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New Pak Taliban chief may be SL attacker
Pakistan's government says it's investigating reports that the man behind the attack on the Sri Lankan team is the new head of the Pakistani Taliban.
- Associated Press
- Updated: August 23, 2009 06:31 am IST
Read Time: 1 min
Islamabad:
Pakistan's government says it's investigating reports that the man behind the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team is the new head of the Pakistani Taliban.
Militants say they selected a new chief on Saturday to succeed Baitullah Mehsud, who is believed to have been killed in a CIA missile strike earlier this month.
Two close aides to another commander told The Associated Press that a 42-member Taliban council, or shura, appointed a new head because Mehsud was ill.
The new chief is said to be Hakimullah Mehsud, a top commander known for his ruthless efficiency in staging attacks.
As military chief of Baitullah's Pakistani Taliban Movement, Hakimullah commanded three tribal regions and has a reputation as Baitullah's most ruthless deputy.
He claimed responsibility for the June 9 bombing of the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar, and the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore earlier this year.

Militants say they selected a new chief on Saturday to succeed Baitullah Mehsud, who is believed to have been killed in a CIA missile strike earlier this month.
Two close aides to another commander told The Associated Press that a 42-member Taliban council, or shura, appointed a new head because Mehsud was ill.
The new chief is said to be Hakimullah Mehsud, a top commander known for his ruthless efficiency in staging attacks.
As military chief of Baitullah's Pakistani Taliban Movement, Hakimullah commanded three tribal regions and has a reputation as Baitullah's most ruthless deputy.
He claimed responsibility for the June 9 bombing of the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar, and the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore earlier this year.
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Sreesanth
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