Did Pakistan’s ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?

Jeremy Page
Times Online
December 27, 2007

The main suspects in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination are the Pakistani and foreign Islamist militants who regarded her as a heretic and an American stooge and had repeatedly threatened to kill her.

But fingers will also be pointed at Inter-Services Intelligence, the agency that has had close ties to the Islamists since the 1970s and has been used by successive Pakistani leaders to suppress political opposition.

Ms Bhutto narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in October, when a suicide bomber killed about 140 people at a rally in the port city of Karachi to welcome her back from eight years in exile.

That month, two militant warlords based in the lawless northwestern areas of Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan, had threatened to kill her on her return.

One was Baitullah Mehsud, a top commander fighting the Pakistani army in the tribal region of South Waziristan. He has close ties to al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taleban.

The other was Haji Omar, the “amir” or leader of the Pakistani Taleban, who is also from South Waziristan and fought against the Soviets with the Mujahidin in Afghanistan.

After that attack Ms Bhutto revealed that she had received a letter signed by a person who claimed to be a friend of al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden threatening to slaughter her like a goat.

She accused Pakistani authorities of not providing her with sufficient security and hinted that they may have been complicit in the bomb attack. Asif Ali Zardari, her husband, directly accused the ISI of being involved in that attempt on her life.

Ms Bhutto stopped short of blaming the Government directly, saying that she had more to fear from unidentified members of a power structure that she described as allies of the “forces of militancy”.

Analysts say that President Musharraf himself is unlikely to have ordered her assassination, but that elements of the army and intelligence service would have stood to lose money and power if she had become Prime Minister.

The ISI, in particular, includes some Islamists who became radicalised while running the American-funded campaign against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and remained fiercely opposed to Ms Bhutto on principle.

Saudi Arabia, which has strong influence in Pakistan, is also thought to frown on Ms Bhutto as being too secular and Westernised and to favour Nawaz Sharif, another former Prime Minister.

Sphere: Related Content

del.icio.us:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  digg:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  spurl:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  wists:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  simpy:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  newsvine:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  blinklist:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  furl:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  reddit:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  fark:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  blogmarks:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  Y!:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  smarking:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  magnolia:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  segnalo:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?  gifttagging:Did Pakistan's ISI Kill Benazir Bhutto?
  1. Mark from Ohio on December 27th, 2007

    Very interesting story. I fear that this same thing could be planned against Ron Paul by the elites, I’m Not sure what scares me most Ron Paul getting assasinated or the aftershock that could follow by his supporters. One things for sure, the elites need to just leave Ron Paul alone.

  2. Martin Timothy on December 27th, 2007

    The spammers are already at work… Read on

    BB was kicked out of Prime Ministerial office in Pakistan twice for corruption, and was on the run and lying low in England before she was brought back there in October to be a figurehead in the politics of that country, presumably lured by American dollars.

    In October bombs tore thru the crowd that had assembled along the route, as her motorcade made its way from the airport to the tomb of a dead politician, itself a cuteism scripted by terrorist masterminds hidden out in the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon… scores were killed… John Negroponte named in the Iraqi press as mastermind of the bombing campaign that is attempting to create a rift between Shia and Sunni in that country, was suspiciously close to Pakistan at that time. Surely this killing must be viewed as suspicious.

    Upon the US Secret Service units entering into the Westroads Mall, and prior to the American President’s intended photo-op, FSB reports detail a ‘chaotic’ series of radio transmissions that, seemingly, detail a ‘furious’ gun battle between what can only be described as US Forces firing on US Forces, and which, according to Western media information, has left 9 people dead. whatdoesitmean.com

    From the Files of Freddy Fatt October 2007: …Jackie Bibby sat in a tub with 87 rattlesnakes, George W Bush is in a similar predicament only the rattlers are a lot more trustworthy… Maybe a false flag op will murder George W Bush propelling Cheney into the top job, he will claim moral authority and will wage global war in response. Then mainstream media alliance simply goes into denial mode, a la the denial underway re 911 and the Kennedy’s. Maybe Freddy’s prediction has come true… maybe it was an assassination attempt.

