Baitullah Meshud, also known as the emir of South Waziristan, is described by
Pakistani authorities as a brutal but able leader who commands thousands of
followers. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf blames him for the assassination
of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as a spate of recent attacks
here that have left more than 400 dead. NATO authorities in Afghanistan have
offered a $50,000 reward for his capture.
“I think he is now a much bigger threat than bin Laden and al Zawahri in this
part of the world,” said ABC News consultant Rahimullah Yusufzai.
“He seems to have a large reservoir of suicide bombers, and he is a bigger
threat in this region, in Pakistan and certain border provinces of Afghanistan
than even the al Qaeda leadership,” said Yusufzai.
