Pakistan 'militant' group denies Osama Bin Laden link

Pakistani militant group Harkut ul-Mujahideen (HuM) has denied US media reports that it had links with Osama Bin Laden and was part of his Pakistan support network.

Investigations into a mobile phone used by Bin Laden's courier are said to have divulged contact with the group, according to a New York Times report.

The phone was recovered during the 2 May US raid that killed both men.

Although banned there, analysts say HuM has links with Pakistani intelligence.

"Al-Qaeda had their own discipline, their own thinking, their own organisation. We have never ever been in touch with Osama," a spokesman for the group told the BBC.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan says that it is difficult to establish if the group has had recent contact with al-Qaeda, but adds that it certainly has a long history of co-operation with al-Qaeda.

Our correspondent says the latest claims come at a time when Pakistan's military and intelligence services are under increasing pressure from the West, where there are suspicions that some elements of Pakistan's security establishment provide backing to militant groups and may even have helped protect Bin Laden.

This may be one reason why the group is denying any links with al-Qaeda, our correspondent says.

The report comes days after a Pakistani brigadier serving at the army's main headquarters was detained for allegedly having contacts with the banned extremist group Hizb-ut Tahrir. He denies the allegation.

Four majors in the Pakistani army were also questioned for involvement with banned militant organisations.