Lashkar-e-Islam exact revenge for death of Taliban commander in Predator strike

Ibn-Amin.JPG

Ibn Amin, from a ‘wanted’ poster released by the Pakistani government in 2009.

The Lashkar-e-Islam, a Taliban-like group based in Pakistan’s Khyber tribal agency, recently assassinated four of their own after accusing them of providing the means for the US to kill a dangerous Taliban commander linked to al Qaeda. According to The News, a Lashkar-e-Islam commander and three fighters were kidnapped and then executed for their involvement in the death of Swat Taliban commander Ibn Amin, who is thought to have been killed in a Predator airstrike on Dec. 17, 2010, in the Tirah Valley.

The sources said that Muhammad Jan, a close aide of LI operational commander Wahid, and Shad Muhammad Akakhel, Mughal Baz and Younas from Shalobar Afridi tribe were abducted by the men of Mangal Bagh [the leader of the Lashkar-e-Islam] somewhere in Tirah valley last week. They were accused of placing a chip, which guided the missile attack by the unmanned US Predator plane against Ibn Amin’s vehicle, the sources added.

First, while the Taliban haven’t officially announced Ibn Amin’s death, the news that Lashkar-e-Islam members were executed makes the report of his death more likely.

Second, the Taliban have openly discussed the “chip” or “pathrai” mentioned in The News article referenced above. Mullah Nazir, a South Waziristan Taliban leader considered to be one of the “good Taliban” by Pakistan’s military and intelligence service, talked about the device in an interview with As Sahab, al Qaeda’s propaganda outlet, in April 2009. He also discussed the elimination of those providing intelligence to the US.

As-Sahab: Do you think that America is the sole culprit of these attacks or that Pakistan is involved in them too? If such is the case, than how do they execute these attacks? What means do they have of receiving intelligence about the whereabouts of the Mujahideen and their leaders and commanders?

Mulla Nazir: Pakistan has misled the common population that America carries out these attacks and we cannot do anything to stop them. All the spies that we have caught turned out to be employees of Pakistan. The location-tracking SIMs that they use had been provided by Pakistan. We have also released their video clips. The spyware and intelligence is fully associated with the Army. A couple of days ago, an American CIA officer confessed that Pakistan’s airbases are being used for these attacks and that Pakistan itself is involved in them. They have even threatened us themselves that it is we who are striking you and that either you should renounce Jihad or we would attack. The assertion that America is behind this and we are helpless is only meant to deceive the public. All these attacks that have happened and are still happening are the work of Pakistan.

As-Sahab: What steps are you taking to prevent such attacks? Firstly, how can the spy aircrafts be stopped; and secondly, what is their intelligence channel and what measures are you undertaking to impede it?

Mulla Nazir: We are taking measures to catch spies. We do not spare those who are proven guilty…but only after acquiring genuine evidence. This sedition has been pioneered by the government of Pakistan. They have put men into deceit by making them do their dirty work for them, and they do it in return of a few rupees. Thus we warn such people to renounce this occupation as it only brings them disaster…and they aren’t spared by the Mujahideen. We do not spare anyone who works for kufr; who works for Pakistan.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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3 Comments

  • Exactly says:

    This is excellent news!
    Don’t anyone tell them about the Lamb Kabob tracking chips.

  • hosptials not bombs says:

    Both in the El Shabab story and in this Taliban story the insurgents are now so paranoid that they are killing their own leaders, accusing them of treachery and betrayal. This is good news. Any organization that can’t trust it’s own members is on the decline. They are running scared and dirty.
    That they are using boys and women to commit suicide bombs on fellow Muslims is not winning hearts and minds either. All these heartless, merciless tactics, including kidnapping village elders are more like the actions of Mexican narco-traffickers and shows that they are their moral equivalent. These are not spiritual warriors. They are manic, out of control, power-mad young men. Locals are not impressed either by the fact that Arabs are coming to Pakistan to help kill local Muslims. Of course they are being betrayed. The Taliban is doing what they accuse the US and NATO of doing–bringing foreign fighters in to kill Muslims and destroy local Muslim traditions. The only thing they have going for them is high unemployment in the Arab world (hopefully this will be helped by peaceful rebellions in Tunisia, Egypt, etc) and tons of money by Wahabi missionaries. Hopefully, the Saudis will close this down eventually, too, especially as women in Saudia Arabia gain their own freedoms.

  • Infidel4LIFE says:

    Im surprised the locals are letting the arabs kill their own. when will they tire of this?

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