    They alter history and change the news, days after GWB’s assassination the false flag op would be written up as history and the connection to 911, Iraq, Kennedy maintained by truthers would be spammed out of the public eye, and then all you would hear about would be Hitler and The fuggin Holocaust, which was itself a black op choreographed by Jews.

  3. REY on December 27th, 2007

    I.S.I AND MUSHARRAF WITHOUT ANY DOUBT.MUSHARRAF IS BUSH AND OUR NEO CONS FAVORITE….BHUTTO WAS AN OBSTACLE TO THEIR AGENDA….
    WHERE IS BIN LADDEN ? IN PAKISTAN ! (IF STILL ALIVE ) AND OUR $ 60 BILLIONS A YEAR INTELLIGENCE CANNOT FIND IT….I.S.I IS AN ARM OF OUR CIA AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE…
    .DO NOT FORGET THE FORMER I.S.I DIRECTOR MAMHOUD AHMAD DID SEND $ 100.000 TO MOHAMED ATTA BEFORE THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACK AND HAD BREAKFAST WITH PORTER GOSS THE VERY MORNING OF THE ATTACK….PORTER GOSS BECAME OUR CIA DIRECTOR IN 2004.
    WHEN CONDY WAS ASKED ABOUT THESE FACTS SHE CLAIMED SHE DID NOT HEAR THE QUESTION AND LEFT THE ROOM WITH A SMILE WHILE MAMHOUD AHMAD WAS REMOVED…THEN A COURAGEOUS AMERICAN JOURNALIST NAMED DANIEL PEARL TRACED THE PAYMENT TO I.S.I AND THEIR ACCOMPLICES HE WAS KILLED,.CONVENIENTELY BY….AL QAEDA (YEAH RIGHT !)
    I BET BIN LADDEN WILL APPEAR SOON ON OUR TV….TO SCARE YOU …IT ‘S CALL US MILITARY PSYOP THANKS JOE LIBERMAN !

  4. CARLOS RAMIREZ on December 28th, 2007

    WAIT UNTILL FEBRUARY 2008,THAT’S WHEN THE NEW WAVES OF BLACK OPS WILL BEGIN.

  5. Edward Rynearson on December 28th, 2007

    It looks like it may have been done to benefit American politics. My guess is that this was planned for after Christmas a week before the initial primaries.

    See . . . I told you that terrorism and Al-CIA-Duh were a threat to world democracy.

  6. Noah Mcguire on December 28th, 2007

    Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack. An attack similar to the one that killed 140 supporters years before. While the musharif/CIA/ISI motives are crystal clear, the m.o. doesnt quite fit.This may well be a case of a true Pakistani patriot martyring themselves for freedom.Remember, Bhutto was no Ron Paul. She was secularly slanted favoring western democracy over islamic law.
    Lets not jump to any hasty conclusions just yet. Wait until the investigation.

  7. Wise man on December 28th, 2007

    Hmm. Interesting story. Maybe the truth!

  8. Xs From Pakistan on December 28th, 2007

    First off,

    @Noah: BB wasn’t a martyr, she’s only pushed the country into recession during her regime. The ONLY reason she came back was because the charges against her were dropped. Charges which accused her for “looting” 1.3billion USD from the country.

