Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud plans to carry out terror attacks in major cities,including Islamabad,Rawalpindi and Lahore,and has dispatched his top five commanders along with 300 terrorists and suicide bombers to execute the mission. The five Taliban commanders will supervise the terrorist operations planned by Mehsud and the Taliban Himayat Tehrik in these cities,Interior Ministry sources said on Sunday. The Taliban commanders who had left North Waziristan on the mission were identified by intelligence agencies as Shikaari,Inayatullah,Walid,Mujahid and Abdali,sources said. A security official said the Taliban commanders had left North Waziristan Agency for Islamabad on April 11 along with an explosives-laden Toyota Corolla car with the registration number IDG-8720. The sources,quoting an intelligence report,said about 300 terrorists and suicide bombers would reach Islamabad with the five commanders. However,law enforcement agencies are unaware whether the militants have reached their destination or postponed their operation,the official said. Interior Secretary Kamal Shah confirmed the report and said foolproof security measures have been adopted to thwart the threats. "The law enforcement agencies have chalked out counter strategies to deal with the situation," he said. Shah said troops from the Northern Areas Scouts will reach Islamabad within two days to help the civil administration in maintaining peace. It would be the prerogative of the police chief to deploy the troops "where he thinks it necessary",he said. The daily quoted its sources as saying that an intelligence agency had informed the government regarding the Taliban activities. It had warned that simultaneous suicide bombings followed by sniper attacks could be carried out by the Taliban. To counter serious threats to Islamabad,the federal government recently sought troops from the Northern Areas Scouts,a paramilitary force under the army's command,to assist the civil administration in protecting VIPs and sensitive installations. "At least 20 companies of the Northern Areas Scouts are required to deal with possible untoward situations," a source said. The troops will be deployed at sensitive installations and be part of the motorcade of VIPs.
