AP source: US demands Pakistan crackdown on Taliban militants, Times Square attack cited

AP source: US wants Pakistan crackdown on Taliban

WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. official says Washington has asked Pakistan to crack down on the Pakistani Taliban.

That’s the message top U.S. officials delivered to Islamabad last week, citing the case of alleged Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad. U.S. officials say he was trained and funded by the Pakistani Taliban.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, says the U.S. expects Pakistan to carry out independent operations against the militants and to increase cooperation with the Americans.

The official says the U.S. is hopeful for Pakistan’s cooperation because the Pakistani Taliban has frequently attacked Pakistani civilians.