Lawyer for 'Bin Laden doctor' killed in Pakistan

Two Taliban splinter groups claimed responsibility for the attack on Samiullah Afridi, while he was on his way home on the outskirts of Peshawar on Tuesday.

Fahad Marwat, a spokesman for the militant group Jandullah called AFP news agency soon after the incident and claimed responsibility for Afridi's murder.

Later in the evening, a Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan also called AFP and claimed the attack.

"We killed Samiullah Afridi for supporting Shakil Afridi and will also target other lawyers who are providing legal assistance to him," he said.

Police official Shakirullah Bangash confirmed the incident and said that a search operation was being conducted in the area to trace the gunmen.

CIA accomplice

The murdered lawyer previously fled Pakistan two years ago after receiving threats from militants. On returning a year later, Afridi said he had stopped working on the doctor's case.

Doctor Afridi, who is no relation to the murdered lawyer, helped the CIA to organize a fake vaccination program in an attempt to confirm that Osama bin Laden was living in Abbottabad.

The doctor was convicted under Pakistan's tribal justice system and jailed for 33 years in 2012 for collaborating with the militant group Lashkar-e-Islam. Last year a tribunal reduced his sentence by 10 years.

ksb/bk (Reuters, AFP)