Pakistan's Taliban issues video denial - 16 Nov 09

Attacks that have continued across Pakistani towns and cities are being blamed on Tehreek e-Taliban, Pakistan's Taliban.

However, the group has issued its first video statement denying involvement in targeting civilians and has blamed external forces for at least two recent blasts.

Azam Tariq, a spokesman of the Tehreek e-Taliban, posted the video statement on YouTube on Monday.

The message refers to a bombing at the Islamic University in Islamabad, which the spokesman said was orchestrated to prepare the ground for a military operation in South Waziristan, a stronghold for Pakistan's Taliban fighters.

He also said his group had no role in the bomb blast in a Peshawar market that killed at least 100 people as well as an attack in Charsada, a town located in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.

Tariq said Taliban attacks never aimed to target civilians, but that the explosions were linked to Blackwater activities in the country.

Blackwater is a private military and security company founded in the United States.

Propaganda war

Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said: "Even when those bomb blasts did happen, the Taliban denied they had anything to do it."

He said: "It was surprising to see that it [the video message] came up on the al-Sahab video. That is the Al-Qaeda wing of media publicity."

Blackwater has denied having any contracts in Pakistan.

Hyder added: "There is a growing anger among Pakistanis. If one looks at the type of attacks that have been taking place - indiscriminate attacks the first thing that came out, even reported by local media, was the blaming of Blackwater and other American agencies.

"The public opinion has turned against the Americans. The video that has appeared today would be trying to capitalise on that."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• aljazeera
• al jazeera
• pakistan
• taliban
• azam tariq
• kamal
• hyder
• tarek bazley

[Jurassicparkrules96]

how about the us leave afghanistan and the taliban stop being ignorant and and killing their own people then the problem will be solved

[dogpoop89]

Fuuuuuck that shit. Sand niggers did it.

[hamzabaloch1]

Taliban ka mah chodi . baghrat kom ka baghrat log . pet pachi war krni wali darpook . harami angraz ki tatti otani wali baghrat

[008jamshaid]

fuck americans and there pakistani army puppets

[MrsToooSweet]

@baniyas007/u liked to get banged in your ass, u fucking FAGGOT! All u Muslims over there r getting fucked in the ass by America! Funny thing is, y'all like it!! Lmfao! We come into Pakistan and do as we please bitch, sneak in and take ur "leader" in the middle of

The night dump his ass in the ocean n let him become fish food... n y'all ain't gonna do shit about it! Y'all stay in ur sand huts in ugly ass Muslim lands and kill yourselves! Do EVERYONE the favor!!

[0515524847]

@AbdulMumeet1970 you meant Pakistani corrupt politicians....be discrete brotha duh!!!

[lockwyn]

0:15 kill him....fast

[AbdulMumeet1970]

problem with pakistanis is they love money too much

[AbdulMumeet1970]

@Rauydian epic comment mate

[pakgroove]

Dear Islam doesn’t allow killing any unarmed persons, against army ok but killing innocent people? We are not serving Islam. We should fight economically all products should be made in Muslims countries. We are fighting & attackers are enjoying our natural resources.