Wikileaks Afghanistan: former Pakistani general blames US for war leak

Hamid Gul, a former Pakistan general accused of helping the Taliban, says United States orchestrated the mass leak of war files to scapegoat him for its imminent withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Wikileaks Afghanistan: former Pakistani general blames US for war leak

Hamid Gul, a former Pakistan general accused of helping the Taliban, says United States orchestrated the mass leak of war files to scapegoat him for its imminent withdrawal from Afghanistan.



Published: 11:39AM BST 28 Jul 2010





General Hamid Gul Photo: Justin Sutcliffe The former chief of the ISI intelligence agency was accused in several of the leaked documents of regularly meeting al-Qaeda and Taliban commanders to order suicide attacks.



Gen Gul, 74, told the Financial Times that the US had a hidden role in the publication of thousands of classified reports through the WikiLeaks website.





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Afghan war leaks \'could lead to revenge killings\' He told the newspaper: "I am a very favourite whipping boy of America. They can't imagine the Afghans can win wars on their own.



"It would be an abiding shame that a 74-year-old general living a retired life manipulating the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan results in the defeat of America.



"What are they going to do to the history books for their own posterity?"



The files also link active and retired ISI officers to some of the conflict\'s most notorious leaders. According to the reports, in 2007, they sent also 1,000 motorbikes for use in suicide attacks.



The Financial Times said Mr Gul's name appears in about 10 of roughly 180 classified US files that allege Pakistan's intelligence service supported Afghan militants fighting Nato forces.



Mr Gul told the newspaper his main occupation in retirement was spending time with his grandchildren and pursuing his horticultural hobby of refining mango and peach species.



He said the US had lost the war in Afghanistan, and that the leak of the documents would help the Obama administration deflect blame by suggesting that Pakistan was responsible.



His comments are unlikely to be taken seriously in Washington, which has long suspected Gen Gul of being a dangerous influence in Pakistan politics, but there is concern in Islamabad that the early withdrawal of American and British troops starting next summer might destabilise the region\'s politics.



July has fuelled concerns in Pakistan that a rapid US withdrawal will sow further turmoil in its neighbour.


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