Pakistan stresses that raid was a U.S. mission

By Karin Brulliard,
WashPost
Monday, May , 7:03 AM

ISLAMABAD–Osama bin Laden was killed in a Pakistani city known for its military bases -- but the Pakistani government stressed on Monday that U.S. forces carried out the mission, not Pakistani soldiers.

President Asif Ali Zardari learned of bin Laden’s death in a phone call from President Obama, a government statement said. The mission was carried out “in accordance with declared U.S. policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by the U.S. forces, wherever found in the world.”

The statement by Pakistans foreign ministry pointedly did not cite any Pakistani involvement in the operation, even though President Obama, in an announcement from the White House, cited Pakistani assistance.

The omission fueled speculation about Pakistan’s knowledge of bin Laden’s whereabouts, and appeared to reflect concern within the government here about a possible backlash from Islamist insurgents or Pakistan’s strongly anti-American public.

(More here.)