Spy Games: Pakistan Denies it Unmasked CIA Chief in Retaliation
- Posted on December 18, 2010 at 4:46pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan‘s top spy agency denied speculation Saturday that it helped unmask the CIA’s station chief in Islamabad in retaliation for a New York City lawsuit linking Pakistan’s intelligence chief to the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, India.
The CIA ordered its station chief out of Pakistan because his life was threatened after a Pakistani lawsuit revealed his name. His recall comes at a delicate time, as the White House presses Islamabad to rid its lawless tribal regions of safe havens for militants fighting in Afghanistan, where the U.S. is grappling with an exit strategy.
The station chief’s name was revealed by a Pakistani man threatening to sue the CIA over the deaths of his son and brother in a 2009 U.S. missile strike. The attorney involved with the legal complaint said he learned the name from Pakistani journalists. Pakistan’s spy agencies have kept ties to a number of Pakistani journalists as a way to influence coverage.
Questions have arisen as to whether a civil lawsuit filed last month in Brooklyn in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks may have raised tensions with Pakistan and spurred it to retaliate. The lawsuit lists Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, the head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, as a defendant and accuses the ISI of nurturing terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead.
A Pakistani intelligence official dismissed any claims of ISI involvement in exposing the CIA official as “a slur.” He declined to offer any comment on the Brooklyn lawsuit and said it was entirely possible Pakistani journalists simply figured out the station chief’s identity on their own.
Such “unfounded stories can create differences between the two organizations,” the Pakistani intelligence official warned.
He also said the CIA has not directly accused the ISI of any wrongdoing in the matter. Like other intelligence officials, he requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of his work and because he is not authorized to speak to media on the record.
The Associated Press learned about the station chief’s removal on Thursday but held the story until he was out of the region.
The CIA’s work is unusually difficult in Pakistan, an important but at times capricious counterterrorism ally.
The station chief in Islamabad operates as a virtual military commander in the U.S. war against al-Qaida and other militant groups hidden along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The chief runs the Predator drone program targeting terrorists and handles some of the CIA’s most urgent and sensitive tips.
The station chief also collaborates closely with Pakistani intelligence. The alliance has led to strikes on key militant leaders but has also been marred by spats between the two agencies. During the first term of President George W. Bush’s administration, Pakistan almost expelled a previous CIA station chief in a dispute about intelligence sharing.
Comments (17)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 585 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 375 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 369 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 369 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
sdparker
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:02pmPerhaps the current administration should be investigated, stranger things have happened. The current administration is far from trustworthy. Members of the administration are highly questionable, and are not people who respect a thing about America.
Report Post »rbagala
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:43pmThe method of doing a dirty deed and immediately deny any involvement in it is a standard practice of Pakistan. Pakistan has through the decades carried on a proxy war and always denied her role in it when ever Indian soldiers are killed or Indian soil has been invaded.
Now due to this long standing Afghani war which began in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. Pakistan’s duplicity has caused her dearly and her allies are now questioning her true motives and coming to the rude truth that Pakistan has consistantly played a double game with India, and now with the US.
It is acts like this that make Pakistan a rogue nation and will eventually have to pay the piper when the US does not need Pakistan anymore.
The US tilt towards India is just the beginning and the Wikileaks have “undressed” Pakistan’s “cloaks” of lies. Sooner or later she will lose the US and any trust from India. When she loses the battle against the Taliban, she will also lose her only remaining ally, China, and no nation would feel sorry for her.
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:08amNo muslim can be trusted to do anything but promote Islam. A lot like communists, all you can count on is that they’ll do nothing but spread communism.
The only way to stop their efforts is to kill them. All of them.
Remember the words of the great General Curtis Lemay defending his firebombing of Japan “If you kill enough of them they’ll quit fighting.”
Report Post »Max jones
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 8:27pmStupid Americans…..while the world economy is sliding toward insolvency….our govt. is hipdeep in half-hearted conflicts, using half-witted politics and de[ending on allies that are not sure they like us, trust us or want to help us. with our half-baked plans. Brilliant!!!
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:33pmJack Ryan will deliver the truth.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:32pmif you are an American, come Home, we’ll elect an AMERICAN President, we’ll seal our borders, and let’s nuke those bastards.
Report Post »UMMAH GUMMAH
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:46pm.
Your word in God’s Ear! I‘d like to do a few weeks’ worth of intense bombing raids before leaving for good though.
THEN we nuke them. And Mecca too for good measure.
.
Report Post »tuannhutran
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 6:17pmInject Pakistan more US Dollars, in fact Trillions still makes no DIFFERENCE as Corruptions and Briberies never be buried.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 5:21pmlThey are probably telling the truth – try one of barry boy’s circle of corruption
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 5:18pmAnd these are supposed to be our ALLIES in the fight against terrorists? Give them another few billion dollars and start paying attention to Obama saying we can sustain a nuclear attack… no problem!
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 6:48pmALLIES: the best money can buy
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 5:02pmyeah right…
Report Post »Bad Thunder
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 5:01pmPakistan in denial? say it isn’t so……
Report Post »Cobra Blue
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 5:55pmIf you believe this I have a great piece of ocean front property in Arizona….Destruction of a nation…courtesy of George Soros and the Progressives who have highjacked the Democratic party. Destruction by design. They planned their work now they are working their plan. Food for thought…Every wonder how a 2,000 + page Omnibus spending bill just appears over night. That’s because it had already been written months and months ago.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:28pmWord of advice, never consider anyone with a rag on their head to be trustworthy.
Report Post »UMMAH GUMMAH
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:44pm.
Hitlery just gave PORKistan $ 7.5 BILLION dollars!!!! This is how they say THANK YOU, infidel Americans?!!
.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 8:32pmwe are all just bricks in the wall
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw&feature=related