(Previous Incident Code: Ob0 )

Two days after Barack Obama’s inauguration, US drones supported the Pakistani Army in what may have been a unique joint operation. An unnamed Pakistani intelligence officer told the Wall Street Journal that a combination of US surveillance, Pakistani human intelligence and informants were used to track alleged al Qaeda operative Zabu ul Taifi, a Saudi national, to a safe house in Khyber Agency, where he was captured alongside six others.

The report added, “Once authorities were confident Mr. Taifi was in the walled, mud compound, Pakistani paramilitary forces backed by helicopters grabbed him, the officer said. Throughout, Predator drones hovered overhead and would have attacked if Mr. Taifi or other suspects had tried to escape, the officer said.”

But an unnamed Pakistani military officer who claimed to have participated in the raid told The News that Taifi was tracked by the CIA through his “frequent use of Internet and cell phone” and was actually seized by CIA operatives who were on the ground during the mission. “The Americans seemed quite excited after capturing the Saudi national and immediately bundled him into their vehicle”.

Eight agents were present, in ‘technologically-equipped cars’ that were connected to the drone overhead, the report added. The Pakistanis were told by the CIA that Taifi was among the planners of the July 7 bombings in London, the officer added.