Pakistani Taliban fighters beheaded a tribal cleric accused of being a US spy in the Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan, a security official said.
The body of Maulana Salahuddin (45) was found today on a road between North and South Waziristan, two semi-autonomous regions regarded as hotbeds of support for al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
A note pinned to the cleric's body described him as an American spy, the security official said. The corpse was sprayed with bullets after the beheading, he added.
Pakistan's government signed a pact with tribal leaders in North Waziristan on September 5th to end clashes between pro-Taliban militants and Pakistani security forces.
Since the deal was reached, US military officials say, attacks against US-led Nato troops and Afghan government forces have tripled.
Pro-Taliban tribesmen appear to be violating the pact also by setting up a parallel administration in North Waziristan, just as they did after a similar treaty in South Waziristan.