Local militants in North Waziristan threatened to step up suicide attacks if tribal people were searched at security checkposts. Abdullah Farhad, the spokesman for the local Taliban, called reporters from an undisclosed location saying tribal people were ready to lay down their lives against the strict and cruel government policies. Abdullah said that security forces not only searched women but also insulted them at the checkposts, which was unacceptable.He also claimed responsibility for an attack on a security checkpost in the Dattakhel area on Sunday in which the assailant, a Khasadar force man and a paramilitary force personnel were killed. However, government officials said that the vehicle exploded when the security forces fired at it when it ignored signals to halt. This is the first time that local Taliban had launched a suicide raid using a vehicle loaded with explosives. Baitullah Mehsood, chief of local militants in South Waziristan Agency, had severely criticised security checkposts last year demanding that they should be removed because they were creating problems for tribesmen.