Washington: Pakistani officials were deliberately kept unaware by the US operation against Osama Bin Laden as US feared that they might “alert” the targets and “jeopardise” the mission, CIA Director Leon Panetta.
While giving an interview to Time magazine on Tuesday Panetta cleared that that the US did not trust Pakistan, and CIA had ruled out participating with the American ally.
Bin Laden was taken out in a secret operation in Abbottabad city of Pakistan on late Sunday night by US special forces who flew in from Afghanistan and Pakistan was told about it only when they had left Pakistan.
“It was decided (during the planning) that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardise the mission. They might alert the targets,” The CIA chief said.
Panetta said the US had also considered using B-2 bombers for a high-altitude bombing raid or launching a “direct shot” with cruise missiles but these options were ruled out because of the possibility of “too much collateral”.
His hard hitting statement surfaced as Pakistan is facing many uncomfortable questions over the killing of Bin Laden.
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