    @Rey: Musharraf has had no option other then to comply. Being a nuclear power he had to play his cards right or pakistan would’ve been the first target to go down before/with Afghanistan. While some might say we are a strong nation with nukes, we still run around the place begging the US for F-16c fighters, aircraft which are now considered technologically ancient.
    Yes, the ISI did make the Taliban with US help there is little doubt in that. Yes, the military leaderships in the country have used the extermists for purposes of distraction and the monster has always gotten out of hand. As far as Bin Ladens death, i’ve seen a few reports around this very site stating that he is alive and intends to release yet another video. (tbh hes got more videos then 50 Cent out there)

    @Martin: In total agreement, however here is another spin on the same story. US wants into pakistan, they want to come in and use us once again as a base because of our geographic location. (Ref: Baraber base in Peshawar used in the 50s against Russia, and China, yes our “brothers” China) By Eliminating BB and destabalizing the goverment, by implying Martyr, and by implying her good “leadership” the western and even local media have instigated the uneducated lower classes into retaliation. What happens next? a Destabalized pakistan, America to the rescue, and they no more need to enter Iran, cuz pakistan already has a oil pipeline underway..
    To those who wonder who is the most to gain, it isn’t the pakistani’s, it isn’t Nawaz Sharif, and it definately isn’t Musharraf (they were buddies and he’s already re-elected) its the USA. I do strongly suspect a false flag.

  9. ranjit on December 29th, 2007

    How cud the Pakistani Authorities come to a conclusion of Al Qaida hand in the Killing of Bhutto without any proper investigation, it jus shows the government is trying to cover up this sensitive issue, Baitullah Mehsud is accused of killing Benazir, is that so, can a local warlord from rugged tribal area vest so much power that his suicide bombers cud strike at will in the garrisoned capital Islamabad. These events lead to huge conspiracy plotted by the government in systematically eliminating it’s opponents and jus playing the Blame Game. There is no Taliban without ISI supporting them with arms and much needed arsenal to strike.

  10. Rabbit on December 29th, 2007

    Who gains? I think it is obvious who was behind this, in the long run. The USA.

    ISI probably did it but they are CIA controlled. It was an entirely orchestrated false flag. I knew she was going to be dead within weeks when she went back. It was a trap from the start. She recently stated that Osama Bin Laden was dead. So OBL must be resurrected now in response to this bulldust, to tip the balance back again. She was also trying to cosy up to Israel, NOT smart, when the USA wants MORE not less instability and hatred between ME nations.

    All that aside she was no Ghandi as another article I was reading today points out. Just a rich, corrupt elitist.

  11. Alex on December 29th, 2007

    Everybody hate woman in islam. So meshud claiming he wants to kill bhutto is not a proof of killing. Meshud is a scapegoat for pak ISI. Pak ISI is alqaeda. And musharraff is that shady alqaeda leader who hide all the alqaeda in his umbrella.

    For me mushrraff is a snake. It is better we deal with someone. He is tricking idiot bush. Indira gandhi cleaned up sikh revolt with army. How difficult to clean up tribal regiona with 250000 army?.

    It is simple mushrraf wants to keep these alqaeda terrorist in tribal region alive. Half pak army is alqaeda and other half is alqaeda sympothisers.

    I say bomb pakistan tos tone age before they do that to other country.

    War with pakistan is more correct than irag or afghanistan. Terrorist NEST in pakistan , why fight everywhere else?.

  12. Alex on December 29th, 2007

    Anyone wonders why Army is powerful in pakistan? why not in india?. Simple. Pakistan wants to acquire kashmir as it has some muslim population. Pakistan is a country formed on False idea!. So who fights india? Army. All the money went to army. Army officers become elitist. They control the foreign investment. Now pak has army and poor people. Pak army take atleast 80% of the money. Why army hate politicians? Simple. Politicians take the army’s share. So in pakistan there will never be a democracy. Army will kill anyone who take the money from them. It is a correct explanation than pak isi evil. Pak ISI is a criminal brother of army to do its dirty work when it needs them. Also pakistan is a “FANATICAL” muslim country. I am 100% sure all pakistanis are alqaeda or alqaeda sympathisers. Taliban , alqaeda are just stooges of pak isi.

