ISI wary of American special trainers over spying fears

By: Reuters And Shaiq Hussain | Published: April 13, 2011

Gen Pasha’s request for fewer US trainers reflects ISI’s concerns that Americans are spying on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme or having contact with militant groups

ISLAMABAD - Request by the ISI for a cut in the number of US Special Forces trainers working in sensitive regions in Pakistan is due to fears they are also spying, according to Pakistani sources with knowledge of the request, illustrating the extent to which growing mutual mistrust is hampering security co-operation, according to a Reuters report. The request was conveyed when ISI chief General Ahmad Shuja Pasha visited his counterpart Leon Panetta at CIA headquarters on Monday. 

A US military official in Islamabad confirmed that a reduction in the number of Special Forces troops involved in training Pakistanis in counter-insurgency was being discussed. “Throughout the history of the training mission there have been discussions about the force structure and location of the training,” the official said. “So this should not be perceived as a done deal. But it’s something that we’re talking about.” 

The Pakistani military declined to comment. About 120 US Special Forces soldiers are in Pakistan’s northwest to train local security forces in counter-insurgency, but given the increasing strain in the US-Pakistan alliance over the past six months, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani now wants those numbers reduced. 

A senior Pakistani intelligence official would not officially comment on the reduction, but said it might be more about appearances than genuine pique, given the sensitivity over foreign troops on Pakistani soil. “It makes it look like the Americans are here conducting operations,” the official said. Any reduction would impact Washington’s ability to gather intelligence for its drone campaign and Pakistan’s counter-insurgency efforts. 

“We want American Special Forces to come and train our people so we can collaborate, but if they get into other activities we don’t want them,” said an instructor at the National Defense University in Islamabad. He said “other activities” could include spying on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme or having contact with militant groups. There is a suspicion among the senior military leadership that Americans troops are gathering intelligence on such groups and not sharing the information, or even actively helping them. 

“The main suspicion is why are they staying after completing their job? Their job was to train the trainers so they should have gone back after that,” another security official said. “But they are over-staying.” The crucial meeting between the intelligence chiefs of the US and Pakistan failed to break the stalemate, as Washington showed its inability to extend firm assurance to Pakistan regarding the withdrawal of CIA operatives from Pakistan, while Pakistan expressed its unwillingness to resume the cooperation suspended since the release of CIA contractor Raymond Davis. After the meeting, a CIA spokesman reportedly said the relations between the two agencies remained on “solid footing”. 

He said, “Director Panetta and General Pasha held productive discussions and the CIA-ISI relationship remains on solid footing.” However, diplomatic circles said despite the four-hour talks being held cordially, with both sides trying hard to iron out differences on contentious issues such as presence of a large number of CIA operatives in Pakistan, the meeting proved to be a “non-starter”.

 

***

 

For your information, consideration and perusal.

 

Best Regards,

 

Shemrez Nauman Afzal

Research Analyst

Spearhead Research

Office # 17, Second Floor, Park Lane Towers,
172 Tufail Road, Cantonment,
Lahore – Pakistan

Ph: +92 42 36622335-6  

Curious Case Of Davis, Dual Nationals In Government and Friends

Curious Case Of Davis, Dual Nationals In Government and Friends

This curious case in Pakistan with the "contractors" and "diplomats" being exposed is becoming more intersting.   With 45 more arrests in connection to the Raymond Davis case and a "curious" mention of a strategic SWAP involving Davis and imprisoned Dr Aafia Siddiqui, as well just to spice things up, but that swap would never have gone ahead, that was a diversion.

Also the recently arrested Aaron Mark Dehaven, has been refused bail for another 14 days, whist investigations continue.

What have all of these got in common, what is being slowly exposed here?

Oh and casually mentioned was that there are Dual citizens sitting in prominent positions within Pakistan's national assembly, some of them holding high profile portfolios, the Government is being quiet on this and maybe are in collusion and have something to hide?

