Pakistan Taliban have detained and are interrogating four close relatives of the group's slain commander Baitullah Mehsud, on suspicion of tipping off authorities of his whereabouts.
Those being held include Baitullah's father-in-law Ikramuddin Mehsud, his son, one of his brothers and a nephew, Dawn news reported quoting unnamed security and intelligence officials.
Pakistani and US officials have expressed certainty that Baitullah, head of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, was killed in direct missile hit on his father-in-law's house, where he was hiding for the night on August 5.
But Baitullah's close aides have denied his death, claiming that their leader was seriously injured and was in hiding. At the same time, the group today announced appointment of Baitullah's cousin Hakimullah Mehsud as the new chief of the outfit.
Dawn News quoted intelligence officials as saying that these close relatives of the slain leader were being questioned on suspicion that they had passed on information about Mehsud's whereabouts, which had helped in passing his coordinates to the Predator drones.
American officials have been quoted as saying that Washington had deployed as many as eight drones to keep track and hunt down Baitullah.
"They were picked up two days ago and are being interrogated by Taliban in Sararogha area of South Waziristan," the report said.
An ethnic Pashtun tribal elder in the region also confirmed that the family members have been detained. In the missile strike Mehsud's second wife, who was Ikramuddin's daughter and some of his bodyguards were killed.
According to reports, Mehsud, a diabetic, who was suffering from a stomach ailment was lying on a cot on the flat roof of the house besides his wife when the missile struck shortly after midnight.
The report said earlier Ikramuddin's brother, Saadullah Mehsud, a paramedic had been providing medical treatment for Baitullah's stomach ailment.
The missile struck the house as Saadullah left, arousing suspicion, and was also detained, it said.
Taliban have executed numerous people on suspicion of spying since the CIA intensified its drone strikes over the restive NWFP.
Another intelligence official claimed that Mehsud's driver Mohammad Qasim, who was also known as Kashif, was shot dead also on suspicion of spying.
