Pakistan 'supported Kabul embassy attack' - Mike Mullen
Pakistan 'supported Kabul embassy attack' - Mike Mullen
The 20-hour attack on Kabul's US embassy, Nato headquarters and police buildings left 25 dead
Continue reading the main story Taliban Conflict
The most senior US military officer has accused Pakistan's spy agency of supporting the Haqqani group in last week's attack on the US Kabul embassy.
"The Haqqani network... acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency," Adm Mike Mullen told a Senate panel.
Some 25 people died in last Tuesday's 20-hour attack on Kabul's US embassy and other official buildings.
Pakistan's interior minister earlier denied links with the Haqqani group.
Rehman Malik told the BBC Pakistan was determined to fight all militants based on its border with Afghanistan.
Pakistani officials have consistently denied links with militant groups.
'Credible intelligence' The dead included 11 civilians, among them children, along with at least four police and 10 insurgents.
"With ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted a truck bomb attack [on 11 September], as well as the assault on our embassy," said Adm Mullen, who steps down this month as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"We also have credible intelligence that they were behind the 28 June attack against the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul and a host of other smaller but effective operations."
In July Adm Mullen accused Pakistan's government of sanctioning the killing of investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad.
Pakistan called that statement "irresponsible".
The Haqqani network, which is closely allied to the Taliban and reportedly based in Pakistan, has been blamed for several high-profile attacks against Western, Indian and government targets in Afghanistan.
It is often described by Pakistani officials as a predominantly Afghan group, but correspondents say its roots reach deep inside Pakistani territory, and speculation over its links to Pakistan's security establishment refuses to die down.
US officials have long been frustrated at what they perceive to be Pakistani inaction against the Haqqani network, and analysts say US concern about the group's capabilities is particularly acute as Nato begins withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
Strained ties Earlier this month, Washington said it could target the Haqqani network on Pakistani soil if the authorities there failed to take action against the militants.
The Haqqani network is thought have bases in Pakistan's volatile tribal regions
But on Thursday, Mr Malik told the BBC that Pakistan's government had taken "very, very strict actions" whenever it had received information about militant groups.
"We will not allow any terrorist to operate from our area, from our side, irrespective of any country, including Afghanistan," he said. "I assure you that, if their presence is there and which is detrimental, action is going to be taken."
Mr Malik said his government's efforts were hindered by the fact that neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan had control over some parts of the border area between them.
Ties between the uneasy allies deteriorated sharply after the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden on Pakistani soil by US commandos in May.
US drone strikes targeting militants in the tribal areas and the controversy over the release of Raymond Davis, the CIA contractor who killed two Pakistani men in Lahore, had already strained ties.
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