In a snip from Dawn, a Pakistan online newspaper.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/28/investigation-scope-broadened-in-davis%e2%80%99-case-45-arrested.html

"ISLAMABAD: The law enforcement agencies arrested 45 individuals for staying in constant contact with Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor who shot dead two Pakistanis in Lahore last month, DawnNews reported on Monday.

The individuals had been arrested from Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar and their contact information was taken from Davis’ mobile phone. Investigations were underway."

and then, regarding the the Dehaven case, from source.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/28/peshawar-court-rejects-bail-for-us-national.html

"PESHAWAR: A court in northwest Pakistan Monday rejected the bail application of an American said to have been working for a private security company who is accused of overstaying his visa.

Aaron Mark De Haven has been rejected because he had no legal documents," public prosecutor Javed Ali told AFP in Peshawar.working for security contractor Catalyst Services, providing security and accommodation to foreigners working on development projects in the region.
remanded De Haven in custody for 14 days and on Monday, a magistrate rejected defence lawyer Sardar Raza’s argument that he should be freed on bail because he had no prior criminal record.

Police say his Pakistani visa had expired in October, The US embassy in Islamabad said Saturday that consular representatives had met De Haven, "as they would with any private American citizen".

Then i came across this article which states there are "DUAL" citizens within Pakistan's National Assembly.

and if you read it further you'll see that they are from countries with very VESTED interests.

from source http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/01/govt-quiet-on-mnas-holding-dual-nationality.html

Gov Quiet on MNA's Holding Dual Nationality

ISLAMABAD: On Monday, the government once again avoided answering in the National Assembly a question about the number of sitting parliamentarians possessing dual nationalities.

It was probably the fourth time that a question was asked on the subject, but the government remained silent like on previous occasions.

In the last session — the 28th sitting of the NA — no reply was given to this particular question.

However, on Monday, the government said the requisite information could be obtained from law, justice and parliamentary affairs division. The question was asked by Humair Hayat Rokhri of PML-N.

When Dawn contacted the National Assembly Secretariat, an official said the house only managed a brief bio-data of MNAs, which they provided at the inception of a parliament. And providing the resume was not even mandatory.
"Yes, there are a few sitting members who posses dual nationalities, but they have not shared the information with the secretariat," the official said.

Whenever there was a foreign trip, the house needed passports of lawmakers for necessary visa process, but there were some who simply said they would manage their travel documents by themselves, the official said.
Unlike many countries of the world, in Pakistan people having double nationalities can become a member of parliament.

Answering the second part of the question, in which the list of government officials having dual nationalities was sought, the house was informed that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman Dr Mohammad Yaseen, a BS-22 officer, was an Australian national.

Other top officials of the PTA having dual nationalities are: Mr Waseem Tauqir, Director General, (USA) and Mr Talat Mehmood Abbasi (UK).
Mr Iftikhar Hussain Arif, Chairman, National Language Authority, another Grade-22 officer responsible for promoting the national language, has the UK nationality.

In the Revenue Division two officers who have dual nationalities are: Deputy Collector Basit Hussain (UK), and Additional Commissioner Sajjad Taslim (UK).

Three top officials of Auditor General Office hold Canadian nationality.

They are: Deputy Auditor General Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana, PIFRA Project Director Suhail Ahmad, Director Finance, Multan, Syed Iqbal Mehmood Rizvi.

Mr Asghar Khan, a joint director in the audit house, is a UK national.

In the Ministry of Communication (National Highway Authority) Assistant Director Nadeem Qasim Khan holds a Canadian passport.

In the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis (Overseas Pakistanis Foundation), Director Finance Muhammad Yar Bhutto is a US national.

Deputy Census Commissioner (Population Census Organisation) Muhammad Ismail Leghari holds a Canadian passport.

Minister in-charge of the Establishment Division further told the house that similar information had also been sought from other government departments which included defence, commerce, culture, economic affairs, education, environment, finance, housing and works, industries & production, Kashmir affairs, planning commission, ports & shipping, railways, scientific & technological research division, frontier region, water & power, women development and both secretariats of parliament house.

