ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): The Federal Minister for Women Development Ms Sherry Rehman chaired a consultation meeting with government officials and the members of the civil society to finalise the draft of the ‘Protection from Harassment Act 2008’. “Harassment at workplace is a very sensitive matter. Any legislation seeking to deal with the issue must incorporate the element of safety as well as ensure maximum assurance of justice to the victim,” said the Women Development Minister talking to the media after the meeting in Islamabad.

Ms Sherry Rehman pointed out that the purpose of her Ministry’s continued consultation with the Civil Society Organisation over the Bill is to ensure that the draft law is clear in its content and there is no room for any lapses to fail its objectives. “We have broadened the ambit of law, extending it to cover harassment against both women and men. Harassment is a common phenomenon at work, and men could be as much of a target as women are.”

The Federal Information Minister said that her stress on the protection factor in the legislation comes from her own experience of dealing with women who have been victims of gender harassment at workplace. “A woman finds her career as well as her reputation at stake when she takes an offence to sexual harassment. We want the legislation to provide maximum security to the complainant to encourage her/him to pursue the case at an official level. The victim must have an expanded range of choices in terms of authorities dealing with the complaint. We have therefore included an ‘Inquiry Commission’ as well as an Ombudsperson to ensure that there is an internal as well as an external setup to address the grievance.”

Ms Rehman said that the meeting also deliberated the finer details of the draft Bill. “There was extensive consultation on the language and the broader text of the draft Act. This is the first proposed legislation against sexual harassment, and we felt it was important to present the law in a manner that it reinforces the constitutional provisions of right to security and dignity to every citizen. Our constitution is very clear on all matters pertaining to human rights, including right to work and gender discrimination. Laws guided by constitutional principles can not only guarantee protection of rights, but also ensure the supremacy of the constitution.”

The Women Development Minister thanked the members of the civil society for their continued support to the government’s efforts for gender justice.

“We want to establish an environment where the government and civil society work with each other, and not ‘at’ each other, as the practice has been. Our government stands for human rights protection, supremacy of the constitution and a just society. We would continue to work in tandem with the civil society for our objectives, since there is an opportunity for our legislative and policy efforts to be strengthened by the civil society’s capacity for mass contacts and awareness-raising.”

Labels: CNN NEws

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): The Federal Minister for Women Development Ms Sherry Rehman chaired a consultation meeting with government officials and the members of the civil society to finalise the draft of the ‘Protection from Harassment Act 2008’. “Harassment at workplace is a very sensitive matter. Any legislation seeking to deal with the issue must incorporate the element of safety as well as ensure maximum assurance of justice to the victim,” said the Women Development Minister talking to the media after the meeting in Islamabad.

Ms Sherry Rehman pointed out that the purpose of her Ministry’s continued consultation with the Civil Society Organisation over the Bill is to ensure that the draft law is clear in its content and there is no room for any lapses to fail its objectives. “We have broadened the ambit of law, extending it to cover harassment against both women and men. Harassment is a common phenomenon at work, and men could be as much of a target as women are.”

The Federal Information Minister said that her stress on the protection factor in the legislation comes from her own experience of dealing with women who have been victims of gender harassment at workplace. “A woman finds her career as well as her reputation at stake when she takes an offence to sexual harassment. We want the legislation to provide maximum security to the complainant to encourage her/him to pursue the case at an official level. The victim must have an expanded range of choices in terms of authorities dealing with the complaint. We have therefore included an ‘Inquiry Commission’ as well as an Ombudsperson to ensure that there is an internal as well as an external setup to address the grievance.”

Ms Rehman said that the meeting also deliberated the finer details of the draft Bill. “There was extensive consultation on the language and the broader text of the draft Act. This is the first proposed legislation against sexual harassment, and we felt it was important to present the law in a manner that it reinforces the constitutional provisions of right to security and dignity to every citizen. Our constitution is very clear on all matters pertaining to human rights, including right to work and gender discrimination. Laws guided by constitutional principles can not only guarantee protection of rights, but also ensure the supremacy of the constitution.”

The Women Development Minister thanked the members of the civil society for their continued support to the government’s efforts for gender justice.

“We want to establish an environment where the government and civil society work with each other, and not ‘at’ each other, as the practice has been. Our government stands for human rights protection, supremacy of the constitution and a just society. We would continue to work in tandem with the civil society for our objectives, since there is an opportunity for our legislative and policy efforts to be strengthened by the civil society’s capacity for mass contacts and awareness-raising.”

Labels: CNN NEws

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): The Federal Minister for Women Development Ms Sherry Rehman chaired a consultation meeting with government officials and the members of the civil society to finalise the draft of the ‘Protection from Harassment Act 2008’. “Harassment at workplace is a very sensitive matter. Any legislation seeking to deal with the issue must incorporate the element of safety as well as ensure maximum assurance of justice to the victim,” said the Women Development Minister talking to the media after the meeting in Islamabad.

Ms Sherry Rehman pointed out that the purpose of her Ministry’s continued consultation with the Civil Society Organisation over the Bill is to ensure that the draft law is clear in its content and there is no room for any lapses to fail its objectives. “We have broadened the ambit of law, extending it to cover harassment against both women and men. Harassment is a common phenomenon at work, and men could be as much of a target as women are.”

The Federal Information Minister said that her stress on the protection factor in the legislation comes from her own experience of dealing with women who have been victims of gender harassment at workplace. “A woman finds her career as well as her reputation at stake when she takes an offence to sexual harassment. We want the legislation to provide maximum security to the complainant to encourage her/him to pursue the case at an official level. The victim must have an expanded range of choices in terms of authorities dealing with the complaint. We have therefore included an ‘Inquiry Commission’ as well as an Ombudsperson to ensure that there is an internal as well as an external setup to address the grievance.”

Ms Rehman said that the meeting also deliberated the finer details of the draft Bill. “There was extensive consultation on the language and the broader text of the draft Act. This is the first proposed legislation against sexual harassment, and we felt it was important to present the law in a manner that it reinforces the constitutional provisions of right to security and dignity to every citizen. Our constitution is very clear on all matters pertaining to human rights, including right to work and gender discrimination. Laws guided by constitutional principles can not only guarantee protection of rights, but also ensure the supremacy of the constitution.”

The Women Development Minister thanked the members of the civil society for their continued support to the government’s efforts for gender justice.

“We want to establish an environment where the government and civil society work with each other, and not ‘at’ each other, as the practice has been. Our government stands for human rights protection, supremacy of the constitution and a just society. We would continue to work in tandem with the civil society for our objectives, since there is an opportunity for our legislative and policy efforts to be strengthened by the civil society’s capacity for mass contacts and awareness-raising.”

Labels: CNN NEws

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): The Federal Minister for Women Development Ms Sherry Rehman chaired a consultation meeting with government officials and the members of the civil society to finalise the draft of the ‘Protection from Harassment Act 2008’. “Harassment at workplace is a very sensitive matter. Any legislation seeking to deal with the issue must incorporate the element of safety as well as ensure maximum assurance of justice to the victim,” said the Women Development Minister talking to the media after the meeting in Islamabad.

Ms Sherry Rehman pointed out that the purpose of her Ministry’s continued consultation with the Civil Society Organisation over the Bill is to ensure that the draft law is clear in its content and there is no room for any lapses to fail its objectives. “We have broadened the ambit of law, extending it to cover harassment against both women and men. Harassment is a common phenomenon at work, and men could be as much of a target as women are.”

The Federal Information Minister said that her stress on the protection factor in the legislation comes from her own experience of dealing with women who have been victims of gender harassment at workplace. “A woman finds her career as well as her reputation at stake when she takes an offence to sexual harassment. We want the legislation to provide maximum security to the complainant to encourage her/him to pursue the case at an official level. The victim must have an expanded range of choices in terms of authorities dealing with the complaint. We have therefore included an ‘Inquiry Commission’ as well as an Ombudsperson to ensure that there is an internal as well as an external setup to address the grievance.”

Ms Rehman said that the meeting also deliberated the finer details of the draft Bill. “There was extensive consultation on the language and the broader text of the draft Act. This is the first proposed legislation against sexual harassment, and we felt it was important to present the law in a manner that it reinforces the constitutional provisions of right to security and dignity to every citizen. Our constitution is very clear on all matters pertaining to human rights, including right to work and gender discrimination. Laws guided by constitutional principles can not only guarantee protection of rights, but also ensure the supremacy of the constitution.”

The Women Development Minister thanked the members of the civil society for their continued support to the government’s efforts for gender justice.

