Boston May 3:
Pakistan has acknowledged al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden had "support system" in the country, but asserted that the government was unware of his presence on its soil.
"Obviously, bin Laden did have a support system (in Pakistan). The issue was that support system within the government and the state of Pakistan or within the society of Pakistan," Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani said.
"We all know that there are people in Pakistan who share the same belief system as bin Laden and other extremists... So that is a fact, that there are people who probably protected him," he told reporters. But, he maintained that Pakistan was unaware of bin Laden's presence on its soil. "We did not know. We had no knowledge. And if we had knowledge, we would have acted upon it long ago," he said.
Pakistan has acknowledged al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden had "support system" in the country, but asserted that the government was unware of his presence on its soil.
"Obviously, bin Laden did have a support system (in Pakistan). The issue was that support system within the government and the state of Pakistan or within the society of Pakistan," Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani said.
"We all know that there are people in Pakistan who share the same belief system as bin Laden and other extremists... So that is a fact, that there are people who probably protected him," he told reporters. But, he maintained that Pakistan was unaware of bin Laden's presence on its soil. "We did not know. We had no knowledge. And if we had knowledge, we would have acted upon it long ago," he said.
