CIA Assets Arrested in Pakistan

The Pakistani Intelligence Service (ISI) detained several people on Wednesday, June 15, 2011, who cooperated with the CIA leading to the capture of Osama bin Laden. The officials do not know the exact number of informants arrested.

The informants are possibly Pakistani residents who were providing crucial ground information to the CIA that ultimately aided to the capture of bin Laden. The ISI arrested alleged spies nonetheless. One is a supposed former Pakistani army major who lived near the compound.

The ISI denies the arrest of any army major or any other informants but it has confirmed the arrest of a group of people in Abbottabad after the raid. However, it only further complicates the relationship between the U.S. and the Pakistani government.

Spies / Informants:

The officials do not know the exact number of informants but according to reports five spies were arrested. The group is thought to have conducted some ground work for the CIA, including collecting information about bin Laden couriers, what time they came and went, who else might have been in the compound, and how many guards may have been there, if any.

One of the informants was an occupant of a large house located about 100 yards behind the compound. The informant is thought to have photographed vehicles coming into the compound and recorded their license plates.

The officials declined to release any names of those being held. The occupant of the house matches the description of one of the detainees who one Pakistani official said was a doctor in the army’s medical corps. The nameplate outside of the home identifies the resident as Major Amir Aziz.

The name plate gave no indication of whether Major Aziz is currently in active service or retired, but the ISI said in a statement on Wednesday that no serving officer had been arrested.

The Pakistani military spokesmen confirmed that a number of people were arrested in Abbottabad after the raid but could not confirm any connection with the CIA. The official also revealed that those arrested may not have been aware that they were working for the CIA. They could have been hired by Pakistanis and instructed to spy on unnamed terrorists, said officials.

What will happen to them / why were they arrested

According to sources, the informants were not spying on Pakistan; and therefore, could possibly be dealt with leniently. A possible reason for the ISI arresting the informants is to try to learn more about the American intelligence operations in Pakistan, according to a former CIA officer Bruce Riedel.

US Questions to Pakistan

With this information and with having a growing number of unanswered questions, the U.S. officials are even more uncertain about the Pakistani government. Adding the fact that bin Laden hid in Pakistan for years and was found in a military town, as well as the fact that Pakistani military has not been as successful in cracking down terrorist camps, makes the situation even more uncertain.

CIA Chief, Leon Panetta suggested that “they (Pakistanis) maintain relationships with certain terrorist groups…they continue to not take aggressive action with regard to these safe havens, and … they’re concerned about the sovereignty results and criticisms of the United States when, in fact, my view is that the terrorists in their country are probably the greatest threat to their sovereignty.”

Thus far, the U.S. officials have expressed patience with the Pakistani government and continue to try to keep a peaceful relationship.

Pakistani Questions to U.S.

The public in Pakistan is quite upset since the bin Laden raid, not only due to his capture in the heartland of Pakistan, but also due to the fact that the Pakistani military has been unable to defend itself from the militant groups and the U.S. invasion during the raid. Also, the US Drone strikes – recently allegedly killing another Al-Qaeda leader – continue to be a source of anger.

It is not known at this time for how long the Pakistani government will held the informants and what their end will be, but as some officials suggested, they should be dealt with leniently due to the fact that they were not spying on Pakistan but on militant groups.

Via:intel-central

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