Does Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf have a death wish?While cracking down on lawyers, dissidents, and human rights activists by throwing them in jail, Musharraf has opened the back door to his prisons and allowed several Taliban their freedom - including the notorious Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, number 3 in the group's hierarchy and a member of its ruling 10-man shura (council):Intelligence reports of Obaidullah's release have raised concern among American officials. At the moment they're still checking whether it was in fact the senior Taliban official who was freed and not someone else by the same name. A Pakistani military source denied to NEWSWEEK that Obaidullah had been released—but in the next breath claimed to be unaware that Obaidullah had ever been captured. At least two important Taliban commanders have confirmed to NEWSWEEK that Mullah Omar's third in command is back on the loose. Another Taliban operative says Obaidullah spoke to one of his fellow fighters...(Read Full Post)