As soon as the information was available, it would be put before the house, he said." (end Snip)

This admission that there are many dual citizens shows a clear case of conflicting and subversive interests, and influence that may not be in the best interests of the people.

with drone attacks and "terrorist" influences in Pakistan, i will leave this post with a quote from David Ben Gurion the first Israeli Prime Minister, as printed in the Jewish Chronicle, 9 August 1967:

""The world Zionist movement should not be neglectful of the dangers of Pakistan to it. And Pakistan now should be its first target, for this ideological State is a threat to our existence. And Pakistan, the whole of it, hates the Jews and loves the Arabs. This lover of the Arabs is more dangerous to us than the Arabs themselves. For that matter, it is most essential for the world Zionism that it should now take immediate steps against Pakistan. Whereas the inhabitants of the Indian peninsula are Hindus whose hearts have been full of hatred towards Muslims, therefore, India is the most important base for us to work there from against Pakistan. It is essential that we exploit this base and strike and crush Pakistanis, enemies of Jews and Zionism, by all disguised and secret plans."

This leaves NOTHING to the imagination.

By Deception thou shall do war.

CIA mercenaries being hounded in Pakistan

You can run but you can’t hide: ISI to CIA.

How many “Raymond Davis” does the CIA have in Islamabad. It seems the question is being answered by arresting them one at a time.

When it comes to spies and mercenaries, Pakistan is the wrong place to be. The country is hunting down and arresting all those that are suspected in nefarious Anti-Pakistan activities. The furore over “Davis” has triggered a very serious crisis between the ISI and the CIA. The Guardian reports that “A senior ISI official told the Guardian that the CIA must “ensure there are no more Raymond Davises or his ilk” if it is to repair the tattered relationship of trust.” “They need to come clean, tell us who they are and what they are doing. They need to stop doing things behind our back,” he said. There are “two or three score” covert US operatives roaming Pakistan, “if not more”, he said.

Islamabad declares open hunting season on mercenaries.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against DeHaven in a police station under the Foreigners Act, officials said.

He was detained in the posh University Town area of Peshawar

Pakistani authorities have arrested a US government security contractor amid a worsening spy agency row between the countries

Pakistani intelligence called on the Americans to “come clean” about its network of covert operatives in the country.

Pakistan arrests US security contractor as rift with CIA deepens

ISI tells American agency to unmask all its covert operatives after arrest of Aaron DeHaven in Peshawar, over visa expiry.

“Treat us as allies, not as satellites,” said the official of the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI. “Respect, equality and trust are needed.”

Pakistani intelligence officers were unwilling to have Mr. Davis released under almost any circumstances.

The demand for the C.I.A. to acknowledge the number of contractors in Pakistan was driven by the suspicion that the American spy service had slipped many such secret operatives into Pakistan in the past six month. Sources NY Times. and Guardian.
The clampdown on American contractors by the Pakistani authorities appeared to be under way. Pakistan’s chief spy agency has demanded an accounting by the Central Intelligence Agency of all its contractors working in Pakistan. The new arrest came at the start of the murder trial of another American held in Pakistan, the CIA agent Raymond Davis. The Police in Peshawar at the instigation of the Intelligence Services has arrested Aaron DeHaven, another American contractor who recently worked for the US embassy in Islamabad. Mr. DeHaven’s visa had expired, and he has now over-stayed his welcome in Pakistan.

On Tuesday, a Pakistani delegation led by General Ashfaq Kayani met the American Top Brass, led by Admiral Mike Mullen in Oman. During the high level meeting the US stressed that it “did not want the US-Pakistan relationship to go into a free-fall under media and domestic pressures”, according to an account of the meeting by General Jehangir Keramat published by Foreign Policy magazine. After the Mullen-Kayani meetings there was hope that the tiff had been resolved the issues, but this new development has poured water on those hopes and or agreements.

The gig is over. Pakistan is not a Hunting Lodge for American. A regotiation has to be enacted. At a minimum, the ISI wants an accounting of all the contractors who work for the C.I.A. in roles that have not been defined to Pakistan, and a general rewriting of the rules of engagement by the C.I.A. in Pakistan

Aaron Mark Dehaven, (pseudonym Ahmed Haroon) is a US national from West Virginia illegally living in Peshawar

DeHaven’s visa had expired on 23 October 2010.

