Taliban ‘proudly claim’ attack on U.N. aid office Posted by wasif shah , Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 5:55 AM, in Labels: TOP STORIES

ISLAMABAD - Taliban militants claimed responsibility Tuesday for the deadly suicide bombing at the U.N. food agency's heavily fortified compound in Islamabad, saying international relief work in Pakistan was not in "the interest of Muslims."

The attack, which killed five workers for the World Food Program on Monday, pushed the U.N. to temporarily close its offices in the country and exposed the vulnerability of international relief agencies helping millions of Pakistanis, among them those affected by fighting between the government and Islamist militants.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the Taliban carried out the attack to avenge the Aug. 5 slaying of their leader, Baitullah Mehsud, in a U.S. drone attack