Baitullah Mehsud threatens attack on White House

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud on March 31 claimed responsibility for a series of recent terrorist attacks, including the March 30 assault on a police training centre in Lahore, The News reported. He also threatened to show his power to the world when his people would attack the US capital as a reaction to frequent drone attacks in the tribal areas and the reward on his head. “By the grace of Allah Almighty, I am claiming responsibility for the attack on the police training school in Lahore with eagerness, honour and love and will continue similar strikes across the country, if the US drones were not stopped from killing innocent people in the tribal areas,” Baitullah Mehsud said in his telephonic conversation with reporters. Baitullah also claimed responsibility for two other suicide attacks, including one on a military convoy near Bannu in the NWFP on March 30 and another on the Police intelligence office in Islamabad on March 23. Baitullah said his men were out to target Government installations against its failure to protect tribesmen against non-stop drone attacks. About the recent reward of $5 million for his head by the US State Department, he said he loved to be martyred, but threatened his men would soon attack Americans in their own country, not in Afghanistan. He said his men would soon teach a lesson to the Americans in Washington and the White House. An Associated Press report added that Baitullah said his group was planning a terrorist attack on the White House that would “amaze” the world. “Soon we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world,” said Mehsud. In his latest comments in an interview with local Dewa Radio, a copy of which was obtained by the AP, Mehsud identified the White House as one of the targets In Washington.