Hakimullah Mehsud, the self-proclaimed emir of the Pakistani Taliban, is wanted in connection with his involvement in the murder of seven and injury of six American citizens on
30 December 2009, at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan. The explosion occurred after a suicide bomber entered the military base and detonated a device that was hidden under his clothing. Hakimullah Mehsud has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to murder US citizens abroad and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) against US citizens abroad.

Hakimullah Mehsud, a resident of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in Pakistan, is the leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or what is more commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban. The TTP’s primary purpose is to force withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the FATA, which is located along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border; to expel Western interests from Pakistan; and to establish Sharia—or Islamic law—in the tribal territories.

The TTP has had alleged roles in, or claimed responsibility for, a number of acts of violence, including the September 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people and another 300 wounded, including several Americans. These attacks are often coordinated with other insurgents or terrorist groups, including the Taliban and al-Qa‘ida.

Hakimullah Mehsud remains the commander of TTP, which continues to plan and carry out attacks against the interests of the United States from the FATA. Most recently, the TTP has claimed responsibility for the failed bombing of Times Square in New York City on 1 May 2010.