Islamabad, July 03: Turning suicide bombing into a
"production output" Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah
Mehsud is spending up to Rs One million to buy children who
could be made suicide bombers, US media on Friday quoted Pakistani
and American officials as saying.
A Pakistani official told the Washington Times that the
price for child bombers was Rs 500,000 to Rs One million.
"Mehsud has turned suicide bombing into a production
output, not unlike the way Toyota outputs cars," a US defence
official said, adding the suicide bombers when ready could be
sold, bartered or even picked up by other groups.
The price of a child depended on need of the bomber, and
how close he was expected to hit the target.
A former Afghan militant said, "Fighting is not the
issue… What is unusual is making these young fighters into
suicide bombers… It is a crime against God."
After the training period is over, most of these suicide
bombers are reportedly sent to Afghanistan to target allied
forces and Afghan security, while some of them are kept back
in Pakistan for carrying out attacks.
Intelligence sources said hundreds of children are
undergoing training at several ’suicide nurseries’ run by
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief in the Federally Administered
Tribal Areas (FATA).
While Pakistan has announced a reward of about Rs 50
million for information leading to Mehsud`d capture, dead or
alive the US has offered USD five million.
Bureau Report
