DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan — The commander of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility yesterday for a deadly assault on a Pakistani police academy — and said the group was planning an attack on the White House that would “amaze” the world.
Baitullah Mehsud, on whose head the United States has a $5 million bounty, said Monday’s attack on the outskirts of Lahore was retaliation for US missile strikes against militants along the Afghan border.
“Soon, we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world,” Mehsud said by phone. Mehsud has never been directly linked to any attacks outside Pakistan, but attacks blamed on his network of fighters have widened in scope and ambition in recent years. The threat comes days after President Obama warned that al Qaeda is planning attacks on the United States from havens in Pakistan. In his latest comments, Mehsud identified the White House as one of the targets in an interview with local Dewa Radio