July 25: Describing Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt near Afghanistan as the “global headquarters” of Al Qaeda, top American military commander Admiral Mike Mullen has said the US believed that the terror network’s chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy Aiman al-Zawahiri are in this country.
The presence of these terrorist leaders in the region is a reason why “a principal part of the overall Af-Pak strategy is focused on elimination of safe havens” for them, Mullen told reporters here on Saturday night. His comments came days after US secretary of state Hillary Clinton ruffled feathers in Islamabad by making a similar statement.
Responding to questions, Adm. Mullen, who is on his 19th visit to Pakistan, said Al Qaeda leaders are hiding in a “very secure place” and it is difficult to trace them. He said Pakistan’s tribal belt is the “global headquarters” for the Al Qaeda terror network. He said that there is still a need for action against the Haqqani network.