DeHaven was arrested from Jamrud Road and was taken by intelligence agencies to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

Dehaven had been living, for the past three years, in Peshawar’s Falcon Colony, a gated community and one of the most secured residential areas in the city.
DeHaven runs a company like Haperion. Like “Raymond” he is also involved in “Security”. It is named Catalyst Services which, according to its website, is staffed by mercenaries, retired military and defense department personnel who claim to have “played some role in major world events” including the collapse of the Soviet Union. In essence these soldiers for hire have led missions to Somalia etc. The services offered include “full-service secure residences”, protective surveillance and armed security–all “euphemisms for spy and mercenary services.

DeHaven in various reports have been described as a “small, slightly-built man, who wore glasses and had broad knowledge of Pakistani politics“. IN effect he is a clone of “Raymond Davis”. DeHaven spoke Pushto fluently, and  claimed that he had lived in Kandahar, Afghanistan, for one year, was married to a Pakistani woman along the border with Afghanistan. According to the Guardian “DeHaven said that he moved his base from Peshawar to Islamabad last year over suspicions that he worked for Blackwater, the controversial US military contracting firm. His business partner is listed on company documents as Hunter Obrikat with an address in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Guardian was unable to contact either men at listed numbers in Pakistan, Afghanistan, the US and Dubai.”

The Guardian report said that the “US embassy spokeswoman Courtney Beale said DeHaven was “not a direct employee of the US government” but added that details could not be confirmed until a consular officer had met him”. It is obvious that these unsavory characters are not longer welcome in Pakistan. One would have imagined that after the “Raymond Davis” affair they would have quietly made their exit. Obviously DeHaven could not leave because his expired visa would have raised a red flag.

Not much is known about DeHaven. His front describes him as part of a  firm, which also has offices in Afghanistan and Dubai. Like “Raymond Davis” the DeHaven firm is also made up of soldiers for hire,  retired US military and defense personnel who talk about experience in the “global war on terror”. It is obvious that the DeHaven arrest was linked to escalating tensions between the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), triggered by the trial of Davis, who appeared in handcuffs at a brief court hearing in a Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.

Former spy master Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul told Arab News, “Raymond Davis is the acting chief of CIA in Pakistan.”

He said, “Satellite phones, SIMs, and other items recovered from Davis clearly suggest that he has been directing the drones.”

Former Chief of Army Staff Gen. Aslam Beg in a TV interview said, ”Unauthorized visas were given to at least 3,000 CIA contractors by Ambassador Hussain Haqqani from Washington and Rehman Malik from Dubai.

Beg alleged, ”Most of terrorist activities inside Pakistan were supervised by Davis.” Local TV Channels, Geo and ARY.
Trial proceedings were against “Raymond Davis” were initiated by the District and Sessions Court in Kot Lakhpat Jail Friday before Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Muhammad Yousuf Aujla. Davis is accused of killing two youths , Faizan and Faheem, at Qartaba Chowk on Jan. 27. At the 20-minute court hearing on Friday, Mr. Davis told the judge he would not take part in the proceedings. On the advice of the US Embassy the the former special forces soldier, who was sold by the CIA  refused to sign a charge-sheet presented to him by the prosecution, for the murder of two men in the heart of Lahore on January 27. “Davis” retracted his old claim that he was a “contractor” (caught on tape) and instead said that he had diplomatic immunity – a claim blown to bits by newspapers like the Guardian and also by US officials.

The hearing in Kot Lakhpat jail was held “in camera”, with press and the public excluded. Pakistani has taken unusual measures to ensure “Davis’s” security amid stories that the US had planned to extricate him by force.

The CIA restarted its drone campaign in the tribal belt last Monday, further escalating tensions. The DeHaven arrest may have been in retaliation for the drone bombing escalation. This cycle of retributions and counter-measures will exacerbate the situation and take it to the point of no return.

