“Elements” in Pak Govt. aware about bin Laden’s whereabouts: Clinton

WASHINGTON - The United States has once again claimed that wanted Al-Qaeda warlord Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan with Secretary of States Hillary Clinton reiterating that there are “elements” in the Pakistan government who know bin Laden’s whereabouts.

Clinton, who is currently in Afghanistan to attend an international conference, told Fox News that she believes that “elements” in the Pakistan government may know where bin Laden is hiding.

Clinton also underlined the fact that most of the terror attacks on the United States emanated from Pakistan, as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda continue to use that country’s soil as safe havens.

“This is where the principle terrorist threat to the United States emanates from,” she said during her stopover in Islamabad enroute to Kabul.

“We have been getting, with Pakistani cooperation, a lot of the top (Al Qaeda and Taliban) leadership. The U.S. and its allies may not have bin Laden or his inner circle yet, but we’ve made a lot of progress,” Clinton added.

This is not for the first time that Clinton has pointed fingers towards Pakistan over information concerning the Al-Qaeda chief.

In May, Clinton had accused that the Pakistani administration knows much more about Laden than what it reveals to Washington.

“Some Pakistani officials were more informed about al-Qaida and Taliban than they let on,” Clinton had said.

“I’m not saying that they’re at the highest levels but I believe that somewhere in this government are people who know where Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida is, where Mullah Omar and the leadership of the Afghan Taliban is and we expect more cooperation to help us bring to justice, capture or kill, those who attacked us on 9/11,” she had said during an interview with the CBS.

Talking to reporters during her journey from Islamabad to Kabul, Clinton acknowledged that Pakistan remains deeply sceptical about the US’ efforts in the country, but added that the massive 7.5 billion dollar aid effort would help in reducing that country’s suspicion, which was important for Washington’s goals in the region, especially in Afghanistan.

“Of course there is a legacy of suspicion that we inherited. It is not going to be eliminated overnight,” Clinton said.

“I don’t want to overstate this but (the Pakistani officials) all said we really believe that the people are understanding that the United States wants to be a real partner to us and that it’s not just killing terrorists,” she told the media contingent accompanying her to Kabul. (ANI)