    Without pak army support no one can live in pakistan whether it is in tribal region or afghanistan or kashmir. They will sent suicide terrorist. It is convinient for pak isi now that everyone blames alqaeda not pak isi. They are laughing their arse off and taking bush’ multi billion dollar to kill their own branch alqaeda. is n’t funny?.

    Bush is an idiot!. I never seen worst idiot in my life than bush. How did america find him and make him president. Astonishing!.

  13. Open Secret on December 29th, 2007

    Mr.Bush,Pervaiz Musharraf,Osama bin ladin,Alqaida and Talaiban.These five members are just like brothers.they play a big game in the world.Bush wants to be a King of the World like Napolian,Hitler.All drama which is doing in Muslim world is done by BUSH by means of Alqaida and Talaiban. “My suggestion is that plz be aware from these above members”. (Musharraf is just involve in this Drama to SAVE Pakistan from Bush}.

  14. Alex on December 29th, 2007

    Mushrraf wants to save the alqeaeda. Musharraf is a killer. So is all PAK ISI. Musharraf is the leader of PAK ISI. Bhutto’s killing is nothing to do with idiot bush. Because of bush’s stupid gurantee she went back to pakistan on power sharing agrrement. But she try to trick musharraf and try to take revenge against PAK ISI. Pak isi acted switly and terminated her. That is why the assasin used gun first and then bomb. Why PAK spokes man deny gun shooting?. Simple. It shows the assasin is not alqaeda terrorist , he was PAK ISI agent. Bhutto was stupid to trust bush!. My question is though why Pakistan people is not revolting against mushrraf?. Pathetic!. I think pakistan is full of terrorists!.

  15. Jeanne on December 29th, 2007

    To Martin Timothy:
    I would like to know where in ‘whatdoesitmean.com’ is some info on Westroads Mall and a US forces firefight. I can’t find it, so far

  16. Hamza on January 1st, 2008

    Now you beleive it what is now doing in Pakistan?
    In dangerous way now this is the fact that PML(Q), Musharraf & ISI of Pakistan is fully involved in Benazir Bhuttos Murder. Why I give assurance you because some witnesses and proofs i collect from the places where commonly they presence.
    Tommorow election commision declared when election held. after the declaration of election dates i provide all proof on net if possible dont miss it. Thanx.

  17. Tabrizi on January 1st, 2008

    All the analysis is based on to some extant true. While I disagree with the point that all Pakistanis are terrorists. It would be as wrong as if I call all Americans NEO-CONS. So five fingers are not equal. Pakistan is has been used and abused by the Generals with the help US for the last 60 years. It was used a base to counter the Soviet threat. Jihad was started at the behest of CIA and Regan administration. Thousands of mercenaries and terrorists were recruited from across the world to fight a proxy war against the Red Army.
    CIA, the architect of the US jihad of Afghanistan trained Osama Bin Laden and other ruthless fighters with the help of ISI and blood thirsty Pakistani GENERLAS. MADRASSAS were set up to breed suicide bombers. The syllabus was also written by the State Department to brain wash the Jihadis. This game of blood lasts for almost a decade until the departure of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Soviet Empire vanished prematurely and the presence of a new enemy was a must to run the Capitalist economy. This time it was friends US jihadis who were labeled “TERRORISTS”. OBL became the world’s most wanted man. What a pathetic. The America people must understand.
    Look at the post cold war and 9/11 era. World trade centre was blown up by the CIA with the help of the so called terrorists who were once freedom fighters-trained and funded by the CIA,ISI,Wahabi Saudi Arabia and other Western countries. Very bad!
    Look at the current scenario my friends and the policies of the NEO-CONS. They have waged war on every front to control the resources of the war. They have not yet found WMD in Iraq. They killed their own friend Saddam Hussain, who fought for them for 30 years. Look at the fate of fanatic ZIA-UL-HAQ who fought US jihad in Afghanistan.
    Pakistanis, though conservative, but not terrorists. It is the pocket of ISI,GENERALS who are usurping the precious resources of our country in the name of STATE SECURITY. Social sector in country presents the picture of the medieval era. All money goes to bloody generals and notorious spy masters. The US is on their back. How pathetic.
    If someone raises the question whey the People of Pakistan doesn’t stop Musharraf not to do was is against of ethics and norms. I asked my friends from the US to stop Bush and the destructive policies-he has carried out on false and brutish line. Since the beginning of the Cold War era, the US administrations have over thrown out hundreds of operations abroad to topple the democrative governments. They toppled Sukarno, Bhutto and installed Suharto and Zia-ul-haq.
    The US hand is red with bloods. Millions of the people around the world have suffered due to the US policies. Millions were killed ruthlessly by the CIA baked coups. Do I entitle all the US citizens bloody? No never.
    The US is still active around the glob to create anachy, fear and insecurity in order to create World Empire at the expense of human blood. They bombed Baghdad and Afghanistan millions perished. Why? Because to serve the US interests at the expense of human blood.

