Pakistan: Taliban uses children in attacks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 7 (UPI) -- Children are being used in attacks by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistani and U.S. officials say.

A video released by Islamabad purports to show boys as young as 11 killing and being put through training exercises by Mehsud's men, CNN reported Tuesday.

Pakistani military officials told the U.S. broadcaster that Mehsud has been selling trained children to other Taliban leaders for between $6,000 and $12,000.

Maj. Gen. Akhtar Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistani army, told CNN, "He has been admitting he holds a training center for young boys, for preparing them for suicide bombing. So he is on record saying all this, accepting these crimes," adding that children are favored for suicide bombings because it's easier for them to sneak past security guards.

"In certain areas, there is a possibility in the population centers everyone can not be checked physically, so (the bomber) can create havoc there," Abbas said.