ISLAMABAD -- Suspicsions of a link between a spate of recent terrorist bombings across Russia and Osama bin Laden, the Afghanistan-based Saudi dissident, promise to again draw Pakistan into the issue of global terrorism.
For years, the West has suspected bin Laden of having connections with Islamic groups in Pakistan. Providing arms and training recruits from Pakistan in the name of "jihad" (holy war) are thought to have strengthened links between bin Laden and groups in Pakistan.
Russian accusations of a link between the bombings in Russia and bin Laden include at least one direct reference to Pakistan. In recent briefings, Russian officials claimed that a meeting of terrorist groups in Pakistan last month ended with a pledge of $30 million for one of the Chechen-backed Islamic groups.