Clinton Lowers the Boom About Al-Qaida in Pakistan

During an interview with journalists in Lahore, Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her puzzlement over why certain al-Qaida leaders believed to be harbored within the country’s borders haven’t been caught. She did not address the issue of missile attacks from U.S. drones that had earlier fueled student protest.  —KA

BBC:

Mrs Clinton said: “The world has an interest in seeing the capture and killing of the people who are the masterminds of this terrorist syndicate. As far as we know, they are in Pakistan.”

She said: “Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002 ... I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn’t get them if they really wanted to.

“Maybe that’s the case; maybe they’re not gettable. I don’t know.”

US Ambassador Anne Patterson said Mrs Clinton’s remarks were similar to what the administration of President Barack Obama had told Pakistani officials privately.

“We often say, ‘yes, there needs to be more focus on finding these leaders’,” Ms Patterson said.

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AP / K.M. Chaudary

Students protest outside during the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Lahore. Inside her town hall event, Clinton had a “lively” discussion with students, but it was “not hostile,” according to an Associated Press report.