Agence France-Presse
Peshawar, Dec 29: An alleged Al-Qaida leader Baitullah Mehsud, blamed by the Pakistan government for killing Benazir Bhutto, denied any involvement in her death, his spokesman said on Saturday.
''He had no involvement in this attack,'' spokesman Maulana Omar said in a telephone call. ''This is a conspiracy of the government, army and intelligence agencies.''
The spokesman said he was calling from Pakistan's Waziristan area, a lawless tribal region where Pakistani government forces have been battling Islamist militants.
''It is against tribal tradition and custom to attack a woman,'' Omar said.
He said the transcript released by the government, allegedly of a phone call between Mehsud and a militant discussing Bhutto's death after the killing, was a ''drama'' and expressed sadness over her assassination on Thursday.
He said it would have been ''impossible'' for militants to get through the security cordon around the campaign rally where she was killed.
''Benazir was not only a leader of Pakistan but also a leader of international fame. We express our deep grief and shock over her death,'' Omar said.
Earlier, the Pakistan government had released transcripts of an alleged phone conversation between two Al-Qaida leaders claiming that Benazir was killed by two of their men.
According to the transcripts, the conversation was between alleged senior Al-Qaida leader Baitullah Mehsud and another militant Maulvi Sahib.
The Pakistan Interior Ministry claimed it had intercepted the phone conversation just after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Following is the alleged phone call transcript:
Maulvi Sahib: Congratulations, I just got back during the night.
Baitullah Mehsud: Congratulations to you, were they our men?
Maulvi Sahib: Yes, they were ours.
Baitullah Mehsud: Who were they?
Maulvi Sahib: There was Saeed, there was Bilal from Badar and Ikramullah.
Maulvi Sahib: Ikramullah and Bilal did it.
Baitullah Mehsud: Then congratulations.
Baitullah Mehsud: It was a tremendous effort. They were really brave boys who killed her.
Maulvi Sahib: Mashallah (Thank God). When I come I will give you all the details.
Read earlier reports: