By Sultan Hijazi | Director at Terminal X
Sources in Pakistan's security infrastructure have confirmed that the two people gunned down by "Raymond Davis" were ISI operatives who were pursuing the technical advisor for the US Consulate in Lahore after they found him with large amounts of cash traveling to a specific destination. This is routine surveillance work for intelligence operatives especially when it comes to monitoring foreign operatives in the country.
It turns out that apart from a lot of cash, "Raymond Davis" was also caught with a cache of sensitive equipment that "could be used for something big", according to one officer, whose name is not being revealed on condition of anonymity.
Readers might remember that in 2009, four armed Xe operatives were arrested near Kahuta. The four, driving a Jeep 4×4 and possessing advanced surveillance and jamming equipment of Israeli manufacture, were intercepted 1.5 miles from the Kahuta nuclear facility.
Pakistan's intelligence apparatus is dedicated to the well-being of Pakistan. Counter-intelligence is what the ISI and MI specialize in, and this has been acknowledged by US officials.
''Pakistan would be exceptionally uncomfortable and even hostile to American efforts to muck about in their home turf,'' said Graham Fuller, an expert on Islamic fundamentalism who spent 25 years with the CIA, including a stint as Kabul station chief.
"Davis", however, is not affiliated with Blackwater (Xe) or Dyncorp as some reports suggest. He is an employee of Hyperion Protective Consultants LLC, an organization that deals with surveillance equipment, wireless alarms and personal protection gadgets.
Hospital sources for the slain victims reveal that 15 bullets were fired. It has been reported that before "Davis" went ahead with shooting those two operatives, he was trying to take their pictures and even did a small inquiry with people from here and there in Urdu language. Pedestrians on Ferozepur Road Lahore say that "Raymond Davis" kept telling them in Urdu "These two men were dacoits and were trying to snatch my money on gunpoint". This accusation aside, now the questions arise: If this operative knows Urdu, why and how?
We have to keep this in mind: The CIA’s operational statistics have shown there has been an increase in the number of officers proficient in mission-critical languages by 11 percent. Urdu, Arabic, Pashto, Persian and Chinese are the languages in high recruit-demands since the past two years. The CIA also offers hiring bonuses of up to $35000 to agents who are up to the mark in this domain (as mentioned in USA today dated 19 April, 2009)
It was during Pervez Musharraf's tenure that American operatives were allowed to roam free across Pakistan. However, despite all their movement, they are being constantly watched by Pakistan's intelligence agencies.
Another question: What about the people who filed a statement in court saying that the two slain operatives were "dacoits, they had robbed my iPhone before attempting to loot Davis"? It seems both those "witnesses" were paid handsome amounts by the US Consulate to give false confessions in court.
Diplomatic immunity is not for those who are armed and shoot down Pakistanis in broad daylight. If this were so, diplomacy would turn into a legal conman business. Pakistan's Foreign Office has already said that "Raymond Davis" cannot get diplomatic immunity.
It is noteworthy to mention here also that Pakistan's Army Chief Gen. Kayani commented on this issue with the Interior Minister Rehman Malik and advised him to "handle the American's case with care given its sensitive nature".
Gen. Kayani also advised that the American's "apparent diplomatic links" and "military links" should be kept in mind as the case moves forward, the report said.
Note that it isn't necessary that the killer's real name is "Raymond Davis". Intel officers have a custom of adopting pseudonyms for themselves, a previous case was of "Jonathan Banks", who ran from Pakistan after he was to be convicted in court by tribal elder Karim Khan for murdering innocent civilians through illegal drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas.
It is solely upon Pakistan's citizens as to whether they will force the government to carry out the prosecution of this operative. The first step has been taken by a Pakistani judge who has blocked any move to hand over "Davis" to US authorities.
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