Trusted ally ‘blew’ bin Laden’s cover

Mumbai Mirror

London, 30 May 2011:  Osama bin Laden’s cover was blown by one of his most trusted allies, secret papers found at his Abbottabad lair have suggest.

 

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Baradar is believed to have told US investigators the location of the al-Qaeda terror chief’s hideout. In return they promised to withdraw US troops from Taliban strongholds in Afghan once bin Laden was killed or captured.

 

The al-Qaeda chief was shot dead in Abbottabad on May 2 after US sent in a team of elite Navy Seals.

 

Details of the extraordinary “deal” emerged after a confidential American briefing was found at the hideout.

 

Reports in Pakistan claim Baradar co-founder of Taliban, which has a loose alliance with bin Laden’s al-Qaeda is named in the papers. He and other “moles” within al-Qaeda are said to be feeding crucial information to US intelligence experts.

 

Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar is believed to have betrayed bin Laden (right)

 

Until now it has been believed that bin Laden was caught out when the US intercepted a phone call made by his courier Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, who was also killed in the US raid.

 

But new reports in Pakistan suggest it was actually Baradar who told the US where he was hiding.

 

Baradar, known as the “Father of the IED” because he pioneered the use of roadside bombs, was arrested in a joint US-Pakistani operation last year in  Karachi. The terror chief, a close ally of one-eyed Taliban leader Mullah Omar, was interrogated in prison before being released last October.

 

Security expert Neil Doyle said: “Baradar is in the frame as he’s been in negotiations with the Afghan government and is closely linked to both Mullah Omar and bin Laden.

 

The US has announced that it is scaling back its military operations in Pakistan following the killing of bin Laden. That will fuel speculation about whether this is the start of the pay-off for insurgents who are willing to cut a deal.

 

“UK has also hinted that bin Laden’s demise may lead to a quicker-than-expected exit of British troops from Afghanistan.”  

 

Reports claim Baradar and other moles within al-Qaeda are feeding crucial information to US intelligence experts