Thaindian News

Beijing, Aug 17 (IANS) China has refuted a media report that said it was allowed access to the US stealth helicopter that crashed during a raid to kill Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan’s Abbottabad city.

A press release sent to China Daily by the Ministry of National Defense said such reports are “groundless and ridiculous”.

Osama was gunned down in Abbottabad city May 2. One of two stealth helicopters, which had flown into the country undetected, crashed during the operation at the Al Qaeda leader’s high walled mansion.

The Financial Times had reported that Pakistan permitted Chinese intelligence officials to take pictures of the wreckage and take samples of its special “skin” that allowed it to evade the radars.

Though the US commandos had blown up the wreckage, the tail section of the helicopter was largely intact. The tail section was later returned to the US.

Pakistan too has denied the media report.

Inter Services Public Relations director general, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, said Monday that the assertion made in the media report was not true.

He rejected the report and expressed surprise at the extent of ‘kite flying’ some sections of the foreign press were indulging in, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.

General Abbas also criticized a section of the foreign media for launching a malicious campaign against Pakistan security organisations and asked them to verify and cross-check rather than relying on “unnamed officials”.