“We want to establish an environment where the government and civil society work with each other, and not ‘at’ each other, as the practice has been. Our government stands for human rights protection, supremacy of the constitution and a just society. We would continue to work in tandem with the civil society for our objectives, since there is an opportunity for our legislative and policy efforts to be strengthened by the civil society’s capacity for mass contacts and awareness-raising.”

Labels: CNN NEws

The modern combat-themed first person shooter, Call of Duty 4, has emerged the clear winner at the 2008 Golden Joystick awards.
The game scooped "Ultimate Game of the Year", "Online Game of the Year" and "PC Game of the Year" awards.
The awards, now in their twenty-sixth year, are awarded in 16 categories, and are voted for by UK gamers.
Other winners included Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Super Smash Bros.
.
The two most prestigious British awards a video game can win are either a Bafta Video Game Award, or a Golden Joystick.
The Baftas are chosen by experts in the games industry but the Golden Joystick is voted on by the public, with 850,000 gamers voting for the 2008 awards.
Call of Duty 4 is a departure for the series. Previous editions were all set in World War II and this version has players taking on the dual role of an NCO in the SAS and a US Marine sergeant.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Nuts All-Nighter Award: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Sun Family Game of the Year: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Bliss Handheld Game of the Year: Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
4Talent Mobile Game of the Year: Bejeweled 2
Mobile Game Pitch 2008: Tobias Rowe with Finders Keeper
Official Nintendo Magazine Game of the Year: Super Smash Bros
ESA PC Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
Activision/Blizzard Retailer of the Year: Play.com
Official Playstation Magazine High Definition PlayStation Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
BBC 1Xtra Soundtrack of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Arvato Digital Services Xbox Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Edge Most Wanted Award: Fallout 3
GamesRadar.com Online Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
CVG.co.uk UK Developer of the Year : Rockstar North
E4.com Grand Master Flash Award: Stickman Madness
Play.com One To Watch: CoD: World at War
Future UK Publisher of the Year: Activision Blizzard
Virgin Media Ultimate Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare

Labels: CNN NEws

Democrat Barack Obama is extending his campaign advertising into traditionally Republican territory, as polls there show him closing on rival John McCain.
Sen Obama is to run ads in Arizona, his rival's home state, as well as North Dakota and Georgia, with only days to go before the US presidential election.
Mr McCain, campaigning for a second day in the key swing state of Ohio, made a last-minute appeal for donations.
Mr Obama is holding events across the Midwest, starting in the state of Iowa.
He will make a brief stop in his home city of Chicago to see his two daughters on Halloween, aides said.
LATEST POLLS
US election polltracker in full
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Obama warned that Mr McCain's campaign was likely to escalate into a final crescendo of attacks on him.
Voters will see "more of the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that's calculated to divide and distract, to tear us apart, rather than bring us together", he said.
His campaign plans to run two adverts in North Dakota and Georgia, both states which have usually voted Republican.
One seeks to link Sen McCain, 72, to President George W Bush, suggesting the Republican would continue the same economic policies.
The other relies on Mr Obama's message of "unity over division", highlighting his endorsement by such high-profile Republican figures as former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis dismissed the advance into Republican territory, saying he advised Mr Obama, 47, to focus his spending on states which Mr McCain intended to prise from him on 4 November.
Mr Davis also told reporters that the campaign was "jazzed up" about Mr McCain's prospects, saying that he was living up to his reputation as the underdog who fights back.

The modern combat-themed first person shooter, Call of Duty 4, has emerged the clear winner at the 2008 Golden Joystick awards.
The game scooped "Ultimate Game of the Year", "Online Game of the Year" and "PC Game of the Year" awards.
The awards, now in their twenty-sixth year, are awarded in 16 categories, and are voted for by UK gamers.
Other winners included Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Super Smash Bros.
.
The two most prestigious British awards a video game can win are either a Bafta Video Game Award, or a Golden Joystick.
The Baftas are chosen by experts in the games industry but the Golden Joystick is voted on by the public, with 850,000 gamers voting for the 2008 awards.
Call of Duty 4 is a departure for the series. Previous editions were all set in World War II and this version has players taking on the dual role of an NCO in the SAS and a US Marine sergeant.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Nuts All-Nighter Award: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Sun Family Game of the Year: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Bliss Handheld Game of the Year: Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
4Talent Mobile Game of the Year: Bejeweled 2
Mobile Game Pitch 2008: Tobias Rowe with Finders Keeper
Official Nintendo Magazine Game of the Year: Super Smash Bros
ESA PC Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
Activision/Blizzard Retailer of the Year: Play.com
Official Playstation Magazine High Definition PlayStation Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
BBC 1Xtra Soundtrack of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Arvato Digital Services Xbox Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Edge Most Wanted Award: Fallout 3
GamesRadar.com Online Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
CVG.co.uk UK Developer of the Year : Rockstar North
E4.com Grand Master Flash Award: Stickman Madness
Play.com One To Watch: CoD: World at War
Future UK Publisher of the Year: Activision Blizzard
Virgin Media Ultimate Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare

Labels: CNN NEws

Democrat Barack Obama is extending his campaign advertising into traditionally Republican territory, as polls there show him closing on rival John McCain.
Sen Obama is to run ads in Arizona, his rival's home state, as well as North Dakota and Georgia, with only days to go before the US presidential election.
Mr McCain, campaigning for a second day in the key swing state of Ohio, made a last-minute appeal for donations.
Mr Obama is holding events across the Midwest, starting in the state of Iowa.
He will make a brief stop in his home city of Chicago to see his two daughters on Halloween, aides said.
LATEST POLLS
US election polltracker in full
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Obama warned that Mr McCain's campaign was likely to escalate into a final crescendo of attacks on him.
Voters will see "more of the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that's calculated to divide and distract, to tear us apart, rather than bring us together", he said.
His campaign plans to run two adverts in North Dakota and Georgia, both states which have usually voted Republican.
One seeks to link Sen McCain, 72, to President George W Bush, suggesting the Republican would continue the same economic policies.
The other relies on Mr Obama's message of "unity over division", highlighting his endorsement by such high-profile Republican figures as former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis dismissed the advance into Republican territory, saying he advised Mr Obama, 47, to focus his spending on states which Mr McCain intended to prise from him on 4 November.
Mr Davis also told reporters that the campaign was "jazzed up" about Mr McCain's prospects, saying that he was living up to his reputation as the underdog who fights back.

The modern combat-themed first person shooter, Call of Duty 4, has emerged the clear winner at the 2008 Golden Joystick awards.
The game scooped "Ultimate Game of the Year", "Online Game of the Year" and "PC Game of the Year" awards.
The awards, now in their twenty-sixth year, are awarded in 16 categories, and are voted for by UK gamers.
Other winners included Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Super Smash Bros.
.
The two most prestigious British awards a video game can win are either a Bafta Video Game Award, or a Golden Joystick.
The Baftas are chosen by experts in the games industry but the Golden Joystick is voted on by the public, with 850,000 gamers voting for the 2008 awards.
Call of Duty 4 is a departure for the series. Previous editions were all set in World War II and this version has players taking on the dual role of an NCO in the SAS and a US Marine sergeant.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Nuts All-Nighter Award: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Sun Family Game of the Year: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Bliss Handheld Game of the Year: Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
4Talent Mobile Game of the Year: Bejeweled 2
Mobile Game Pitch 2008: Tobias Rowe with Finders Keeper
Official Nintendo Magazine Game of the Year: Super Smash Bros
ESA PC Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
Activision/Blizzard Retailer of the Year: Play.com
Official Playstation Magazine High Definition PlayStation Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
BBC 1Xtra Soundtrack of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Arvato Digital Services Xbox Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Edge Most Wanted Award: Fallout 3
GamesRadar.com Online Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
CVG.co.uk UK Developer of the Year : Rockstar North
E4.com Grand Master Flash Award: Stickman Madness
Play.com One To Watch: CoD: World at War
Future UK Publisher of the Year: Activision Blizzard
Virgin Media Ultimate Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare

Labels: CNN NEws

Democrat Barack Obama is extending his campaign advertising into traditionally Republican territory, as polls there show him closing on rival John McCain.
Sen Obama is to run ads in Arizona, his rival's home state, as well as North Dakota and Georgia, with only days to go before the US presidential election.
Mr McCain, campaigning for a second day in the key swing state of Ohio, made a last-minute appeal for donations.
Mr Obama is holding events across the Midwest, starting in the state of Iowa.
He will make a brief stop in his home city of Chicago to see his two daughters on Halloween, aides said.
LATEST POLLS
US election polltracker in full
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Obama warned that Mr McCain's campaign was likely to escalate into a final crescendo of attacks on him.
Voters will see "more of the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that's calculated to divide and distract, to tear us apart, rather than bring us together", he said.
His campaign plans to run two adverts in North Dakota and Georgia, both states which have usually voted Republican.
One seeks to link Sen McCain, 72, to President George W Bush, suggesting the Republican would continue the same economic policies.
The other relies on Mr Obama's message of "unity over division", highlighting his endorsement by such high-profile Republican figures as former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis dismissed the advance into Republican territory, saying he advised Mr Obama, 47, to focus his spending on states which Mr McCain intended to prise from him on 4 November.
Mr Davis also told reporters that the campaign was "jazzed up" about Mr McCain's prospects, saying that he was living up to his reputation as the underdog who fights back.

