WASHINGTON, Jan 3: After two recent assassination attempts that bear the markings of Al Qaeda, the US government is stepping up efforts to protect Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf , The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Quoting unidentified US officials, the newspaper said Washington was also urging Gen Musharraf to crack down further on extremist groups accused of terrorism.

The United States had sent electronic jamming devices that helped foil the first attempt on Gen Musharraf by interfering with the detonation of explosives, officials were quoted as saying. The bombings narrowly missed Mr Musharraf but killed 15 people and wounded 45.

A second bomb on Dec 14 exploded moments after his motorcade had passed.

Since the attacks, US officials have increased intelligence sharing and other efforts to help Gen Musharraf's security forces, The Post said. It said the United States was not providing bodyguards, a step taken to safeguard Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

Gen Musharraf's longevity and the stability and cooperation of Pakistan, the world's most politically fragile nuclear power, are critical to the US campaign to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and his network of Al Qaeda operatives. US military and intelligence officials believe Osama, blamed for the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, and other Al Qaeda members are hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Gen Musharraf has positioned himself as an ally of the United States in its declared war on terrorism.

Musharraf survived the assassination attempts on Dec 14 and Dec 26 that occurred barely 500 yards apart in the heavily guarded city of Rawalpindi, the army's headquarters.

US administration officials were not immediately available for comment.

On Thursday, US President George W. Bush said he had spoken to Gen Musharraf and was confident about his safety.

"Obviously terrorists are after him. And he sounded very confident that his security forces would be able to deal with the threat," Mr Bush told reporters.-Reuters