Washington: The US had assigned as many as
nine drones to hunt down and target Pakistan Taliban chief
Baitullah Mehsud as the American officials stuck to their
belief that Mehsud was dead.
"It was a dramatic escalation," American officials said,
claiming that stepped up surveillance had paid rich dividends
when hellfire missiles from a predator drone had caught Mehsud
helpless while the 35-year-old warlord was getting a leg
massage on the roof of his father-in-law's house.
American officials told CNN Television that the drones
had spied a man on the roof of Mehsud's father-in-law's house.
CNN said a woman was massaging the man's leg and the CIA
knew that Mehsud had diabetes which often causes pain in the
legs.
The TV said CIA officials had authorisation from
President Barack Obama to strike Mehsud whenever they had him
in their sight.
"That's when the CIA decided to move in and order his
killing," the network said.
Although Washington sticks to its claim that Mehsud is
dead, top Taliban Commander Hakimullah Mehsud has challenged
Pakistani authorities to prove his leader was dead.
In the absence of Mehsud's body, believed to be buried
deep inside Taliban's stronghold of South Waziristan, both US
and Pakistan governments have stopped short of confirming his
death.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 14:34