Pakistani Taliban release 2nd tape, say voice is that of leader

[gateley]

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Taliban in Pakistan have released a second audiotape purportedly containing the voice of their leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, who sources say was wounded in a suspected drone strike this week.

The group also released an audiotape Friday, though CNN could not confirm that the voice on either tape belongs to Mehsud. It was unclear whether the first tape was recorded before or after Thursday's drone strike, but the voice on the second tape announced the date as Saturday
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"Let me say this briefly, that I, Hakimullah Mehsud, today, on the 16th of January, with central spokesman Azam Tariq and Umar Khittab, want to give this message to all mujahedeen: that by the grace of Allah, I, Hakimullah Mehsud, am alive and in good health. Neither have I been martyred in a drone attack nor injured," the voice says on Saturday's tape. <snip>

In the Friday tape, the speaker warns of what will happen if the drone strikes continue.

"I want to inform the Pakistani people that the drone attacks that take place in the tribal areas endanger the politics, well-being and sovereignty of Pakistan," the speaker says. "From today onward, for any dangerous step that the Pakistani Taliban will take in Pakistan, those responsible will be Pakistan's rulers, not the Taliban. This is because the Pakistani rulers want to spill the blood of the innocent in exchange for dollars." <snip>

Last week, the Taliban released a video showing Mehsud sitting next to Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, the man who killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian army captain at an eastern Afghan base December 30. <snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/16/pakistan.taliban.mehsud/index.html?hpt=T2

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack. It was carried out out to avenge the death of Mehsud's predecessor, Baitullah Mehsud, who died in a suspected U.S. drone strike last year, according to al Qaeda's commander of operations in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu Yazid.

[timeforpeace]

1. Who orders these drone attacks on Pakistan? Tell them to knock it off. Who's in charge?