Pakistan jails doctor who helped CIA find Bin Laden for 30 years

[Javelin]

Cutting $1m per year of sentence looks like a bit of blackmail to me.

Any country that ignores actions by it's own citizens, inside it's own territory, where the citizen concerned is secretly working on behalf of a foreign power, on the basis that 'the final outcome turned out to be beneficial' is then giving a green light to anyone who wishes to spy on behalf of a foreign agency without the knowledge of the countries authorities.

Otherwise, anyone could be recruited to spy on their own country, and if caught, use the defence that 'it was for a good purpose'.

[KingKhanWC]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 This is what I was alluding to in one of my posts in this thread. The government is using this treason as a method to divert attention from what was clearly their failure. Focusing the attention of Dr. Shakil Afridi means the pressure comes off their shoulder. Whether that pressure is temporary or permanent depends on the people of Pakistan.

So a Pakistani national colludes with a foriegn intelligence agency for money which results in an intrusion into Pakistan sovereignty but the government shouldn't punish him for his treason? lol

The guy did the crime and will now do the time.

The Americans who are themselves responsible for harbouring and training terrorists on their soil have no right to tell Pakistan not follow the laws of their country.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

A lot of the UK news media lambasting Pakistan for jailing the doctor. Unsurprising that most of them fail to mention that he was working with a foreign agency behind his own country's back. Why leave that detail out? Because it undermines your own position as you know that no western country would tolerate one of it's own citizens conspiring against his nation?

The hypocrisy is stunning. Pakistan needs to decide where it stands at this point. If it's now being brow beaten into accepting spies working for other nations interests SECRETLY then it's sovereignty has to be called into question should they cave in under international pressure.

[Mr.Saga]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 This is what I was alluding to in one of my posts in this thread. The government is using this treason as a method to divert attention from what was clearly their failure. Focusing the attention of Dr. Shakil Afridi means the pressure comes off their shoulder. Whether that pressure is temporary or permanent depends on the people of Pakistan.

I agree.

But letting Dr. Afridi go would set a dangerous precedence not only in Pakistan but in any country in the world. Forget Osama, did the two messengers who died get a fair trial? They were Pakistanis. So the actions of Mr. Afridi led to their demise and could have possibly led to many more Pakistanis dying.

If the CIA has Pakistani informants who lead them to high value targets, and in those raids a few innocent pakistanis die, does the US expect us to view these informants as heroes as well???

I guess my issue with Dr. Afridi is the fact that he is a doctor. Being in the medical field, we have been taught from day one to do no harm. Yet this man knew what his actions would lead to.

As for the people saying Pakistani government was harbouring OBL. Get over it. The Pakistanis have admitted they were aware CIA was active in the area. You'd think they'd move OBL if they were protecting him.

[Markhor]

I doubt the doctor will even serve half of that time.

Had the doctor been tried under the Pakistan Penal Code he would have got the death penalty, but he was tried under the Frontier Crimes Regulations where there is no death penalty for treason.

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Originally Posted by Markhor I doubt the doctor will even serve half of that time. Had the doctor been tried under the Pakistan Penal Code he would have got the death penalty, but he was tried under the Frontier Crimes Regulations where there is no death penalty for treason.

i think he will be for a few years, till the world doesnt care, then they will "suicide him"

[DeadlyVenom]

Youngster did well. Very well actually.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Cpt. Rishwat A lot of the UK news media lambasting Pakistan for jailing the doctor. Unsurprising that most of them fail to mention that he was working with a foreign agency behind his own country's back. Why leave that detail out? Because it undermines your own position as you know that no western country would tolerate one of it's own citizens conspiring against his nation?

Yeah.

But more importantly to me, Dr Afridi ran a fake innoculation programme and innocent people will have died as a result. He should be struck off the medical roll.

[Badsha]

Originally Posted by DeadlyVenom Youngster did well. Very well actually.

You've got to be kidding me.


this interview boils my blood. Look at him all "white washed" sitting there acting like he actually understand anything.

[DeadlyVenom]

Originally Posted by Badsha You've got to be kidding me. this interview boils my blood. Look at him all "white washed" sitting there acting like he actually understand anything.

?

He seemed to understand everything the interviewer said, responded quite eloquently and shares the views of most of PPers on this matter.

[Markhor]

'Bin Laden doctor' jailed for militant link, says court

A Pakistani doctor was jailed last week for alleged links to a banned militant group - not for helping the CIA to track down Osama Bin Laden, the text of the trial court's judgement shows.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18262360

[saj001]

Originally Posted by DeadlyVenom ? He seemed to understand everything the interviewer said, responded quite eloquently and shares the views of most of PPers on this matter.

He is NOT Pakistani.

He can't speak our language. How can he be one of us and more importantly how can he represent us?

[KingKhanWC]

Originally Posted by Markhor 'Bin Laden doctor' jailed for militant link, says court http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18262360

Pak trolling the yanks.