The modern combat-themed first person shooter, Call of Duty 4, has emerged the clear winner at the 2008 Golden Joystick awards.
The game scooped "Ultimate Game of the Year", "Online Game of the Year" and "PC Game of the Year" awards.
The awards, now in their twenty-sixth year, are awarded in 16 categories, and are voted for by UK gamers.
Other winners included Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Super Smash Bros.
.
The two most prestigious British awards a video game can win are either a Bafta Video Game Award, or a Golden Joystick.
The Baftas are chosen by experts in the games industry but the Golden Joystick is voted on by the public, with 850,000 gamers voting for the 2008 awards.
Call of Duty 4 is a departure for the series. Previous editions were all set in World War II and this version has players taking on the dual role of an NCO in the SAS and a US Marine sergeant.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Nuts All-Nighter Award: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Sun Family Game of the Year: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Bliss Handheld Game of the Year: Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
4Talent Mobile Game of the Year: Bejeweled 2
Mobile Game Pitch 2008: Tobias Rowe with Finders Keeper
Official Nintendo Magazine Game of the Year: Super Smash Bros
ESA PC Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
Activision/Blizzard Retailer of the Year: Play.com
Official Playstation Magazine High Definition PlayStation Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
BBC 1Xtra Soundtrack of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Arvato Digital Services Xbox Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Edge Most Wanted Award: Fallout 3
GamesRadar.com Online Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare
CVG.co.uk UK Developer of the Year : Rockstar North
E4.com Grand Master Flash Award: Stickman Madness
Play.com One To Watch: CoD: World at War
Future UK Publisher of the Year: Activision Blizzard
Virgin Media Ultimate Game of the Year: CoD 4: Modern Warfare

Labels: CNN NEws

Democrat Barack Obama is extending his campaign advertising into traditionally Republican territory, as polls there show him closing on rival John McCain.
Sen Obama is to run ads in Arizona, his rival's home state, as well as North Dakota and Georgia, with only days to go before the US presidential election.
Mr McCain, campaigning for a second day in the key swing state of Ohio, made a last-minute appeal for donations.
Mr Obama is holding events across the Midwest, starting in the state of Iowa.
He will make a brief stop in his home city of Chicago to see his two daughters on Halloween, aides said.
LATEST POLLS
US election polltracker in full
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Obama warned that Mr McCain's campaign was likely to escalate into a final crescendo of attacks on him.
Voters will see "more of the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that's calculated to divide and distract, to tear us apart, rather than bring us together", he said.
His campaign plans to run two adverts in North Dakota and Georgia, both states which have usually voted Republican.
One seeks to link Sen McCain, 72, to President George W Bush, suggesting the Republican would continue the same economic policies.
The other relies on Mr Obama's message of "unity over division", highlighting his endorsement by such high-profile Republican figures as former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis dismissed the advance into Republican territory, saying he advised Mr Obama, 47, to focus his spending on states which Mr McCain intended to prise from him on 4 November.
Mr Davis also told reporters that the campaign was "jazzed up" about Mr McCain's prospects, saying that he was living up to his reputation as the underdog who fights back.

Armed gunmen in speedboats have kidnapped and threatened to kill 10 crew members from an oil vessel off the West African state of Cameroon.
The vessel's owners said those taken hostage were seven French nationals, two Cameroonians and a Tunisian.
The attack reportedly took place near the Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria recently handed over to Cameroon.
A group called the Bakassi Freedom Fighters has claimed to have carried out the attack.
The group said it would kill the hostages within three days if Cameroon's government did not meet its demands.
It was not immediately clear what the group's demands were.
Reuters news agency reported that the attack had been carried out jointly with a second group called the Niger Delta Defence and Security Council.
Bank raid

Armed gunmen in speedboats have kidnapped and threatened to kill 10 crew members from an oil vessel off the West African state of Cameroon.
The vessel's owners said those taken hostage were seven French nationals, two Cameroonians and a Tunisian.
The attack reportedly took place near the Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria recently handed over to Cameroon.
A group called the Bakassi Freedom Fighters has claimed to have carried out the attack.
The group said it would kill the hostages within three days if Cameroon's government did not meet its demands.
It was not immediately clear what the group's demands were.
Reuters news agency reported that the attack had been carried out jointly with a second group called the Niger Delta Defence and Security Council.
Bank raid

Armed gunmen in speedboats have kidnapped and threatened to kill 10 crew members from an oil vessel off the West African state of Cameroon.
The vessel's owners said those taken hostage were seven French nationals, two Cameroonians and a Tunisian.
The attack reportedly took place near the Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria recently handed over to Cameroon.
A group called the Bakassi Freedom Fighters has claimed to have carried out the attack.
The group said it would kill the hostages within three days if Cameroon's government did not meet its demands.
It was not immediately clear what the group's demands were.
Reuters news agency reported that the attack had been carried out jointly with a second group called the Niger Delta Defence and Security Council.
Bank raid

Armed gunmen in speedboats have kidnapped and threatened to kill 10 crew members from an oil vessel off the West African state of Cameroon.
The vessel's owners said those taken hostage were seven French nationals, two Cameroonians and a Tunisian.
The attack reportedly took place near the Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria recently handed over to Cameroon.
A group called the Bakassi Freedom Fighters has claimed to have carried out the attack.
The group said it would kill the hostages within three days if Cameroon's government did not meet its demands.
It was not immediately clear what the group's demands were.
Reuters news agency reported that the attack had been carried out jointly with a second group called the Niger Delta Defence and Security Council.
Bank raid

The details of about 500,000 online bank accounts and credit and debit cards have been stolen by a virus described as "one of the most advanced pieces of crimeware ever created".
The Sinowal trojan has been tracked by RSA, which helps to secure networks in Fortune 500 companies.
RSA said the trojan virus has infected computers all over the planet.
"The effect has been really global with over 2000 domains compromised," said Sean Brady of RSA's security division.
He told the BBC: "This is a serious incident on a very noticeable scale and we have seen an increase in the number of trojans and their variants, particularly in the States and Canada."
The RSA's Fraud Action Research Lab said it first detected the Windows Sinowal trojan in Feb 2006.
Since then, Mr Brady said, more than 270,000 banking accounts and 240,000 credit and debit cards have been compromised from financial institutions in countries including the US, UK, Australia and Poland.
The lab said no Russian accounts were hit by Sinowal.
"Drive-by downloads"
RSA described the Sinowal as "one of the most serious threats to anyone with an internet connection" because it works behind the scenes using a common infection method known as "drive-by downloads"."
Users can get infected without knowing if they visit a website that has been booby-trapped with the Sinowal malicious code.
Mr Brady said the worrying aspect about Sinowal, which is also known as Torpig and Mebroot, is that it has been operating for so long.
"One of the key points of interest about this particular trojan is that it has existed for two and a half years quietly collecting information," he said. "Any IT professional will tell you it costs a lot to maintain and to store the information it is gathering.
"The group behind it have made sure to invest in the infrastructure no doubt because the return and the potential return is so great."
RSA's researchers said the trojan's creators periodically release new variants to ensure it stays ahead of detection and maintain "its uninterrupted grip on infected computers."
While RSA's lab has been tracking the trojan since 2006, Mr Brady admitted that they know a lot about its design and infrastructure but little about who is behind Sinowal.
"There is a lot of talk about where it comes from and anecdotal evidence points to Russia and Eastern Europe. Historically there have been connections with an online gang connected to the Russian Business Network but in reality no one knows for sure."
That he said is because the group is able to use the web to cloak its identity.
Infection
In April 2007, researchers at Google discovered hundreds of thousands of web pages that initiated drive-by downloads. It estimated that one in ten of the 4.5 million pages it analysed were suspect.
Sophos researchers reported in 2008 it was finding more than 6,000 newly infected web pages every day, or about one every 14 seconds.
RSA's fraud action team said it noticed a spike in attacks from March through to September this year.
That is backed up by another online security company called Fortinet. It said from July 2008 to September 2008 the number of reported attacks rose from 10m to 30m. This included trojans, viruses, malware, phishing and mass mailings.
"The explosion in the number of attacks is alarming," said Derek Manky of Fortinet.
"But trojans are just one of the players in the game wreaking havoc in cyberspace."
Remedies
While attacks are on the increase, there are some simple steps that users can take to protect their information besides using security software.
"We have a saying here which is 'think before you link,'" said Mr Manky.
"That just means observe where you are going on the web. Be wary of clicking on anything in a high traffic site like social networks.
"A lot of traffic in the eyes of cyber criminals means these sites are a target because to these people more traffic means more money," he said.
RSA also urged users to be wary if their bank started asking for different forms of authentication such as a social security number or other details.
"People think not clicking on a pop up or an attachment means they are safe. What people don't realise now is that just visiting a website is good enough to infect them."
RSA said it is co-operating with banks and financial institutions the world over to tell them about Sinowal. It has passed information about the virus to law enforcement agencies.

