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Taliban Training Children to be Suicide Bombers

Video Shows Boys as Young as Seven in Suicide Bomber Training in Pakistan

10/06/2008 4:57 PM ET

AfPax Insider has obtained a lengthy video of the Pakistani Taliban training dozens of boys ranging in age from seven to 14 to be suicide bombers in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Photo gallery below

AfPax Insider's sources say the video was shot in August in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Area of Spinkai Ragzai, South Waziristan.

The area is controlled by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mahsud.

The video attempts to justify suicide bombings as a legitimate means of attack against "infidels," which AfPax Insider's analysts interpret to mean NATO forces in Afghanistan.

The video has not been released publicly or via the Internet, with AfPax Insider's analysts saying the Pakistani Taliban likely would not want video showing the boys' faces disclosed publicly before the children carried out their attacks.

Analysts tell AfPax Insider the video was produced by the clandestine Omar Studio, which is base in the Pakistani tribal areas.

The analysts said the video likely was intended for in-person recruiting purposes.

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Proof of Life: Chinese Hostages in Pakistan

Kidnapped Chinese Engineers in Video Plea: "We Can't Hold on Any Longer"

09/22/2008 04:26 AM ET

Updated with full videotape transcript below.

AfPax Insider has obtained video of two kidnapped and visibly distraught Chinese engineers appealing for their release after they were kidnapped August 29 in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province.

The Pakistani Taliban say they abducted the Chinese and are holding them captive.

In the video , one of the captives says the Taliban want to swap them for a Taliban member in Pakistani government custody.

The two-minute video, believed to have been shot on or around September 15, is the first proof-of-life imagery of the Chinese hostages.

Here is a translated transcript of what's said on the video by one of the Chinese hostages:

"We are Chinese citizens, working Pakistan Zhongxin Company for construction work. On August 29th, on our way back from work, we have been abducted by Taliban. We really want to go home and see our family. We have been here for 18 days already, we can’t hold on any longer. The Taliban said that if the govt releases their friend, they’d let us go. Pakistani govt, Chinese Embassy, please save us! We can’t hold on any longer, we really want to go home."

Here's background on the kidnapping and the hostages.

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