“Co-operation” of Pakistan to the U.S. fight against al-Qaeda has helped the United States locating Osama bin Laden, said on Monday U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
“Our co-operation of many years with Pakistan in fighting terrorism contributed to the efforts to disarm al-Qaeda”, Clinton told the press.
“In fact, co-operation with Pakistan has helped us to get on the trail of bin Laden and the complex where he was hiding”, she added.
Osama bin Laden’s presence in an impressive complex located in the center of a garrison town, two hours away of Islamabad just before being killed in a raid by American special forces, has fuelled doubts about Pakistan’s fight against al-Qaida.
The head of U.S. diplomacy herself has generated criticism in 2009, during a trip to Pakistan, raising doubts in public of that countries help for the American efforts.
“Al-Qaeda has found refuge in Pakistan in 2002. I think it is hard to imagine that no one in your government knows where they are, and they can not arrest them if they really want”, she said back then.
But Hillary Clinton has chosen Monday to insist on the “partnership” between Washington and Islamabad.
Her French counterpart, Alain Juppe, said in turn that the death of Osama bin Laden is ‘likely to give assurances’ on Pakistan’s co-operation with United States in the fight against Islamist extremism.