The details of about 500,000 online bank accounts and credit and debit cards have been stolen by a virus described as "one of the most advanced pieces of crimeware ever created".
The Sinowal trojan has been tracked by RSA, which helps to secure networks in Fortune 500 companies.
RSA said the trojan virus has infected computers all over the planet.
"The effect has been really global with over 2000 domains compromised," said Sean Brady of RSA's security division.
He told the BBC: "This is a serious incident on a very noticeable scale and we have seen an increase in the number of trojans and their variants, particularly in the States and Canada."
The RSA's Fraud Action Research Lab said it first detected the Windows Sinowal trojan in Feb 2006.
Since then, Mr Brady said, more than 270,000 banking accounts and 240,000 credit and debit cards have been compromised from financial institutions in countries including the US, UK, Australia and Poland.
The lab said no Russian accounts were hit by Sinowal.
"Drive-by downloads"
RSA described the Sinowal as "one of the most serious threats to anyone with an internet connection" because it works behind the scenes using a common infection method known as "drive-by downloads"."
Users can get infected without knowing if they visit a website that has been booby-trapped with the Sinowal malicious code.
Mr Brady said the worrying aspect about Sinowal, which is also known as Torpig and Mebroot, is that it has been operating for so long.
"One of the key points of interest about this particular trojan is that it has existed for two and a half years quietly collecting information," he said. "Any IT professional will tell you it costs a lot to maintain and to store the information it is gathering.
"The group behind it have made sure to invest in the infrastructure no doubt because the return and the potential return is so great."
RSA's researchers said the trojan's creators periodically release new variants to ensure it stays ahead of detection and maintain "its uninterrupted grip on infected computers."
While RSA's lab has been tracking the trojan since 2006, Mr Brady admitted that they know a lot about its design and infrastructure but little about who is behind Sinowal.
"There is a lot of talk about where it comes from and anecdotal evidence points to Russia and Eastern Europe. Historically there have been connections with an online gang connected to the Russian Business Network but in reality no one knows for sure."
That he said is because the group is able to use the web to cloak its identity.
Infection
In April 2007, researchers at Google discovered hundreds of thousands of web pages that initiated drive-by downloads. It estimated that one in ten of the 4.5 million pages it analysed were suspect.
Sophos researchers reported in 2008 it was finding more than 6,000 newly infected web pages every day, or about one every 14 seconds.
RSA's fraud action team said it noticed a spike in attacks from March through to September this year.
That is backed up by another online security company called Fortinet. It said from July 2008 to September 2008 the number of reported attacks rose from 10m to 30m. This included trojans, viruses, malware, phishing and mass mailings.
"The explosion in the number of attacks is alarming," said Derek Manky of Fortinet.
"But trojans are just one of the players in the game wreaking havoc in cyberspace."
Remedies
While attacks are on the increase, there are some simple steps that users can take to protect their information besides using security software.
"We have a saying here which is 'think before you link,'" said Mr Manky.
"That just means observe where you are going on the web. Be wary of clicking on anything in a high traffic site like social networks.
"A lot of traffic in the eyes of cyber criminals means these sites are a target because to these people more traffic means more money," he said.
RSA also urged users to be wary if their bank started asking for different forms of authentication such as a social security number or other details.
"People think not clicking on a pop up or an attachment means they are safe. What people don't realise now is that just visiting a website is good enough to infect them."
RSA said it is co-operating with banks and financial institutions the world over to tell them about Sinowal. It has passed information about the virus to law enforcement agencies.

The details of about 500,000 online bank accounts and credit and debit cards have been stolen by a virus described as "one of the most advanced pieces of crimeware ever created".
The Sinowal trojan has been tracked by RSA, which helps to secure networks in Fortune 500 companies.
RSA said the trojan virus has infected computers all over the planet.
"The effect has been really global with over 2000 domains compromised," said Sean Brady of RSA's security division.
He told the BBC: "This is a serious incident on a very noticeable scale and we have seen an increase in the number of trojans and their variants, particularly in the States and Canada."
The RSA's Fraud Action Research Lab said it first detected the Windows Sinowal trojan in Feb 2006.
Since then, Mr Brady said, more than 270,000 banking accounts and 240,000 credit and debit cards have been compromised from financial institutions in countries including the US, UK, Australia and Poland.
The lab said no Russian accounts were hit by Sinowal.
"Drive-by downloads"
RSA described the Sinowal as "one of the most serious threats to anyone with an internet connection" because it works behind the scenes using a common infection method known as "drive-by downloads"."
Users can get infected without knowing if they visit a website that has been booby-trapped with the Sinowal malicious code.
Mr Brady said the worrying aspect about Sinowal, which is also known as Torpig and Mebroot, is that it has been operating for so long.
"One of the key points of interest about this particular trojan is that it has existed for two and a half years quietly collecting information," he said. "Any IT professional will tell you it costs a lot to maintain and to store the information it is gathering.
"The group behind it have made sure to invest in the infrastructure no doubt because the return and the potential return is so great."
RSA's researchers said the trojan's creators periodically release new variants to ensure it stays ahead of detection and maintain "its uninterrupted grip on infected computers."
While RSA's lab has been tracking the trojan since 2006, Mr Brady admitted that they know a lot about its design and infrastructure but little about who is behind Sinowal.
"There is a lot of talk about where it comes from and anecdotal evidence points to Russia and Eastern Europe. Historically there have been connections with an online gang connected to the Russian Business Network but in reality no one knows for sure."
That he said is because the group is able to use the web to cloak its identity.
Infection
In April 2007, researchers at Google discovered hundreds of thousands of web pages that initiated drive-by downloads. It estimated that one in ten of the 4.5 million pages it analysed were suspect.
Sophos researchers reported in 2008 it was finding more than 6,000 newly infected web pages every day, or about one every 14 seconds.
RSA's fraud action team said it noticed a spike in attacks from March through to September this year.
That is backed up by another online security company called Fortinet. It said from July 2008 to September 2008 the number of reported attacks rose from 10m to 30m. This included trojans, viruses, malware, phishing and mass mailings.
"The explosion in the number of attacks is alarming," said Derek Manky of Fortinet.
"But trojans are just one of the players in the game wreaking havoc in cyberspace."
Remedies
While attacks are on the increase, there are some simple steps that users can take to protect their information besides using security software.
"We have a saying here which is 'think before you link,'" said Mr Manky.
"That just means observe where you are going on the web. Be wary of clicking on anything in a high traffic site like social networks.
"A lot of traffic in the eyes of cyber criminals means these sites are a target because to these people more traffic means more money," he said.
RSA also urged users to be wary if their bank started asking for different forms of authentication such as a social security number or other details.
"People think not clicking on a pop up or an attachment means they are safe. What people don't realise now is that just visiting a website is good enough to infect them."
RSA said it is co-operating with banks and financial institutions the world over to tell them about Sinowal. It has passed information about the virus to law enforcement agencies.

