February 25, 2008
Taliban Defense Minister, and Friend of bin Laden, Arrested ... Again
Don't you just love the revolving door that Pakistan has for the Taliban? It's being reported that Mullah Obaidullah Akhund has been arrested by the Pakistanis ... for a second time.
Intelligence agencies have once again arrested the Taliban Majlis-e-Shura’s former defence minister Mullah Obaidullah Akhund along with two other Afghan nationals from Lahore, along with two other Afghan nationals, intelligence sources told Daily Times on Sunday.One of the problems with our "allies" in Pakistan is they have never really had an all-out offensive against the Taliban. Instead they go on brief incursions, followed by even lengthier cease-fires. I notice the Pakistani Taliban are asking for another round of cease-fires. Often the cease-fires are accompanied by "good faith" releases of prisoners. Needless to say, the released prisoners go on to fight the U.S. in Afghanistan and eventually the Pakistanis.The sources revealed that Obaidullah had been arrested in 2006 in Quetta and was released after around nine months, after which he fled to in Afghanistan.
This time he arrived in Pakistan to generate funds, the sources said, adding that he, along with Pakistani allies, had visited several cities in this regard....
He is a senior Taliban figure and is considered by American intelligence officials to have been one of the Taliban leaders closest to Osama Bin Laden, as well as part of the inner core of the Taliban leadership around Mullah Muhammad Omar.
Brilliant strategery! Thanks to Jimbo.
