WASHINGTON — Some missile strikes in a recent surge in attacks by unmanned U.S. drones in Pakistan were aimed at disrupting suspected terrorist plots aimed at Europe, a Western counter terrorism official said.
The official said the targeted strikes were aimed at al-Qaeda and other militant groups arrayed in Pakistan’s tribal region near the Afghanistan border. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the terror plot remain sensitive.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was briefly evacuated Tuesday, the second time in the past week because of an unspecified threat.
The Obama administration has intensified the use of drone-fired missiles in Pakistan’s border area, but this month there have been at least 21 attacks, more than double the highest number fired in any other single month.
The Associated Press