It is expected that dozens if not scores of these contractors will be arrested in the next few weeks. There are press reports that the CIA is contemplating on a tit-for-tat trapping or targeting Pakistani counterparts serving as diplomats abroad. Easy prey of this revenge design of the Americans could be Pakistani intelligence staff serving abroad chiefly in US, Europe, and Afghanistan.” If this happens there would be retaliation and outing of other CIA spies in the Middle East and other places. Human Intel is one of the big weaknesses of the CIA. A few agents outed would destroy its efficacy.

 

Raymond Davis - Israeli spy "Jonathan Pollard & Indian Sarbjit Singh"

Why US is panicking in the double murder case of RAD aka Raymond Alan Davis whose real identity is still unknown? Pakistan is a friendly country and an ally. Could it be possible that RAD is also working for India or Israel? US should let the courts complete the course and than they can negotiate where he is going to serve his sentence.


Diplomatic immunity cannot be given to people whose identity is not established. It is like issuing diplomatic visa and immunity to ‘Santa Clause’?.


Legislations of a country always overrule conventions. Those who have issued visa to Raymond Davis should be tried for criminal negligence and partner in crime. Why US have not released Jonathan Pollard a former US Navy Analyst – Israeli Spy and now Israeli citizen, serving life sentence in USA? Double murder committed in Pakistan can be tried in another country’s jurisdiction and law.



Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard


On the one hand US is expecting Pakistan to release a double murderer, a suspected spy and probably a triple agent of India-Israel and US without trail. But on the other it is not ready to release Jonathan Pollard now an Israeli citizen serving life sentence in a US prison.



On the other hand in November 1985, the FBI arrested Jonathan Pollard, a U.S. Navy intelligence analyst, on charges of selling classified material to Israel. Pollard was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. His wife, Anne, got five years in jail for assisting her husband.


Immediately upon Pollard's arrest, Israel apologized and explained that the operation was unauthorized. "It is Israel's policy to refrain from any intelligence activity related to the United States," an official government statement declared, "in view of the close and special relationship of friendship" between two countries. Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres stated: "Spying on the United States stands in total contradiction to our policy."


In November 1995, Israel granted Jonathan Pollard Israeli citizenship. This publicly signalled to the US, Israel's willingness to accept full responsibility for Pollard. On May 12, 1998, Israel formally acknowledged Jonathan Pollard was an official Israeli agent. This fact wiped out any remaining doubt about Jonathan Pollard's motives. Being an official agent is, by definition, the polar opposite of being a mercenary. In the same May 12, 1998 statement, the Government of Israel publicly acknowledged full responsibility for Jonathan Pollard, and indicated its commitment to his immediate repatriation to Israel.


Four Prime Ministers of Israel and three Presidents of Israel have all personally requested Jonathan Pollard's release from the Presidents of the US. Each one pledged to be personally responsible for their agent who has now served 15 years in prison under harsh conditions, and who has fully expressed his remorse. “Israel has officially acknowledged for the first time that an American Jew, Jonathan Pollard, who was arrested in the United States 13 years ago, was one of its spies”, reported BBC on 12th May, 1998. Pollard, a former intelligence analyst for the United States Navy, is serving a life sentence in North Carolina for passing classified military documents to Israel. Until now, the Israeli authorities had always denied that Pollard was working under their direction.


The admission came in a statement from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office, and acknowledged that he was handled by high-ranking officials in a scientific relations bureau. "In light of this fact, the State of Israel acknowledges its obligation to Mr Pollard and is ready to accept full responsibility accordingly,' the statement said.


It said that Pollard had agreed to drop a petition pending in Israel’s Supreme Court asking for a formal recognition that he was indeed an agent in exchange for the announcement.” I am relieved, thankful, and honoured," Pollard's wife Esther told the Associated Press news agency by telephone from her home in Toronto, Canada.


The admission came on the eve of a visit by Mr Netanyahu to the United States to meet Jewish leaders and the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Israeli media reported that a government committee set up by Mr Netanyahu was working out a plan to recognise Pollard as a spy and work for his release.