    Pakistan is truly a fertile land for extremists and obscurantist and fanatics due to the policies of the NEO-CONS. Bush administration is still backing nakedly the blood thirsty and ruthless generals. Thousands of lawyers, civil activists and peace loving, secular and brave judges have been rounded up in the name of emergency. But the so called terrorists are roaming freely. Who to be blamed? The architect of this bloody game is NEO-CONS. The Bush administration, though raise the slogan of democracy, but never bother to press the blood thirsty GENERALS to transfer power to the true representatives of the country.
    Truly Pakistan is a banana republic of the US. Generals and ruthless ISI its servant. OBL, Taliban, AL-Qaedda are the by product of US backing. Why?
    Because it suits the US interests.
    The US government is still silent on the judiciary. Our brave secular judges are still under house arrest and have kept in confinement. The bloody generals are reluctant to release. They fear that the status quo would be challenged. It was the Harvard School of Law who conferred on him the most prestigious title. But the generals are adamant to destroy the civil institution at the behest of Bush administration. Why? Because it suits US interests.
    Our country is still in the clutches of US, Generals and ISI. People are the main looser-and are in pain and grieve. The people of the US are enjoying the fruits of democracy, liberty and freedom, but the people of Pakistan are in the pool of blood due to the US policies. Taliban, Al-Qaeeda, mercinaries and other blood thirsty elements are the product of US policies adopted through out 60 years history of Pakistan. Who are the fueling extremism, fanatism, redicalism and obscurantism? The US-crystal answer.
    Who created Bin laden, Al-Qaeed and backed ruthless generals and notorious ISI? The US.
    Who fuelled the culture JIHADISM in Pakistan? The US.
    Who backed blood thirsty and fanatic ZIA-UL-HAQ and later sent straight to hell along with the US ambassador? The US.
    Who conspired against PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto? The US.
    Who supported, funded and trained mercenaries and Jihadis? The US.
    Who who supports bloody Musharraf? The US.
    Who carried the 9/11 carnage? The US and her ally Al-Qaeda
    Who asked Musharraf to impose emergency? The US.
    Who asked Musharraf to place the brave judges of Pakistan under house arrest? The US.
    Who facilitate Benaziz Bhutto to join hands with Musharraf and later gave him green signal to assassinate her? Musharraf
    Who is still facilitating Musharraf to destroy the civil society, institution and the integrity of Pakistan and punish our brave lawyers and judges? The US.
    Now all my friends who have a negative opinion about Pakistan must look into the policies of the US-the bloody game at the expense of Pakistani people.
    The people of Pakistan are still under the clutches of feudal system. The ISI and generals have besieged the country for the last 60 years. Sometimes they use religion as tool creates bloodshed and sometimes other tactics.
    My friends in the US must understand the root cause and ground realities.
    When I say US it doesn’t mean the people, but bunch and group who have vested interests.
    Our brave Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is the vicim of conscious and facing the wrath of the US and general. The Harvad School of Law as conferred on him a prestigious award. He was also called the lawer of the year. Justice Chaudhry is the first ever judge in Pakistan who dared to face the bloody generals firmly. The US has no interest in justice and democracy. They are adamant to save bloody Musharraf come what may.Pakistan is at the bink of civil war but generals and the US have decided to let the country meet the same fate as Soviet Union met.

