Bin Laden Cell Phone Links To Pakistan

The most compelling piece of evidence that the Pakistani government was complicit in the harboring of Osama bin Laden came today in a New York Times report about a cell phone recovered from Osama bin Laden's courier. The phone reveals contacts with Harakat-ul-Mujahadeen, a militant group established by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Making matters worse for Pakistan, longtime affiliates with the ISI told the Times "they were convinced that the ISI played a part in sheltering Bin Laden." As it stands, Pakistan continues to deny any responsibility for providing a sanctuary to bin Laden in Abbottabad and already, the Harakat-ul-Mujahadeen is refuting the Times report, telling the BBC "Al-Qaeda had their own discipline, their own thinking, their own organisation. We have never ever been in touch with Osama." But as they continue to deny, the trail of connections continues to grow.

The cell phone belonged to bin Laden's courier, who was also killed in the May 2nd raid in bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad. According to U.S. officials, this new information could indicate that bin Laden used the group, Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, as part of his support network inside Pakistan.

"We cannot confirm this account," said a U.S. official, as quoted by Reuters.

The United States did not tell Islamabad about the raid until after it was completed, which put strain on U.S. military and intelligence ties by keeping Pakistan’s armed forces in the dark.

The officials reported that by tracing calls on the phone, they found out that Harakat commanders called Pakistani intelligence officials. They said the contacts weren’t necessarily about bin Laden and his protection. The leaders of Harakat have significant ties with al Qaeda and Pakistani intelligence.

The New York Times quoted an official as saying the cell phone discovery was a “serious lead” in the question of how bin Laden avoided being noticed by Pakistan's spy agency or military for years living there.