Al-Qaeda has regenerated a 'safe haven' in Pakistan's tribal area, the latest United States policy document has stated. A top American official has also blamed the failure of a peace agreement in the Afghan border area for the terror network regaining its strength there.
Since the 9/11 attacks, the US-led war on terror has deprived al-Qaeda of its safe haven in Afghanistan, said the new 'National Strategy for Homeland Security.
"But the group has protected its top leadership, replenished operational lieutenants, and regenerated a safe haven in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas --core capabilities that will help facilitate another attack on the homeland," the White House document said.
However, Frances Townsend, senior White House official in charge of Homeland Security, said that there is nothing new in the report and Islamabad has been a valuable ally in the war against terror.
"This statement is not a new statement. We relied on the intelligence community's assessment in framing the threat for this strategy," he said about the evaluation when asked how al-Qaeda had been able to expand its network if Pakistan is cooperating with the US.
"There's no taking away from them (Pakistan). They've also suffered the loss of life in confronting al-Qaeda and the Taliban in the tribal region," Towsend said.
"I have said repeatedly said that the peace agreement with the tribals failed Pakistan and it failed us. Obviously, that's one of the fundamental things that al-Qaeda took advantage of to re-establish a safe haven in the tribal areas," the official said.
"We are continuing to work with the Musharraf government, with the Pakistani military and intelligence services to address that ongoing threat," Townsend said.
"We have enjoyed some of our biggest successes with our allies in Pakistan. You know, you've heard the litany of captures that we've had, whether it's Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Ramzi Binalshibh, Zubaida, all of these have been the result of cooperation with our Pakistani allies," he said.
Townsend declined to divulge operational details about the kind of cooperation the United States and Pakistan share in issues of terrorism. "For obvious reasons...I can't detail for you the specific discussions between the Pakistani government and the US government. We share intelligence with them, we offer them both military intelligence and law enforcement assistance. But I can't tell you what the specific cooperation and the discussions are," he said.
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