  18. Lev on January 2nd, 2008

    “The main suspects in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination are the Pakistani and foreign Islamist militants who regarded her as a heretic and an American stooge and had repeatedly threatened to kill her.” The main suspects? What the hell is going on here? Do a simple “who benefits?” test and see who had by far the most to gain from her assassination, Musharraf and his lackeys. This Mehsud character has already DENIED involvement… pretty strange behavior don’t you think? Considering if he’s a terrorist then wouldn’t he proudly CLAIM responsibility for it?

    Regardless, who really benefits, when Bhutto was leading Musharraf’s asskissers by a hefty margin in the polls, with elections set for 8 January? Now they’ve been “postponed”? Come on. Now the election will be even easier to rig without the opposition’s Benazir Bhutto around. They will claim that without her the P.P.P. vote fragmented and Musharraf’s party conveniently “won” more votes, watch. That’s if it’s held at all. If they don’t keep postponing it, indefinitely.

    If Musharraf’s clowns had nothing to do with it then why are they sticking by the story of her hitting her head on the sunroof handle, in the face of daily mounting evidence to the contrary? Why did their goons hose down the crime scene moments after the assassination? That’s why he will let Scotland Yard come in NOW, when there’s nothing left for them to find at the scene, and the medical records have been confiscated IMMEDIATELY after her death which was mentioned in the Washington Post. There’s nothing left to uncover that will lead back to the I.S.I. now so why not? They must know that most Pakistanis realize that the intel. service was behind her death, in Rawalpindi of all places, whether they will admit it or not. Consider the failed assassination attempt almost as soon as she returned to Pakistan. The streetlights went off on her parade route for the block where the assassination attempt was to take place. So does “Al Qaeda” control the local power grid in Karachi, Pakistan? Or is it more likely somebody else with more pull had something to do with it?

    How much evidence has to be swept away before the average journalist sits up and notices that the I.S.I. is the prime suspect in her assassination? How many lame excuses does the central government in Islamabad have to peddle before they see it for what it is? How many “dots” have to be connected before their eyes before they will allow it to make the obvious picture? Who benefits?

  19. Lev on January 2nd, 2008

    P.S.– To anyone who will quickly say “but it was a suicide bomber too, so how could it the I.S.I. be involved?” I say this: The I.S.I. has long had intimate ties to genuine Islamic militants and could EASILY recruit two suicide assassins for the job who wouldn’t even know they were working at the direction of the I.S.I.

    The limited hangout will be “well, the government should have provided security for her so that the “Islamic terrorists” wouldn’t be able to get so close and kill her”. When it rears its retarded head don’t fall for it, it’s just a smokescreen. The real culprits, the ones directing it and logistically facilitating it are the ones with by far the most means to do it and by far the most to gain from it, Musharraf and by extension the I.S.I.

    Of course the mainstream media is as unable to SAY this as they are unable to say that 9/11 was an inside job and the “war on terror” is phony and all about control over oil and natural gas resources, their exploration, extraction and transport to market. So of course the mainstream media and fake opposition media is going to in general parrot the Musharraf government line, sometimes taking exception to the sunroof handle matter but steadily pounding away with the “Al Qaeda”/Taliban boogeyman propaganda.

  20. Henriettays on April 5th, 2008

    thats for sure, brother

  21. hi
    who is blaming me

  22. omer on August 31st, 2009

    a very good way of expressing a true story sure isi has a great power and isi is itself a state in a state…. isi DG is like president not answerable to any one……