The details of about 500,000 online bank accounts and credit and debit cards have been stolen by a virus described as "one of the most advanced pieces of crimeware ever created".
The Sinowal trojan has been tracked by RSA, which helps to secure networks in Fortune 500 companies.
RSA said the trojan virus has infected computers all over the planet.
"The effect has been really global with over 2000 domains compromised," said Sean Brady of RSA's security division.
He told the BBC: "This is a serious incident on a very noticeable scale and we have seen an increase in the number of trojans and their variants, particularly in the States and Canada."
The RSA's Fraud Action Research Lab said it first detected the Windows Sinowal trojan in Feb 2006.
Since then, Mr Brady said, more than 270,000 banking accounts and 240,000 credit and debit cards have been compromised from financial institutions in countries including the US, UK, Australia and Poland.
The lab said no Russian accounts were hit by Sinowal.
"Drive-by downloads"
RSA described the Sinowal as "one of the most serious threats to anyone with an internet connection" because it works behind the scenes using a common infection method known as "drive-by downloads"."
Users can get infected without knowing if they visit a website that has been booby-trapped with the Sinowal malicious code.
Mr Brady said the worrying aspect about Sinowal, which is also known as Torpig and Mebroot, is that it has been operating for so long.
"One of the key points of interest about this particular trojan is that it has existed for two and a half years quietly collecting information," he said. "Any IT professional will tell you it costs a lot to maintain and to store the information it is gathering.
"The group behind it have made sure to invest in the infrastructure no doubt because the return and the potential return is so great."
RSA's researchers said the trojan's creators periodically release new variants to ensure it stays ahead of detection and maintain "its uninterrupted grip on infected computers."
While RSA's lab has been tracking the trojan since 2006, Mr Brady admitted that they know a lot about its design and infrastructure but little about who is behind Sinowal.
"There is a lot of talk about where it comes from and anecdotal evidence points to Russia and Eastern Europe. Historically there have been connections with an online gang connected to the Russian Business Network but in reality no one knows for sure."
That he said is because the group is able to use the web to cloak its identity.
Infection
In April 2007, researchers at Google discovered hundreds of thousands of web pages that initiated drive-by downloads. It estimated that one in ten of the 4.5 million pages it analysed were suspect.
Sophos researchers reported in 2008 it was finding more than 6,000 newly infected web pages every day, or about one every 14 seconds.
RSA's fraud action team said it noticed a spike in attacks from March through to September this year.
That is backed up by another online security company called Fortinet. It said from July 2008 to September 2008 the number of reported attacks rose from 10m to 30m. This included trojans, viruses, malware, phishing and mass mailings.
"The explosion in the number of attacks is alarming," said Derek Manky of Fortinet.
"But trojans are just one of the players in the game wreaking havoc in cyberspace."
Remedies
While attacks are on the increase, there are some simple steps that users can take to protect their information besides using security software.
"We have a saying here which is 'think before you link,'" said Mr Manky.
"That just means observe where you are going on the web. Be wary of clicking on anything in a high traffic site like social networks.
"A lot of traffic in the eyes of cyber criminals means these sites are a target because to these people more traffic means more money," he said.
RSA also urged users to be wary if their bank started asking for different forms of authentication such as a social security number or other details.
"People think not clicking on a pop up or an attachment means they are safe. What people don't realise now is that just visiting a website is good enough to infect them."
RSA said it is co-operating with banks and financial institutions the world over to tell them about Sinowal. It has passed information about the virus to law enforcement agencies.

Two Austrian hostages held for eight months by Islamic militants in the Sahara desert have been freed, officials in Mali and Austria say.
Andrea Kloiber, 43, and Wolfgang Ebner, 51, disappeared in February while on holiday in Tunisia.
The North African branch of al-Qaeda said it had seized them.
Mali's government said the two were now "free and under the protection of the Malian army". The statement was later confirmed by the Austrian authorities.
The exact circumstances of the pair's release are not clear.
According to statements posted on the internet earlier this year, the kidnappers demanded the release of militants held in Algeria and Tunisia.
There were also reports of ransom demands.
In Vienna, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said a plane was on its way to Mali to fly the two home.

Two Austrian hostages held for eight months by Islamic militants in the Sahara desert have been freed, officials in Mali and Austria say.
Andrea Kloiber, 43, and Wolfgang Ebner, 51, disappeared in February while on holiday in Tunisia.
The North African branch of al-Qaeda said it had seized them.
Mali's government said the two were now "free and under the protection of the Malian army". The statement was later confirmed by the Austrian authorities.
The exact circumstances of the pair's release are not clear.
According to statements posted on the internet earlier this year, the kidnappers demanded the release of militants held in Algeria and Tunisia.
There were also reports of ransom demands.
In Vienna, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said a plane was on its way to Mali to fly the two home.

Two Austrian hostages held for eight months by Islamic militants in the Sahara desert have been freed, officials in Mali and Austria say.
Andrea Kloiber, 43, and Wolfgang Ebner, 51, disappeared in February while on holiday in Tunisia.
The North African branch of al-Qaeda said it had seized them.
Mali's government said the two were now "free and under the protection of the Malian army". The statement was later confirmed by the Austrian authorities.
The exact circumstances of the pair's release are not clear.
According to statements posted on the internet earlier this year, the kidnappers demanded the release of militants held in Algeria and Tunisia.
There were also reports of ransom demands.
In Vienna, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said a plane was on its way to Mali to fly the two home.

Two Austrian hostages held for eight months by Islamic militants in the Sahara desert have been freed, officials in Mali and Austria say.
Andrea Kloiber, 43, and Wolfgang Ebner, 51, disappeared in February while on holiday in Tunisia.
The North African branch of al-Qaeda said it had seized them.
Mali's government said the two were now "free and under the protection of the Malian army". The statement was later confirmed by the Austrian authorities.
The exact circumstances of the pair's release are not clear.
According to statements posted on the internet earlier this year, the kidnappers demanded the release of militants held in Algeria and Tunisia.
There were also reports of ransom demands.
In Vienna, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said a plane was on its way to Mali to fly the two home.

The UN says it has credible reports that camps sheltering 50,000 displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been destroyed.
Reports suggest the camps were forcibly emptied and looted before being burned, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, said.
Aid groups say they are struggling to reach an estimated 250,000 people in the region fleeing fierce fighting between government and rebel forces.
Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis.
A ceasefire is holding in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, but aid agency chiefs say the situation remains highly volatile.
See detailed map of the area
Food and water are terribly scarce, and aid agencies have all but stopped work, says the BBC's Peter Greste in Goma.
Rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda's forces are positioned some 15km (nine miles) from the city.
The origin of the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo is the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the genocide.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
There have also been accusations of collusion between DR Congo's army and Hutu guerrillas.
The Congolese government, for its part, has accused Rwanda of backing Gen Nkunda.
Rwanda denies this, but it has twice invaded its much larger neighbour in recent years.

More than 20 people have been killed in two suspected US missile attacks in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, security officials said.
About 15, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed in an attack near the village of Mirali, North Waziristan.
In a second attack, seven people were killed in South Waziristan.
The US military has not commented. It has launched many missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militant targets recently.
Officials named the al-Qaeda leader in Mir Ali as Abu Kasha, believed to be Iraqi.
Local officials told the BBC that at 2030 (1430 GMT), a drone fired two missiles and destroyed the target - a house in the Esori area about 30km from the town of Mirali.
Militant
They confirmed that Abu Akash was inside the building when the attack took place.
Abu Akash was a well-known militant in the region and had been living in the area near Mir Ali since coming from Afghanistan in 2002.
He was believed to have gone to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets in the late 1980s, or during the time of the Taleban in the mid-1990s.
Abu Akash, who was born in Iraq, came to notoriety last year when he issued a video that called for attacks against coalition forces in their territories, says the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hassan.
He was also said to have recently broken away from the main al-Qaeda entity and formed his own group.
Border tension
Tensions between the US and Pakistan have increased over the issue of cross-border incursions against militants by American forces based in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had voiced its concern to the US envoy in Islamabad on Wednesday.
"It was underscored to the ambassador that the government of Pakistan strongly condemns the missile attacks which resulted in the loss of precious lives and property," the ministry said in a statement.

The UN says it has credible reports that camps sheltering 50,000 displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been destroyed.
Reports suggest the camps were forcibly emptied and looted before being burned, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, said.
Aid groups say they are struggling to reach an estimated 250,000 people in the region fleeing fierce fighting between government and rebel forces.
Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis.
A ceasefire is holding in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, but aid agency chiefs say the situation remains highly volatile.
See detailed map of the area
Food and water are terribly scarce, and aid agencies have all but stopped work, says the BBC's Peter Greste in Goma.
Rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda's forces are positioned some 15km (nine miles) from the city.
The origin of the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo is the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the genocide.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
There have also been accusations of collusion between DR Congo's army and Hutu guerrillas.
The Congolese government, for its part, has accused Rwanda of backing Gen Nkunda.
Rwanda denies this, but it has twice invaded its much larger neighbour in recent years.

