'ISI is directing Taliban in Afghanistan'

Pakistan's spy agency Inter Services Intelligence is directing the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, a US lawmaker has alleged, saying his view is based on his meetings with the people and officials in the war-torn country.

"US military commanders at several levels of the chain of command indicated that they believe Pakistan and its intelligence agency specifically, the ISI, is directing the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan," California's Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter told the UTSanDiego.com.

"The fact that they (Pakistanis) are controlling them was pretty astounding to me. It's bad, but it bodes well I think for long-term stability. That means it's an external threat. It's not an internal Taliban takeover like it was in the '90s," said Hunter, who visited Afghanistan as part of a Congressional delegation -- the first to visit the country after the recent withdrawal of surge forces from there.

Hunter hinted that the Pakistani establishment might also be involved in the insiders attack.

"Everybody is taking the insider threat thing seriously on both sides, especially the Afghans. They are really getting to the bottom of it in every way they can. Now that the army is at its strength, they can kind of re-vet and check everybody," he said.