What a friend we have in Pakistan! “Pakistan says it will defend spy chief in US suits,” by Nahal Toosi for the Associated Press, December 30:
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan will strongly contest two U.S lawsuits that link its spy chief and his agency to the deadly 2008 attacks in Mumbai, the government said Thursday….
It appeared that the goal of the tough Pakistani stance was to get the lawsuits dismissed….
No kidding, really?
The court papers repeat long-standing allegations that Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence has “nurtured and used international terrorist groups,” including Lashkar.
“Defendant ISI provided critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks,” the lawsuits allege, pressing wrongful death and additional claims against the ISI, its chief Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha and others.
The ISI is a powerful military institution that operates largely independently, with little oversight by the civilian government.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Pasha cannot be made to testify in a U.S. civil court and that the New York City cases should be dismissed.
The Foreign Ministry’s statement Thursday indicated that Pakistan, through its embassy in Washington, will seek to get the lawsuits tossed out. It declared that Pasha, the ISI and other Pakistani officials named will be “fully and properly” defended and noted the prime minister’s view against pursuing the court cases.
Pakistan has denied any government agency was involved in the attacks in India, its archrival. The two countries have fought three wars since 1947. Pakistani security has detained seven suspects in the case, but their trials have stalled….