In this picture taken on May 24, 2008, Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud (C) speaks to media representatives at his stronghold in the tribal district of South Waziristan near the Afghan border. Top Pakistani Taliban warlord Mehsud on May 24 said jihad, or holy war, would continue in Afghanistan, despite peace negotiations between the militants and Islamabad. "Islam does not recognise boundaries and jihad in Afghanistan will continue," he said. (Photo from Getty Pictures by AFP/Getty Images)From Captain's Journal:
We have provided analysis of Baitullah Mehsud, the center of gravity of the globalist jihad movement in the Taliban controlled areas of Pakistan, head of the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) and more powerful by far than al Qaeda. The Guardian has an exposé on Baitullah that is so good and extensive that several quotes will be provided below (the entire article is recommended reading), followed by brief analysis.
… after five years of germination, the disparate forces behind most of these attacks formally merged into the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) under the leadership of an illiterate 35-year-old commander, Baitullah Mehsud, confirming western suspicions that the epicentre of global jihad had shifted. Soon militias allied to the new grouping had permeated all of Pakistan’s border regions, even the northern ski slopes and trout streams of the former tourist haven of Swat …
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Recommended Reading: On the trail of Pakistan's Taliban -- The Guardian
My Comment: An excellent analysis of the evolving leadership of the world's jihadist movement. Both the Captain's Journal and The Guardian articles are recommended reading.