Baitullah Mehsud, who heads the loose grouping of militants known as the Pakistan Taleban, has given a rare press conference to invited journalists. They included the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan.
I hope your trip has been enjoyable so far," our host asks us.
Ordinary garden tea party talk except for two things - the venue and the host.
We are in Pakistan's tribal region of South Waziristan. Our host is the region's top Islamic militant, Baitullah Mehsud.
Commander Mehsud has recently been named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. Newsweek has labelled him "more dangerous than Osama bin Laden".
President Pervez Musharraf accused him last year of being responsible for dozens of suicide attacks which led Pakistan into emergency rule.
The CIA says he was the brains behind the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minster Benazir Bhutto.
With such a reputation, it is not surprising that there is a sense of awe as this short, plump, bearded man greets us.
Breakneck speed
We are part of a group of journalists invited by Mr Mehsud to his stronghold to see for ourselves "the atrocities committed by the Pakistan army in its recent campaign in the area".
Pakistan's army and pro-Taleban militants led by Baitullah Mehsud have recently agreed to a ceasefire after being locked in battle for most of 2007.
Meeting Pakistan's most feared militant
Baitullah Mehsud, who heads the loose grouping of militants known as the Pakistan Taleban, has given a rare press conference to invited journalists. They included the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan.
I hope your trip has been enjoyable so far," our host asks us.
Ordinary garden tea party talk except for two things - the venue and the host.
We are in Pakistan's tribal region of South Waziristan. Our host is the region's top Islamic militant, Baitullah Mehsud.
Commander Mehsud has recently been named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. Newsweek has labelled him "more dangerous than Osama bin Laden".
President Pervez Musharraf accused him last year of being responsible for dozens of suicide attacks which led Pakistan into emergency rule.
The CIA says he was the brains behind the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minster Benazir Bhutto.
With such a reputation, it is not surprising that there is a sense of awe as this short, plump, bearded man greets us.
Breakneck speed
We are part of a group of journalists invited by Mr Mehsud to his stronghold to see for ourselves "the atrocities committed by the Pakistan army in its recent campaign in the area".
Pakistan's army and pro-Taleban militants led by Baitullah Mehsud have recently agreed to a ceasefire after being locked in battle for most of 2007.