More than 20 people have been killed in two suspected US missile attacks in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, security officials said.
About 15, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed in an attack near the village of Mirali, North Waziristan.
In a second attack, seven people were killed in South Waziristan.
The US military has not commented. It has launched many missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militant targets recently.
Officials named the al-Qaeda leader in Mir Ali as Abu Kasha, believed to be Iraqi.
Local officials told the BBC that at 2030 (1430 GMT), a drone fired two missiles and destroyed the target - a house in the Esori area about 30km from the town of Mirali.
Militant
They confirmed that Abu Akash was inside the building when the attack took place.
Abu Akash was a well-known militant in the region and had been living in the area near Mir Ali since coming from Afghanistan in 2002.
He was believed to have gone to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets in the late 1980s, or during the time of the Taleban in the mid-1990s.
Abu Akash, who was born in Iraq, came to notoriety last year when he issued a video that called for attacks against coalition forces in their territories, says the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hassan.
He was also said to have recently broken away from the main al-Qaeda entity and formed his own group.
Border tension
Tensions between the US and Pakistan have increased over the issue of cross-border incursions against militants by American forces based in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had voiced its concern to the US envoy in Islamabad on Wednesday.
"It was underscored to the ambassador that the government of Pakistan strongly condemns the missile attacks which resulted in the loss of precious lives and property," the ministry said in a statement.

The UN says it has credible reports that camps sheltering 50,000 displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been destroyed.
Reports suggest the camps were forcibly emptied and looted before being burned, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, said.
Aid groups say they are struggling to reach an estimated 250,000 people in the region fleeing fierce fighting between government and rebel forces.
Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis.
A ceasefire is holding in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, but aid agency chiefs say the situation remains highly volatile.
See detailed map of the area
Food and water are terribly scarce, and aid agencies have all but stopped work, says the BBC's Peter Greste in Goma.
Rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda's forces are positioned some 15km (nine miles) from the city.
The origin of the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo is the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the genocide.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
There have also been accusations of collusion between DR Congo's army and Hutu guerrillas.
The Congolese government, for its part, has accused Rwanda of backing Gen Nkunda.
Rwanda denies this, but it has twice invaded its much larger neighbour in recent years.

More than 20 people have been killed in two suspected US missile attacks in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, security officials said.
About 15, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed in an attack near the village of Mirali, North Waziristan.
In a second attack, seven people were killed in South Waziristan.
The US military has not commented. It has launched many missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militant targets recently.
Officials named the al-Qaeda leader in Mir Ali as Abu Kasha, believed to be Iraqi.
Local officials told the BBC that at 2030 (1430 GMT), a drone fired two missiles and destroyed the target - a house in the Esori area about 30km from the town of Mirali.
Militant
They confirmed that Abu Akash was inside the building when the attack took place.
Abu Akash was a well-known militant in the region and had been living in the area near Mir Ali since coming from Afghanistan in 2002.
He was believed to have gone to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets in the late 1980s, or during the time of the Taleban in the mid-1990s.
Abu Akash, who was born in Iraq, came to notoriety last year when he issued a video that called for attacks against coalition forces in their territories, says the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hassan.
He was also said to have recently broken away from the main al-Qaeda entity and formed his own group.
Border tension
Tensions between the US and Pakistan have increased over the issue of cross-border incursions against militants by American forces based in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had voiced its concern to the US envoy in Islamabad on Wednesday.
"It was underscored to the ambassador that the government of Pakistan strongly condemns the missile attacks which resulted in the loss of precious lives and property," the ministry said in a statement.

The UN says it has credible reports that camps sheltering 50,000 displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been destroyed.
Reports suggest the camps were forcibly emptied and looted before being burned, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, said.
Aid groups say they are struggling to reach an estimated 250,000 people in the region fleeing fierce fighting between government and rebel forces.
Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis.
A ceasefire is holding in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, but aid agency chiefs say the situation remains highly volatile.
See detailed map of the area
Food and water are terribly scarce, and aid agencies have all but stopped work, says the BBC's Peter Greste in Goma.
Rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda's forces are positioned some 15km (nine miles) from the city.
The origin of the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo is the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the genocide.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
There have also been accusations of collusion between DR Congo's army and Hutu guerrillas.
The Congolese government, for its part, has accused Rwanda of backing Gen Nkunda.
Rwanda denies this, but it has twice invaded its much larger neighbour in recent years.

More than 20 people have been killed in two suspected US missile attacks in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, security officials said.
About 15, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed in an attack near the village of Mirali, North Waziristan.
In a second attack, seven people were killed in South Waziristan.
The US military has not commented. It has launched many missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militant targets recently.
Officials named the al-Qaeda leader in Mir Ali as Abu Kasha, believed to be Iraqi.
Local officials told the BBC that at 2030 (1430 GMT), a drone fired two missiles and destroyed the target - a house in the Esori area about 30km from the town of Mirali.
Militant
They confirmed that Abu Akash was inside the building when the attack took place.
Abu Akash was a well-known militant in the region and had been living in the area near Mir Ali since coming from Afghanistan in 2002.
He was believed to have gone to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets in the late 1980s, or during the time of the Taleban in the mid-1990s.
Abu Akash, who was born in Iraq, came to notoriety last year when he issued a video that called for attacks against coalition forces in their territories, says the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hassan.
He was also said to have recently broken away from the main al-Qaeda entity and formed his own group.
Border tension
Tensions between the US and Pakistan have increased over the issue of cross-border incursions against militants by American forces based in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had voiced its concern to the US envoy in Islamabad on Wednesday.
"It was underscored to the ambassador that the government of Pakistan strongly condemns the missile attacks which resulted in the loss of precious lives and property," the ministry said in a statement.

Andy Murray's superb run of form came to an end with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat by defending champion David Nalbandian in the Paris Masters quarter-finals.
The Briton, 21, went into the match as the in-form player on tour, aiming for a record third straight Masters title after 14 consecutive wins.
But after a break of serve apiece, Nalbandian dominated the tie-break and took it with a sweeping forehand pass.
And the Argentine was in great form as he broke four times in the second set.
Nalbandian remains one of the few leading players that Murray has yet to beat, with the Argentine winning their only previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2005.
After tournament victories in Cincinnati, Madrid and St Petersburg, and with a first Grand Slam final at the US Open in between, Murray had finally begun to show signs of a dip in form this week.
The Scot was below his best in beating Fernando Verdasco on Thursday and came up short against a rejuvenated Nalbandian.
"It was obviously a shame that I lost," Murray told BBC Sport after the match.
"But at least it wasn't a bad performance or against a player I was really expecting to beat [easily].
"It was a tough match today but he played really well.
"The one thing I didn't do, that I have done well in the last few weeks, is to serve well. The [first serve] percentage wasn't as high as it has been."

Andy Murray's superb run of form came to an end with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat by defending champion David Nalbandian in the Paris Masters quarter-finals.
The Briton, 21, went into the match as the in-form player on tour, aiming for a record third straight Masters title after 14 consecutive wins.
But after a break of serve apiece, Nalbandian dominated the tie-break and took it with a sweeping forehand pass.
And the Argentine was in great form as he broke four times in the second set.
Nalbandian remains one of the few leading players that Murray has yet to beat, with the Argentine winning their only previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2005.
After tournament victories in Cincinnati, Madrid and St Petersburg, and with a first Grand Slam final at the US Open in between, Murray had finally begun to show signs of a dip in form this week.
The Scot was below his best in beating Fernando Verdasco on Thursday and came up short against a rejuvenated Nalbandian.
"It was obviously a shame that I lost," Murray told BBC Sport after the match.
"But at least it wasn't a bad performance or against a player I was really expecting to beat [easily].
"It was a tough match today but he played really well.
"The one thing I didn't do, that I have done well in the last few weeks, is to serve well. The [first serve] percentage wasn't as high as it has been."

Andy Murray's superb run of form came to an end with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat by defending champion David Nalbandian in the Paris Masters quarter-finals.
The Briton, 21, went into the match as the in-form player on tour, aiming for a record third straight Masters title after 14 consecutive wins.
But after a break of serve apiece, Nalbandian dominated the tie-break and took it with a sweeping forehand pass.
And the Argentine was in great form as he broke four times in the second set.
Nalbandian remains one of the few leading players that Murray has yet to beat, with the Argentine winning their only previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2005.
After tournament victories in Cincinnati, Madrid and St Petersburg, and with a first Grand Slam final at the US Open in between, Murray had finally begun to show signs of a dip in form this week.
The Scot was below his best in beating Fernando Verdasco on Thursday and came up short against a rejuvenated Nalbandian.
"It was obviously a shame that I lost," Murray told BBC Sport after the match.
"But at least it wasn't a bad performance or against a player I was really expecting to beat [easily].
"It was a tough match today but he played really well.
"The one thing I didn't do, that I have done well in the last few weeks, is to serve well. The [first serve] percentage wasn't as high as it has been."

