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11/1/2007 - Dinner Guest: Sharing a pillow with al-Qaeda by Nicholas Schmidle

Dinner Guest Sharing pillow Qaeda By Nicholas Schmidle November FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS Pervez Musharraf feted Bush administration praised cooperation fighting War Terror In September United States twisted alliance former Assistant Secretary State Richard Armitage warning could either cooperate prepared bombed Stone Age He wisely chose first option And reward efforts Washington agreed overlook Musharraf dictatorial impulses around million every month Six years later public opinion having since turned against recent gauged popularity percent Musharraf confident enough American backers turned despotism notch clared state emergency Still because United States propped plenty martial regimes previously Pakistan alone U S larger geopolitical interests They probably would supported Musharraf bombing Qaeda training camps tribal areas chasing Taliban country But instead Musharraf regime locking political opponents pummeling lawyers streets threatening journalists either comply hunted Meanwhile Taliban whose continued existence Afghanistan Pakistan arguably driving reason U S ongoing mitment funding Musharraf taken advantage uncer tainty prevailing Pakistan Over weeks Taliban first fended short lived military operation Swat Valley began their advance By November after Musharraf decreed emergency Taliban litias controlled percent Swat district North West Frontier Province They replaced Pakistan state flags flying police stations their Their support donation stands around valley where local people could contribute funds mujahideen battling Pakistani security forces And manned checkpoints throughout valley armed rocket launchers Kalash nikovs cases curved swords might expected Saladin wielding century Less Mingora largest Swat surrounded mountains blanketed forests state emergency thousands lawyers political activists behind Those rested hiding police Afew dozen members mainstream Islamist parties under house Musharraf given Taliban virtual The emergency period could another another months another Judging which progressive elements Pakistani society disappearing paddy wagons speed which Taliban taking Swat Valley seemed possible Musharraf could inadvertently creating Taliban state THREE WEEKS BEFORE MUSHARRAF clared emergency I spent Taliban Swat Valley Swat which administrative district slightly smaller Luxembourg surrounded mountains blanketed forests The Swat River pours peaks Hindu Kush meanders through valley nourishing apple persimmon orchards During summer thousands tourists flock there break humid choking lowlands When I visited Swat June I trouble getting exclusive Serena Hotel By I returned October I guest Almost immediately after arriving Mingora Swat second around I hundreds Taliban pointing weapons ordering torists remove decks their Like their predecessors Afghanistan Taliban Swat music anything plays music Islamic An earlier Shaheen Pashto translator gotten Taliban patrol outside Mingora We scheduled Taliban leaders whose house other Taliban roadblock dinner Shaheen called panic Don worry along Iqbal Khan replied chuckling other Those Iqbal waited He beard short graying combed covered white prayer Iqbal Tehrik Nifaz Shariat Moham Movement Implementation Sharia Swat The movement known Urdu TNSM Iqbal member since began 1990s In January Musharraf banned organization reports emerged leader group taken madrassa students NES Afghanistan previous autumn order fight Americans Most Iqbal confessed being commander during misadventure admitted mujahideen martyred But beginning Having safely passed cluster Taliban fighters found Iqbal cordial I relaxed watched fishermen chest Swat River casting their We drove At finally arrived Iqbal village It Ramazan month Muslims until sundown We eased along single edged either dried walls village homes Young hustled squeezing between walls holding armloads flatbread stacks firewood The prayer signaled drank glass rosewater followed plates chicken thick bread Shaheen I floor around plastic placemat along other members Iqbal family Iqbal fetched Beretta pistol another wanted When explained other TNSM activists recently Kunar Province Afghanistan where teamed local Taliban fight American He described Beretta qanimat Arabic refers those weapons which victorious recovers their opponent After dinner Iqbal I leaned against large pillows pushed against about Qaeda I first person Pakistan Mullah Omar Sheik Osama Afghanistan Iqbal referred leaders determines whether Laden authentic According Iqbal Qa continues hierarchical sophisticated system seminating information When statements leaders Dr Zawahiri Sheik Osama Mullah Omar first country level Then tapes taken district level where district level amirs write statement Iqbal I asked about recently released Laden which Qaeda leader exhorted followers jihad against Musharraf If Sheik Osama really wants fight Musharraf whole world close aides workers Iqbal leaned toward turned large screen phone I could He scrolled through photos Laden Zawahiri stored folder phone titled Mujahideen He played footage IEDs blowing apart tanks Iraq Taliban firing missiles Hum Afghanistan We sipped The wooden beams porch outside creaked Iqbal family members fetch jihadi propaganda He stack DVDs In another Iqbal pointed backpack He belonged Zawahiri Later Iqbal proudly showed framed letter Mullah Omar It written stationary Office Amir Momineen The silhouette minaret Mingora INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Islamic Emirate Afghanistan Mullah Omar dubbed himself Amir Momineen leader faithful militia turbaned fighters Afghanistan The letter thanked Iqbal TNSM orchestrating fundraiser Peshawar In middle Qaeda attacked American embassies Nairobi Dar Es Salaam Americans responded slapping strict economic tions Taliban Iqbal relief effort eventually donated three pounds wrist watches truckloads wheat blankets shoes medicine Wh Iqbal finished displaying Qaeda souvenirs I asked TNSM wanted Thankfully about killing Americans Iqbal never indulged Qa rhetoric about establishing caliphate fighting crusade against West For We believe peace cannot established without legal system following Islamic principles injunctions Some Christian Jewish groups trying establish their legal system their countries But handed British before creation Paki Iqbal explained I Muslim I revealed Allah So following We hours And besides giving eerie feeling perhaps Zawahiri other terrorists rested against pillows I resting against Iqbal proved extremely welcoming hospitable Shaheen later This hospitality causing problems these Arabs Iqbal house LONG PAST DARK Shaheen I decided begin heading Mingora We still navigate through river bridge washed nearly potentially Taliban checkpoints Police stopped patrolling Swat months Iqbal offered Beretta We journalists Shaheen I thought having pistol eventually along Shaheen Iqbal ripped piece paper scribbled Pashto It These people guests Please respect Iqbal Khan District Amir TNSM Shaheen folded stuck pocket Iqbal recommended tearing arrived safely Mingora Toting letter signed proscribed militant group reminded might guarantee passage Mingora carried hazards We Mingora without incident No police No Taliban And water level river enough under doors The thing slowed group people making speed bumps laying rocks across spreading concrete overtop entrance small This symbol Shaheen There There police Cars speeding through their there police These people anything They build speed bumps Who going We quietly another minute before Shaheen thought about gangs Taliban earlier evening broke silence Actually those militants patrolling through tonight speed bumps Everyone afraid Four weeks after visit Swat Pakistani Army moved valley launched massive military opera against Taliban there By second December Taliban abandoned their bases strongholds valley confined hilltops where continued organize suicide bombing missions occasional attacks Pakistani security forces Army spokesmen reported incidents locals burning homes Taliban militants welcoming soldiers liberators though intense curfews controlled checkpoints prevented journalists reaching confirm reports A after opera began Iqbal Khan phone switched leaving Shaheen I speculate whether killed flushed underground Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young profes sionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing United States The Fellows required report their findings eriences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique report analysis periodic assessment international events issues ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located Street NW Suite Washington D C 20016 Letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers Phone Fax 0498E Web Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute 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