL and move on, we seem to have lost the plot - which is about NYT finding evidence that others have not uncovered. The is a deeper STATE within the Deep State! Cheers!
The column in NYT by Carlotta Galle was full of nonsense. She claimed she went to Quetta to investigate but wasn't allowed to go into Madarsa. Pakistan security personnel barged into her room and roughed her up including slapping her. As far as ISI chief's knowledge is concerned, she claims it was mentioned by some unnamed intelligence officer. Her allegation against Gen Musharraf involvement in Ms Bhutto's assassination is just innuendo. I just read the book by Hernandez Munoz, leader of UN team that investigated Bhutto's murder, and he makes no such allegation. In fact he notes that early morning at about 1:30AM the day of assassination, ISI senior officer visited Ms Bhutto to inform her of the danger to her life. Why would ISI do that if they were conspiring to murder. Ms Galle's column is full of innuendos without any specific evidence. It will be proper to describe it as a gossip column.
@Mustafa Nazir Ahmad: The fact that everyone has started targeting Raza's comment shows the intellect of our audience who do not understand sarcasm. He "meant" heaven. Now go and read the whole sentence again. thanks.
@Indian: You can also add " referendum in Kashmir" to your comment. Thanks
@Kashif Rizwan: "@raza: You need to start school all over again.." . Besides @raza: many more ought to join him in that pursuit.
Yes, OBL was definitely residing in Abbottabad. It is my understanding that the US navy seals took OBL by surprise as he was having a glass of non-alcoholic white wine at lunch with the Mad Hatter, Alice, and the Wizard of OZ. Apparently, the Mad Hatter, Alice and the Wizard of OZ had a lucky escape and exited from OBLs mansion without a scratch as they detoured the exploding US helicopters.
@raza: Maybe you did not go to a good english school. The correct word is haven in the context of the sentence and not heaven. A haven is a refuge as in safe haven.
@raza: Unless you are making a sarcastic remark, a haven is really a word in English and it means a place of refuge or safety.
@John: "Lolzz @raza. It is haven not heaven ET was right" . Do you mean to say that these are two different words carrying different meanings?
@raza: Definition of haven: it is a noun that means 'a place of safety or refuge.'
The Abbottabad Report dealing with Osama bin Laden's 5 year stay in that compound close to the PMA has been suppressed in Pakistan, BUT is still available for all to read (some 337 pages worth minus 2 removed?) on the Al Jazeera web site! @Rex Minor Hmmm, such a detailed report for someone who was never there!!!
Oh raza congratz you are an ET celebrity now!!!
The only great conspiracy theory is that Pakistanis believe others are making conspiracy theory against Pakistan. Seriously incorrigible people.
I believe the NY Times story. Someone in the Pakistan's spy agency must have know that Osama was living in Pakistan and closer to the Army HQ. Currently Pakistan is harbouring Dawood Ibrahim, a man wanted by India for illegal activities including deaths of many, in Karachi and keeps on denying it. Pakistan keeps on playing a duplicitous game and then blame the world for not believing it.
All to legitimize US presence in Afghanistan, post 2014. They have to keep playing with US taxpayers' emotions too.
This is not a surprise at all. There is no way a terrorist as prominent as Bin Laden could be hiding in Pakistan without the knowledge, help and support of the Pakistani intelligence. Just think about it. Would Bid Laden have chosen Pakistan as his hiding place if he didn't trust the Pakistani army/ISI establishment to protect him? Otherwise, he could have easily chosen Somalia, Yemen or other African countries that are under the control of Islamists.
@raza:
Please consult some dictionary. ha·ven (hā′vən) n. 1. A harbor or anchorage; a port. 2. A place of refuge or rest; a sanctuary. tr.v. ha·vened, ha·ven·ing, ha·vens To put into or provide with a haven. [Middle English, from Old English hæfen; see kap- in Indo-European roots.]
OBL's presence in Pakistan was not shocking to millions of Pakistanis too. My guess was that he was in Islamabad.
This is the truth about Osama drama...performed to perfection...not exactly. For the second term in office Obama needs a war trophy to win the election and nothing can be more valuable as a trophy than getting the bogey man 'Osama'.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/media-blog/2013/sep/27/seymour-hersh-obama-nsa-american-media
Further, the newspaper alleged that former president Pervez Musharraf was involved in the conspiracy to remove Benazir Bhutto from power.
In which country BB was in power, maybe not on this planet. The actual article on NYT suggests PM conspired to kill her, but ET changed it to remove BB from power. She wasn't in power.
@raza: It is indeed haven not heaven... haven is a safe territory for one to hideout in the event of an emergency
@Professor: I am sure there are lots of people in Pakistan who will be willing to buy that bridge. The comments for this article which doesn't believe the NYT report or the incredulity of the most wanted man living near a military base clearly proves that.