Andy Murray's superb run of form came to an end with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat by defending champion David Nalbandian in the Paris Masters quarter-finals.
The Briton, 21, went into the match as the in-form player on tour, aiming for a record third straight Masters title after 14 consecutive wins.
But after a break of serve apiece, Nalbandian dominated the tie-break and took it with a sweeping forehand pass.
And the Argentine was in great form as he broke four times in the second set.
Nalbandian remains one of the few leading players that Murray has yet to beat, with the Argentine winning their only previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2005.
After tournament victories in Cincinnati, Madrid and St Petersburg, and with a first Grand Slam final at the US Open in between, Murray had finally begun to show signs of a dip in form this week.
The Scot was below his best in beating Fernando Verdasco on Thursday and came up short against a rejuvenated Nalbandian.
"It was obviously a shame that I lost," Murray told BBC Sport after the match.
"But at least it wasn't a bad performance or against a player I was really expecting to beat [easily].
"It was a tough match today but he played really well.
"The one thing I didn't do, that I have done well in the last few weeks, is to serve well. The [first serve] percentage wasn't as high as it has been."

Top seed Rafael Nadal and second seed Roger Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters with injuries on Friday.
Federer had been due to face James Blake in the quarter-finals but withdrew because of a back injury.
And Nadal pulled out with a knee injury when trailing Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, having earlier required treatment.
With defeats for Andy Murray on Friday and Novak Djokovic on Thursday, the tournament has now lost its top four seeds before the semi-finals.
Nadal had the trainer massaging his right thigh at the change of ends when trailing Davydenko 4-1 in the opening set, and called it quits two games later.
"This is the first time ever I've pulled out during a tournament, so it feels bad" Roger Federer"I had some pain in the knee yesterday," said the Spaniard. "I felt the pain a lot when I woke up this morning.
"When I push (on my right knee) I feel a sharp pain."
And Nadal admitted he is worried about whether he will be fit for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, which begins on 9 November.
"For sure," he said. "Hopefully it will be fine.... I don't know."
Federer has withdrawn during a tournament for the first time in his career.
"My back has been stiff for the last couple of days and I woke up this morning and it did not respond to the treatment I had last night," he told his website.

Top seed Rafael Nadal and second seed Roger Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters with injuries on Friday.
Federer had been due to face James Blake in the quarter-finals but withdrew because of a back injury.
And Nadal pulled out with a knee injury when trailing Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, having earlier required treatment.
With defeats for Andy Murray on Friday and Novak Djokovic on Thursday, the tournament has now lost its top four seeds before the semi-finals.
Nadal had the trainer massaging his right thigh at the change of ends when trailing Davydenko 4-1 in the opening set, and called it quits two games later.
"This is the first time ever I've pulled out during a tournament, so it feels bad" Roger Federer"I had some pain in the knee yesterday," said the Spaniard. "I felt the pain a lot when I woke up this morning.
"When I push (on my right knee) I feel a sharp pain."
And Nadal admitted he is worried about whether he will be fit for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, which begins on 9 November.
"For sure," he said. "Hopefully it will be fine.... I don't know."
Federer has withdrawn during a tournament for the first time in his career.
"My back has been stiff for the last couple of days and I woke up this morning and it did not respond to the treatment I had last night," he told his website.

Top seed Rafael Nadal and second seed Roger Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters with injuries on Friday.
Federer had been due to face James Blake in the quarter-finals but withdrew because of a back injury.
And Nadal pulled out with a knee injury when trailing Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, having earlier required treatment.
With defeats for Andy Murray on Friday and Novak Djokovic on Thursday, the tournament has now lost its top four seeds before the semi-finals.
Nadal had the trainer massaging his right thigh at the change of ends when trailing Davydenko 4-1 in the opening set, and called it quits two games later.
"This is the first time ever I've pulled out during a tournament, so it feels bad" Roger Federer"I had some pain in the knee yesterday," said the Spaniard. "I felt the pain a lot when I woke up this morning.
"When I push (on my right knee) I feel a sharp pain."
And Nadal admitted he is worried about whether he will be fit for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, which begins on 9 November.
"For sure," he said. "Hopefully it will be fine.... I don't know."
Federer has withdrawn during a tournament for the first time in his career.
"My back has been stiff for the last couple of days and I woke up this morning and it did not respond to the treatment I had last night," he told his website.

Top seed Rafael Nadal and second seed Roger Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters with injuries on Friday.
Federer had been due to face James Blake in the quarter-finals but withdrew because of a back injury.
And Nadal pulled out with a knee injury when trailing Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, having earlier required treatment.
With defeats for Andy Murray on Friday and Novak Djokovic on Thursday, the tournament has now lost its top four seeds before the semi-finals.
Nadal had the trainer massaging his right thigh at the change of ends when trailing Davydenko 4-1 in the opening set, and called it quits two games later.
"This is the first time ever I've pulled out during a tournament, so it feels bad" Roger Federer"I had some pain in the knee yesterday," said the Spaniard. "I felt the pain a lot when I woke up this morning.
"When I push (on my right knee) I feel a sharp pain."
And Nadal admitted he is worried about whether he will be fit for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, which begins on 9 November.
"For sure," he said. "Hopefully it will be fine.... I don't know."
Federer has withdrawn during a tournament for the first time in his career.
"My back has been stiff for the last couple of days and I woke up this morning and it did not respond to the treatment I had last night," he told his website.

Stanford Super Series, Antigua1 Nov: Stanford Superstars v England (Live on Sky Sports, commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website within the UK), 2130 GMT start

Anderson has been a regular figure in the England one-day set-up
Fast bowler James Anderson is the surprise absentee from the England team to face the Stanford Superstars in Saturday's $20m showdown in Antigua.
Ravi Bopara, Alastair Cook and Ryan Sidebottom will also miss the chance to win the $1m-per-player prize money.
Anderson's omission allows captain Kevin Pietersen to call in Graeme Swann as a second spinner.
It is the first time that Anderson has been dropped from an England limited-overs side for over a year.
The Lancashire man was last omitted for a contest against Australia at the World Twenty20 in September 2007.
However, he missed Tuesday's narrow win over Trinidad and Tobago with a stomach bug.
His omission is the only change from the XI which wrapped up a comprehensive 4-0 victory over South Africa in the NatWest Series.
The effectiveness of the slow bowlers on the Coolidge surface earlier in the week persuaded England's management to draft in Swann, whose last one-day international was against New Zealand in June.
"It was never going to be the easiest decision, in fact it was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in terms of carrying 11 players on the field," said Pietersen.
"We haven't played a second spinner for I don't know how long but unfortunately conditions have meant Jimmy has to miss out.
"But he has taken it brilliantly well, he has been absolutely fantastic at training.

Stanford Super Series, Antigua1 Nov: Stanford Superstars v England (Live on Sky Sports, commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website within the UK), 2130 GMT start

Anderson has been a regular figure in the England one-day set-up
Fast bowler James Anderson is the surprise absentee from the England team to face the Stanford Superstars in Saturday's $20m showdown in Antigua.
Ravi Bopara, Alastair Cook and Ryan Sidebottom will also miss the chance to win the $1m-per-player prize money.
Anderson's omission allows captain Kevin Pietersen to call in Graeme Swann as a second spinner.
It is the first time that Anderson has been dropped from an England limited-overs side for over a year.
The Lancashire man was last omitted for a contest against Australia at the World Twenty20 in September 2007.
However, he missed Tuesday's narrow win over Trinidad and Tobago with a stomach bug.
His omission is the only change from the XI which wrapped up a comprehensive 4-0 victory over South Africa in the NatWest Series.
The effectiveness of the slow bowlers on the Coolidge surface earlier in the week persuaded England's management to draft in Swann, whose last one-day international was against New Zealand in June.
"It was never going to be the easiest decision, in fact it was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in terms of carrying 11 players on the field," said Pietersen.
"We haven't played a second spinner for I don't know how long but unfortunately conditions have meant Jimmy has to miss out.
"But he has taken it brilliantly well, he has been absolutely fantastic at training.

Stanford Super Series, Antigua1 Nov: Stanford Superstars v England (Live on Sky Sports, commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website within the UK), 2130 GMT start

Anderson has been a regular figure in the England one-day set-up
Fast bowler James Anderson is the surprise absentee from the England team to face the Stanford Superstars in Saturday's $20m showdown in Antigua.
Ravi Bopara, Alastair Cook and Ryan Sidebottom will also miss the chance to win the $1m-per-player prize money.
Anderson's omission allows captain Kevin Pietersen to call in Graeme Swann as a second spinner.
It is the first time that Anderson has been dropped from an England limited-overs side for over a year.
The Lancashire man was last omitted for a contest against Australia at the World Twenty20 in September 2007.
However, he missed Tuesday's narrow win over Trinidad and Tobago with a stomach bug.
His omission is the only change from the XI which wrapped up a comprehensive 4-0 victory over South Africa in the NatWest Series.
The effectiveness of the slow bowlers on the Coolidge surface earlier in the week persuaded England's management to draft in Swann, whose last one-day international was against New Zealand in June.
"It was never going to be the easiest decision, in fact it was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in terms of carrying 11 players on the field," said Pietersen.
"We haven't played a second spinner for I don't know how long but unfortunately conditions have meant Jimmy has to miss out.
"But he has taken it brilliantly well, he has been absolutely fantastic at training.