Several government ministers have visited Pollard in jail this past year, raising speculation that the government was taking his case more seriously. Pollard has been granted Israeli citizenship and his lawyer believes the public acknowledgment will help chances for a pardon.


In November 1985, while on the run from the US authorities, Pollard sought refuge at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, but was refused entry. Mrs Pollard has said the information her husband gave Israel over a decade ago was about the build-up of arms in neighbouring countries that some American officials did not want Israel to have.



On 24th August 2004 CNN reported, ‘The FBI has evidence that a person who has been working at high levels in the Pentagon may be a spy for Israel, senior U.S. officials have confirmed to CNN reported on 28th August 2004. The alleged "mole" working for Israel could have been in a position to influence Bush administration policy toward Iran and Iraq, one of the officials said.



Indian Spy Sarbjit Singh


Sarabjit Singh had confessed his involvement in the bomb blasts according to the court record. Pakistan has TV broadcast a confession by Singh in September 2005, in which he said, ‘he worked for India’s foreign intelligence agency (RAW) and had set off five blasts in Lahore’.


Sarabjit was arrested by the Pakistani security officials for the killings of 14 innocent people in bombings. Pakistani government had released more than 100 Indian prisoners since the coalition government came to power. Indians have sent bodies of Pakistani prisoners and always been hostile towards Pakistan.


The way Zardari government dying in one-sided love with the Indians as Musharraf; it seems they will sell everything our ancestors fought for. It seems they are in a hurry to finish the job? When was the issue of transit trade to Afghanistan from India discussed, in cabinet or parliament? When India is blocking Pakistan’s water, Mr Zardari is giving them trade transit? If President Zardari thinks that India is not a threat to Pakistan then he must be immediately removed from the Presidency for ‘mental incapacity’, as he himself admitted having suffering from irreversible and untreatable shrinking of brain disease ‘dementia’?


Since 2005 anti Pakistan right wing Indian ‘Star TV’ was running a campaign for the release of an Indian spy and terrorist Surbjiit Singh imprisoned for various bombings and killing and injuring of innocent men, women, and children in Pakistan. Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard a former US Navy analyst serving his life sentence in US prison. US has refused to release Jonathan Pollard who is now Israeli Citizen and spied for Israel for ten years. Pollard only spied for US’s closet friend but Surbjiit Singh was involved in the killings of innocent people in Pakistan. If people who conspired to kill President Musharraf could be hang why an enemy spy and terrorist should go scot free for the crimes against Pakistan?


Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld a death sentence imposed on an Indian spy and terrorist for a bombing that killed four people in 1990, court officials said on 27th September 2005. The court rejected an appeal by Sarabjit Singh, whose relatives in India along with the government have called on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to review the case.

It was the last of four petitions filed by Singh relating to different cases including terrorism and espionage. The Supreme Court dismissed the other three. The appeal related to Singh's conviction on terrorism charges by a lower court for a July 1990 bomb blast in Lahore in which a woman and three men were killed.


Ansar Burney as interim Human Rights Minister, campaigned for the release of Kashmir Singh another Indian prisoner arrested and convicted for spying, declared his real identity as a spy in a press conference in India soon after his release.


Irony is we have not heard any protests from Ansar Burney, Asma Jahangir, I.A Rehman, Imtiaz Alam and other human rights activist regarding the illegal detention without trial and handover of ‘Dr Afia Siddiqui’ to the US and killings by the Raymond Davis?


So when an American Senator said, “Pakistanis will sell their mothers for $ dollars”. He was probably talking about people like Zardari, Gillani, Musharaf and all those who handed over Pakistani citizens without legal process. About whom he was talking about and had experience of dealing with? Only elite class, leaders, and politicians of Pakistan have dealings with US senators. Surely honourable senator was not talking about 180 million proud and brave Pakistanis because he might never met them and they don’t have $ accounts in US?

By Dr Shahid Qureshi
(Dr Shahid Qureshi is senior award wining investigative journalist and writer on security, foreign policy, and terrorism based in London)