He was living nowhere; was dead long time ago about his chronic illness requiring periodic blood transfusion. The only authority which was full aware of the complete clan is the Government of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the strategic ally of the USA.
Rex Minor
@raza: You need to start school all over again..
many people "knew"
After reading tall the comments here, the mood of the people is that Pakistan's Intelligent Agency is a dud. Billions of Dollars down the drain.
@Ali Tanoli: The world thinks the same of the Madrasah news mouthpiece as crap.
This was obvious from the start , Abbotabad a small hilly town , near the biggest military base of the country the most wanted man of the world is living for years.........if the intellegence agency didnt knew or were not part of relocation programme , then they should be selling bhosi tukras.....
More like Journalistic rumour...NEWS of no value.
Is this a surprise? Don't think so!
Those calling it a conspiracy - read the entire article; this is not something the reporter dreamt up. It is 12 yrs of painstaking research!
State terrorism unleashed! Why the citizens of Pakistan are meant to die at the cost of protecting Jihadis and their ring leaders?...it's time to ask establishment and the security agencies.
He was living within high walls close to a military training center in a high-security zone and yet nobody bothered checking this curiously odd compound. If you buy this story, I might have a nice bridge to sell to you.
@raza: My dear it is indeed haven NOT heaven in this context.
The 30 others who recommended Raza's comments need to get hold of a dictionary.
Another futile attempt by the western media to malign Pak's good name.
ET is a partner of NYT. This should have been a disclaimer in this article.
NYT, washington post, NY post, Fox news some of famouse Baloni news makers in north ame shore ..... and how they made the who is official he said yes and Butt did not have proof hahahhahah then whats the point of publishing news just propaganda.... garam masala.
@danish: This NY times and NOT any crap pakistani media or newspaper. It looks like you've got NO idea what it means to be NY Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC or CNN or Guardian. Integrity, Honesty, Credibility and fierce independence are the words which come to mind which unfortunately have lost meaning in pakistan.
It must be a "Holi" like atmosphere in ET office after latest rant from New York Times ;-)
There could be a iota of truth, but why did NYT claim it now? And you know who Gen Ziauddin Butt is. He is grinding his own axe for Musharraf. The ghost of bin Laden will always haunt Pakistan for the wrong reasons.
After reading comments it seems that Mr. Raza one of the commenter is in more trouble than Gen; Pasha.
@raza: dude you should read urdu newspaper only
This reminds me a scene from the movie Casablanca when the police chief who was the main patron of the café said to Rick that he was 'shocked, shocked to find out that the gambling was taking place’….then he took his winning and walked away…..
There have been too many unnecessary comments against Raza. Take it easy. Pakistan is backward also because there is less than basic tolerance.
@Pak Lover: LOL
The NY times should inform its readers about the new world Sferif Vladimir Putin who is now using the russian version of the PRISM surveillance program with the assistance of Snowden!
Rex Minor
what a load of crap. The writer has no concrete evidence, pure conjecture. Someone told her-she realised that-one official here, one there. The Pakistani official she quotes has already denied that statement. I am surprised to see such crap in the NYT. Clear example of motives and agenda superseding quality and ethics.
The government of Pakistan should make a quick and firm denial/explanation about this very serious and damaging allegation.No time should be wasted in giving a befitting reply,before the conspiracy becomes a conviction,of which Pakistan is already suffering/paying a lot in terms of money and valuable Lives.God bless
Raza@ Do you have a dictionary or do you know how to use Google search? Probably not; otherwise, you would not have flaunted your ignorance this way. And stupid people are actually recommending it
@raza..Which school did you study from? Haven is a perfectly fine word. Please use google before you pass any remarks. Pakistan is backward because of people like you.
@raza::::The word here is haven not heaven.For Pakistanis though it is neither.God bless
@raza: Please consult a dictionary before making any maligning allegations.
You can't hide pregnancy and truth for ever!
So what we have is a bunch of 'he said, she said' allegations. Yep that sounds legit.
Well Duuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Captain obvious attacks again.
Whats NEW in that ???? All the same business
Lolzz @raza. It is haven not heaven ET was right
Not sure why this is news. Every one inside and outside Pakistan knew this. You can expect denials from our deep state. But then no one inside and outside Pakistan believes our deep state.
Another consperency against Pakistan by western media. Then never allow Pakistan to live peacefully.
lolzz at ET. Kindly read your articles before posting. Its heaven not haven!!
Maybe you should have asked the American's to participate in your vaunted Abbottabad report - btw where is that report?
Lately all the western media also of the view the Malaysian Beoing777 is reached Pakistan :) All crap conspiracy .
Nothing to be surprised.