Hayatullah Khan, a local photographer who works for the European Pressphoto Agency, Urdu-language daily Ausaf, and the English-language Nation (Pakistani), took pictures of the metal fragments of the Predator Hellfire missile that killed Al Qaeda Hamza Rabia in the North Waziristan Pakistani village of Asorai outside of the town of Miranshah.
The photos showed fragments that displayed the designation “AGM-114” (Hellfire), words “guided missile” and the initials “US”
Apparently, on Sunday 12/03, he claimed that some intelligence agencies wouldn’t like him taking those photos, since the evidence of a Hellfire conflicts with the official Pakistani line. Officials insist no attack nor American involvement caused Rabia’s death, since he was obviously killed by bomb blasts of his own devices, and most surely not a Hellfire. Nope. (Musharraf Confirms Rabia's Death, and US incursions into Pakistan: Going where they won't)
Maybe Khan meant the Americans, maybe he meant the Pakistani ISI (my bet’s on them). Either way, boy got disappeared on Monday by five masked men with AK’s in Mir Ali, 13 miles from Miranshah.
His brother, Ihsanullah Khan, who reported Khan’s Sunday trepidations, also said that he’d been assured by the Taliban (via a letter.. someone get that return address!) that they weren’t the ones who took him. The Taliban, brother Khan? Yes, those Taliban. Yes, they roll like that in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
(this photo’s from Abdullah Noor, of the AP, not the kidnapped Khan)
If and when I find the pictures in question, I’ll post them here.
Of note, both articles referenced have slightly different content but were written by the same authors, Zulfiquar Ali and Paul Watson. They state, concurring with my opinions of how the Pakistanis view their government:
“U.S. counterterrorism operations in Pakistan are a sensitive political issue for Musharraf, who is under pressure from hard-line Islamic groups and nationalists who feel he has gone too far in supporting the U.S.”
After the Hellfire did away with Hamza Rabia, the Pakistani military sent in some of their guys to do cleanup around 12/07 or 12/08. Musharraf’s been quoted as saying that there’re 70,000 troops in Waziristan and that the authorities are in control.
As with previous Pakistani military attempts to subdue the area, stuff went wrong. Local rebels kidnapped four paramilitary soldiers and killed two of them. The fate of the two others is unknown.
Meanwhile, the Taliban, apparently taking advantage of this latest unrest, grabbed some other rebels of the an opposing group loyal to a rebel named Mohammed Hakim (who's in Pakistani custody) and then promptly beheaded two of them, impaling the heads on poles or hanging the headless bodies upside down from electricity poles, depending on the reports read. The Taliban are trying to show how lawlessness (the Hakim guys were extorting travelers) will be met with greater lawlessness. At least they’re consistent. Reports continue to say that the Taliban are patrolling around Miramshah, Eidak and Hoormaz (villages around Miramshah) in pickups with rockets, AK’s, etc.
“It will be inappropriate to take any action (against militants) now, considering the fact that the militants had tremendous local support in their action against those thugs. Any action against militants might be construed as in support of the bandits,” the official said, seeking anonymity. – Dawn, 12/09/2005
Wednesday, a bomb tore through a school run by a local journalist Dilawar Khan near Wana, South Waziristan. (Karikot area). This Khan writes for the BBC World Service and Pakistan’s “Dawn” newspaper. No one was killed.
Thursday, another explosion in Wana’s Jandola Bazaar killed 12 tribesmen and a few ISI guys.
“Whatever is happening in North Waziristan or South Waziristan, there is no problem. We are in control” – President Musharraf, 12/09/2005
No, sir, you’re not. Allow me to answer my own question about whether the local Waziristani people are ticked at the Americans or the Pakistani cooperation with the Americans – They’re unhappy with you, Mr. Musharraf.