ISLAMABAD, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Taliban leader Baituallah Mehsud claimed Saturday responsibility for an attack on the U.S. civic association building in New York in which at least 13 people were killed, according to the private Geo TV.

The American Civic Center is sealed off by police in Binghampton, New York, April 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Yu Jun) Photo Gallery>>>

    "I accept responsibility. They were my men. I gave them orders in reaction to U.S. drone attacks," Mehsud told some journalists by telephone from an undisclosed location.

    He claimed that one Pakistani and another unidentified man launched the attack and he warned the attack several days ago.

    "I will not disclose identity of the other attacker as the American police are searching for him," the Taliban chief told several media organizations in Islamabad, Peshawar and the South Waziristan tribal region by phone.

    "Such attacks will continue. It was revenge to U.S. drone attacks (in Pakistan) and brutalities in Palestine," he said.

    He said that he warned a few days ago of attacks in the United States if the drone attacks inside the Pakistani tribal regions were not stopped.

    The Taliban chief claimed responsibility amid reports that the U.S. and Pakistan had agreed on attacks on Mehsud. Reports said that Pakistan would provide information to U.S. for strikes on the Taliban chief.

Police chief: 14 dead, four critically wounded in Binghamton, NY massacre

    NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A lone gunman armed with two handguns on Friday killed 14 people and critically wounded four more in a rampage through an immigration services center in the upstate town of Binghamton, in the U.S. state of New York, police said.

    Police chief Joseph Zikuski told reporters at a late afternoon news conference 37 other people in the single story building escaped harm, many of them hiding in a barricaded boiler room of the American Civic Association on Front Street and "most of them could not speak English." Full story

Obama "shocked" by shooting in New York State

    WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that he was shocked and saddened by a shooting in an immigration office in Binghamton, New York State killing 13 persons, according to the White House.

    "Michelle and I were shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the act of senseless violence in Binghamton, New York today," said the president who is continuing his tour in Europe.Full story
Governor: 12 or 13 people killed in U.S. New York state shooting 

    NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State of New York Governor David Paterson said on Friday afternoon that 12 or 13 people were killed in the shooting and hostage taking incident in the city of Binghamton earlier in the day.

    In a live-televised reaction to the incident, Paterson said that "lives have been lost" in what he called a "brutal attack against innocent people," adding that he believes 12 or 13 people were already confirmed dead.Full story

Consulate: Chinese student injured in Binghamton shooting
    NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese student was among those injured in Friday's shooting in Binghamton, the U.S. state of New York, sources with the Chinese Consulate-general in New York said.

    The male student, who was taking a language course in the American Civic Association building on Friday morning, suffered two gunshot wounds but is now in stable condition with no danger of life, the sources said, declining to give any further details.Full story
Four shot, dozens taken hostage in New York State

     NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were shot and dozens more taken hostage in Binghamton, the U.S. state of New York on Friday, local media reported.

    The attack occurred on Friday morning in the American Civic Association in Binghamton, some 189 miles northwest of New York City, when a gunman went into the building and started shooting, local police was quoted as saying by WBNG News. Full story