Silicon Valley (US): Weeks before the killing of ex-Premier Benazir Bhutto, the Bush Administration had provided her as well as Pakistani authorities with intelligence about possible threat to her life from extremists.

The intelligence provided to Bhutto was furnished by the US Embassy in Islamabad, an American official told the Los Angeles Times on condition of anonymity. Along with information about possible threats to her, the Americans provided security advice on ways to reduce risks to her life.

The US official said the Americans were aware that Bhutto faced serious dangers, especially in the light of an earlier attempt on her life, a bombing during her homecoming rally in Karachi on October 18.

Americans also "reiterated" that the Musharraf government needed to make vigorous attempts to avert dangers to her, the official said. Quoting US lawmakers and other officials and Bhutto's supporters, the report claimed that President Pervez Musharraf had rebuffed US entreaties for beefed-up security and that the US officials were reluctant to press Musharraf too hard.

Nonetheless, the decision to provide intelligence to an opposition candidate in a country headed by a strong American ally reflects US recognition of the gravity of the threat Bhutto faced as she sought to reclaim power in Pakistan, the paper said.

While acknowledging the danger, US officials stopped short of providing direct security services, such as the private contractors they have arranged for Afghan President Hamid Karzai and for top leaders in Iraq.

Although Pakistani officials have maintained that they took all necessary precautions for Bhutto's safety, when she was fatally attacked on Thursday she had no police escort, only her own force of volunteer guards surrounding her car, the paper said.

Husain Haqqani, the former advisor to Bhutto, said he had entreated US officials to press Musharraf to see that Bhutto had better security. But, he said US officials resisted deeper involvement, saying they did not want to start "micro-managing the security arrangements of another country."

Haqqani, who is Director of the Center for International Relations at Boston University, said Bhutto wanted to use private international security contractors for her protection. But Musharraf was unwilling to provide the necessary approvals for them to operate in Pakistan, even though Bhutto was willing to pay for them herself, he said.

Source : PTI