Stanford Super Series, Antigua1 Nov: Stanford Superstars v England (Live on Sky Sports, commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website within the UK), 2130 GMT start

Anderson has been a regular figure in the England one-day set-up
Fast bowler James Anderson is the surprise absentee from the England team to face the Stanford Superstars in Saturday's $20m showdown in Antigua.
Ravi Bopara, Alastair Cook and Ryan Sidebottom will also miss the chance to win the $1m-per-player prize money.
Anderson's omission allows captain Kevin Pietersen to call in Graeme Swann as a second spinner.
It is the first time that Anderson has been dropped from an England limited-overs side for over a year.
The Lancashire man was last omitted for a contest against Australia at the World Twenty20 in September 2007.
However, he missed Tuesday's narrow win over Trinidad and Tobago with a stomach bug.
His omission is the only change from the XI which wrapped up a comprehensive 4-0 victory over South Africa in the NatWest Series.
The effectiveness of the slow bowlers on the Coolidge surface earlier in the week persuaded England's management to draft in Swann, whose last one-day international was against New Zealand in June.
"It was never going to be the easiest decision, in fact it was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in terms of carrying 11 players on the field," said Pietersen.
"We haven't played a second spinner for I don't know how long but unfortunately conditions have meant Jimmy has to miss out.
"But he has taken it brilliantly well, he has been absolutely fantastic at training.

Updated at: 2212 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MARDAN: Ten people including five police personnel were killed and 25 others injured in a suicide attack on a police convoy here on Friday.The suicide bomber blew himself up when he was stopped by the policemen at the entrance of the office of DIG Mardan Akhtar Ali.The powerful blast shattered the window panes of the buildings adjacent to the DIG’s office.The suicide bomber came on foot, said the eyewitnesses.The initial investigations reveal that the bomber was strapped with 6 kilograms of explosives. Eight people including four policemen died on the spot while a passerby and a policeman succumbed to their injuries later in a hospital.DIG Mardan Akhter Ali Shah, while confirming the suicide attack, said that police cordoned off the area.The injured are being provided medical treatment at the hospitals of Mardan and Peshawar where condition of four persons is said to be critical.

Updated at: 2212 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MARDAN: Ten people including five police personnel were killed and 25 others injured in a suicide attack on a police convoy here on Friday.The suicide bomber blew himself up when he was stopped by the policemen at the entrance of the office of DIG Mardan Akhtar Ali.The powerful blast shattered the window panes of the buildings adjacent to the DIG’s office.The suicide bomber came on foot, said the eyewitnesses.The initial investigations reveal that the bomber was strapped with 6 kilograms of explosives. Eight people including four policemen died on the spot while a passerby and a policeman succumbed to their injuries later in a hospital.DIG Mardan Akhter Ali Shah, while confirming the suicide attack, said that police cordoned off the area.The injured are being provided medical treatment at the hospitals of Mardan and Peshawar where condition of four persons is said to be critical.

Updated at: 2212 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MARDAN: Ten people including five police personnel were killed and 25 others injured in a suicide attack on a police convoy here on Friday.The suicide bomber blew himself up when he was stopped by the policemen at the entrance of the office of DIG Mardan Akhtar Ali.The powerful blast shattered the window panes of the buildings adjacent to the DIG’s office.The suicide bomber came on foot, said the eyewitnesses.The initial investigations reveal that the bomber was strapped with 6 kilograms of explosives. Eight people including four policemen died on the spot while a passerby and a policeman succumbed to their injuries later in a hospital.DIG Mardan Akhter Ali Shah, while confirming the suicide attack, said that police cordoned off the area.The injured are being provided medical treatment at the hospitals of Mardan and Peshawar where condition of four persons is said to be critical.

Updated at: 2212 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MARDAN: Ten people including five police personnel were killed and 25 others injured in a suicide attack on a police convoy here on Friday.The suicide bomber blew himself up when he was stopped by the policemen at the entrance of the office of DIG Mardan Akhtar Ali.The powerful blast shattered the window panes of the buildings adjacent to the DIG’s office.The suicide bomber came on foot, said the eyewitnesses.The initial investigations reveal that the bomber was strapped with 6 kilograms of explosives. Eight people including four policemen died on the spot while a passerby and a policeman succumbed to their injuries later in a hospital.DIG Mardan Akhter Ali Shah, while confirming the suicide attack, said that police cordoned off the area.The injured are being provided medical treatment at the hospitals of Mardan and Peshawar where condition of four persons is said to be critical.

Updated at: 2217 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MIRANSHAH: A suspected missile strike by US spy drones destroyed a vehicle and a house in tribal area bordering Afghanistan Friday, killing at least 21 people, security officials said.Two missiles were involved in the strike west of Mir Ali, a town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region that is a known hub of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, they said.The attack came just two days after Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", summoned Washington's ambassador to Islamabad to receive a strong protest over a number of similar strikes.The latest targeted an Al-Qaeda operative, possibly an Iraqi, but officials citing local intelligence reports said he was not believed to be among the dead.Officials gave the targeted militant's name as Abu Akasa Al-Iraqi. Local residents said the strike hit the house of a Pakistani tribesman named Amanullah Dawar.It was the 17th such strike in the past 10 weeks, according to sources.A strike on Sunday killed senior Taliban commander Haji Omar Khan, a lieutenant of veteran Afghan Taliban chieftain and former anti-Soviet fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Updated at: 2217 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MIRANSHAH: A suspected missile strike by US spy drones destroyed a vehicle and a house in tribal area bordering Afghanistan Friday, killing at least 21 people, security officials said.Two missiles were involved in the strike west of Mir Ali, a town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region that is a known hub of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, they said.The attack came just two days after Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", summoned Washington's ambassador to Islamabad to receive a strong protest over a number of similar strikes.The latest targeted an Al-Qaeda operative, possibly an Iraqi, but officials citing local intelligence reports said he was not believed to be among the dead.Officials gave the targeted militant's name as Abu Akasa Al-Iraqi. Local residents said the strike hit the house of a Pakistani tribesman named Amanullah Dawar.It was the 17th such strike in the past 10 weeks, according to sources.A strike on Sunday killed senior Taliban commander Haji Omar Khan, a lieutenant of veteran Afghan Taliban chieftain and former anti-Soviet fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Updated at: 2217 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MIRANSHAH: A suspected missile strike by US spy drones destroyed a vehicle and a house in tribal area bordering Afghanistan Friday, killing at least 21 people, security officials said.Two missiles were involved in the strike west of Mir Ali, a town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region that is a known hub of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, they said.The attack came just two days after Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", summoned Washington's ambassador to Islamabad to receive a strong protest over a number of similar strikes.The latest targeted an Al-Qaeda operative, possibly an Iraqi, but officials citing local intelligence reports said he was not believed to be among the dead.Officials gave the targeted militant's name as Abu Akasa Al-Iraqi. Local residents said the strike hit the house of a Pakistani tribesman named Amanullah Dawar.It was the 17th such strike in the past 10 weeks, according to sources.A strike on Sunday killed senior Taliban commander Haji Omar Khan, a lieutenant of veteran Afghan Taliban chieftain and former anti-Soviet fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Updated at: 2217 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 MIRANSHAH: A suspected missile strike by US spy drones destroyed a vehicle and a house in tribal area bordering Afghanistan Friday, killing at least 21 people, security officials said.Two missiles were involved in the strike west of Mir Ali, a town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region that is a known hub of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, they said.The attack came just two days after Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", summoned Washington's ambassador to Islamabad to receive a strong protest over a number of similar strikes.The latest targeted an Al-Qaeda operative, possibly an Iraqi, but officials citing local intelligence reports said he was not believed to be among the dead.Officials gave the targeted militant's name as Abu Akasa Al-Iraqi. Local residents said the strike hit the house of a Pakistani tribesman named Amanullah Dawar.It was the 17th such strike in the past 10 weeks, according to sources.A strike on Sunday killed senior Taliban commander Haji Omar Khan, a lieutenant of veteran Afghan Taliban chieftain and former anti-Soviet fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani.

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