New Delhi: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has denied all involvement of the military and intelligence agencies in the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf said he had, in fact, warned Benazir about the threat to her life but she had ignored his warning.
"She was informed of the threat weeks back," said Musharraf. "She wanted to go back to Liaqat Bagh. The intelligence agencies knew that there is a threat. "
Musharraf said that Benazir took the decision to go there even though the government tried to stop her.
"We stopped her from going. This time, she again decided to go and she went on her own. She went, ignoring the threat."
The President added that foreign intelligence had also known of threats to Benazir.
"Our own intelligence and a foreign Intelligence warned us about a threat to Bhutto. We advised her not to take chances. During my last telecon with Bhutto, I warned her about the security threats," Musharraf insisted.
Speaking about the probable assassins, he said, "Anyone who wants to assassinate must weigh the pros and cons. Who is the maximum gainer from doing this? Would the government be the maximum gainer or somebody else who will gain more?"
Musharraf was vehement in his denials of reports that the military was involved in the assassination, in any capacity.
"No intelligence agency in Pakistan is capable of inducting a man for a suicide attack," he asserted.
"In the last three months, there have been 19 suicide bombings, most of them against the military and the Intelligence. If the same military and Intelligence use the same people, it's a joke!" he snapped.
Musharraf said he knew he, too, was under threat.
"I have lived like this over the years," he said, adding, "I cannot say that I am very secure. I know how to protect myself."
"We have to face things boldly. We have to defeat those who are causing this threat," he said.
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