No evidence of dead terrorists in US bombed Pakistan village

Monday, January 23, 2006

Aziz is on the left; US's Wolfowitz on the right

In an interview with CNN, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said "There is no evidence, as of half an hour ago, that there were any other people there". United States officials have previously stated that as many as eight al-Qaeda operatives were dining in Damadola when struck by United States missiles. As many as eighteen individuals were killed in the strike.

In the interview Prime Minister Aziz labelled a U.S. report that senior al Qaeda leaders were killed in a CIA attack as "bizarre".

Mr Aziz said, "The area does see movement of people from across the border. But we have not found one body or one shred of evidence that these people were there."

"If you just reflect on what happened; first, we heard that there was a dinner meeting with all the seniors," the Prime Minister said. "I think that's a bizarre thought, because these people don't get together for dinner in a terrain or environment like that."

The U.S. network ABC News reported January 18 on its Web site that the attack killed Khabab, quoting "Pakistani authorities." However a number of Pakistani officials have told CNN they cannot confirm the ABC report.

J.D. Crouch, the USA's Deputy National Security Advisor to President Bush told CNN on January 19, that there was no confirmation that any senior al Queda operatives were killed in the bombing.

Related news

"Al Qaeda bomb maker reportedly killed in U.S. airstrike in Pakistan" — Wikinews, January 18, 2006
"Pakistani Official claims 'foreign terrorists' among civilians killed in U.S. airstrike" — Wikinews, January 17, 2006
"U.S. senators defend Pakistan missile strike that killed 18" — Wikinews, January 16, 2006
"Protests erupt in Pakistan over US air strike" — Wikinews, January 15, 2006
"U.S. airstrike targeting Ayman al-Zawahiri leaves 18 dead in Pakistani village" — Wikinews, January 14, 2006

Sources

Riaz Khan. Expulsion of U.S. Envoy Sought in Pakistan — Associated Press, January 23, 2006
Pakistan PM: CIA attack reports 'bizarre' — CNN, January 22, 2006
Bradley Brooks. Pakistan PM: No evidence of al-Qaida dead — Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 22, 2006
Transcript. THE SITUATION ROOM — CNN, January 19, 2006

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