New al Qaeda Plot Against Musharraf Revealed

As Pervez Musharraf granted himself more powers, a new plot against him by al Qaeda was revealed.

INTELLIGENCE authorities in Karachi yesterday claimed to have uncovered an al-Qa'ida plot to blow up Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as the leader granted himself sweeping new powers over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.

The alleged plot was disclosed only hours before the state of emergency imposed by Mr Musharraf last month was due to be lifted.

It also coincided with the publication of a poll conducted by US Republican Party researchers that underlined the extent of Mr Musharraf's unpopularity ahead of next month's general election.

The report incorrectly notes it's the Republican Party that issued this report, when in actuality it's a group called the International Republican Institute. Whatever the case, that's a bad error.

It continues.

The poll, by the International Republican Institute and reported in The New York Times, suggests 67 per cent of Pakistanis want Mr Musharraf to resign immediately and 70 per cent say that his Government does not deserve re-election.

It also found that Washington and London's hopes for a power-sharing alliance between Mr Musharraf and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is opposed by 60 per cent of Pakistanis.

The poll's main findings confirm assessments attributed to Pakistan's intelligence agencies that while the branch of the Pakistan Muslim League aligned with Mr Musharraf may emerge as the largest single party in the election, Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and Nawaz Sharif's own branch of the PML will do well, with hardline religious parties holding the balance of power.

Yesterday, Mr Musharraf passed a law granting himself ultimate control over the country's National Command Authority, which is in charge of all aspects of the country's nuclear arsenal and use of its nuclear technology.

The assassination plot, it was claimed, was to blow up an entire bridge on the city's Drig Road that would be used by Mr Musharraf on a visit to Karachi.

Pakistani news agencies quoted officials as saying the plot involved a fall-back plan for two follow-up attacks in case the first attempt to kill Mr Musharraf failed.

They said interrogation of suspects involved in the alleged plot had revealed plans for attacks on foreign diplomatic missions, and last night security on these and other strategic buildings across Pakistan was significantly increased.

Mr Musharraf, 64, has survived a series of attempts on his life since he seized power in 1999, the last being in July when an anti-aircraft gun was fired at his aircraft as it took off from Rawalpindi.

Earlier yesterday, al-Qa'ida- and Taliban-linked suicide bombers were blamed for two separate attacks on a military checkpoint at the army garrison in Quetta, capital of the troubled province of Balochistan, which left at least 10 soldiers dead and more than 22 wounded.

Meanwhile, the Washington Times today notes that a baby was rigged with a bomb in an attempt to kill Benazir Bhutto back in October, a story we noted last month.