They must be really steaming now. Has there been an official American reaction to this?

[Shaheerthe2nd]

Originally Posted by saj001 He is NOT Pakistani. He can't speak our language. How can he be one of us and more importantly how can he represent us?

So then, what would you consider him?

[munda_khi]

Dr Afridi jailed for helping Khyber militants

PESHAWAR: A tribal physician who helped the CIA track down Osama bin Laden was convicted on charges of colluding with the banned Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) and its chief, Mangal Bagh, court documents reveal.

The four-member tribal court did not entertain evidence relating to Dr Shakil Afridi’s involvement with the CIA, citing lack of jurisdiction as the main reason and recommended that he be produced before the relevant court for further proceedings under the law, leaving the option open for his trial under treason law.

However, he was sentenced to 33 years in prison and fined Rs320,000 under various clauses of the British-era Frontier Crimes Regulation.

His long conviction prompted a strong reaction from human rights activists and his brother Jamil Afridi and a panel of lawyers said they intended to appeal and challenge the conviction in a court of law.

In a militancy infested tribal region it’s rare to see a member of an outlawed group or terrorist organisation being tried or convicted. However, Dr Afridi was sentenced to such a harsh jail term not for involvement in any act of terrorism but on the charge of having links with Mangal Bagh.

Until now officials have been vaguely saying that Afridi was convicted on charges of involvement in anti-state activities that was taken to believe that he had been sentenced for helping the CIA in its Abbottabad raid.

The five-page court document, available with Dawn, reveals that Mr Afridi was arrested for his “involvement in anti-state activities” on May 23, 2011, following reports that he was in league with Lashkar-i-Islam.

Lashkar-i-Islam — a Bara-based militant organisation in Khyber tribal region led by Mangal Bagh — was banned in June, 2008.

“Though the JIT (joint investigation team) contains evidence of the involvement of accused in activities wherein he has been shown acting with other foreign intelligence agencies, all this evidence could not be taken into account for the lack of jurisdiction,” the court said in its short order.

It recommended that Dr Afridi be produced before the relevant court for further proceedings under the law, thus leaving the option open for the government to try him under the treason law that entails death penalty.

A judicial commission headed by Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has already recommended Dr Afridi’s trial under the treason law, though no formal charge has so far been brought against him for helping the CIA in a fake vaccination campaign to nail down Bin Laden to his abode in the scenic northern city of Abbottabad.

The court order reveals that various intelligence agencies and people in general had complained against activities of the accused. It said Dr Afridi had been handed over to a joint interrogation team on May 24, 2011 for five days. On May 29, 2011, it said, the accused had been handed over to an intelligence agency under proper receipt for further probe.

The accused was produced before the tribal court on May 11, 2012, on the directives of the Ministry of Interior. Charges were framed against him and the case was referred to a council of elders for inquiry on May 12, 2012.

The order said intelligence reports had indicated that the accused had close links with the defunct LI and “his love for Mangal Bagh, Amir of Lashkar-i-Islam, and his association with him was an open secret”.

Referring to the report submitted by the JIT, it said the accused had paid Rs2 million to LI when he was serving at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Dogra, Bara, Khyber tribal region.

The court also accused Mr Afridi of providing medical assistance to militant commanders like Said Noor Malikdinkhel, Hazrat Sepah, Wahid Shaloberkhel and others at the hospital which he headed.

It also referred to statements by some people that militant commanders used to visit the hospital and hold private meetings with the accused. “These meetings were usually of longer duration and most often those meetings were followed by attacks by militants on security forces’ checkposts and other places at night,” the order read.

It said LI’s design to wage war against the state of Pakistan was a reality known to all and that those attacks were planned in the office of the accused. Being a public servant, the involvement of the accused in subversive activities and his role in facilitating the waging of war and attacks on security forces made him liable to be proceeded against, it added.

The court held that the LI had sought the support of foreign intelligence agencies across the border in Afghanistan to wage war against the state of Pakistan and that Mr Afridi’s association with the militant outfit proved his involvement in activities inimical to the state of Pakistan.

It further convicted Mr Afridi of preaching the ideology of Lashkar-i-Islam, based on hatred arousing contempt against the people and the government of Pakistan.

“His demeanour as a public servant proves his disloyalty and feeling of enmity towards the state and government of Pakistan,” the court order said.

The court thus tried and convicted Dr Shakil Afridi under four different clauses of the 1901 Frontier Crimes Regulation. The sentences, the court document said, would run simultaneously, also granting him the benefit to commence his sentence with retrospective effect from May 23, 2011.

The FCR amended in 2011 gives him the right to appeal his conviction in an appellate tribunal.

Jamil Afridi told a news conference that his brother was innocent and being made a scapegoat.

A panel of lawyers has already sent the power of attorney to the Peshawar Central Prison for Afridi’s signature to fight his case.
So far he has been denied any visitation on security ground.

http://dawn.com/2012/05/30/dr-afridi...ber-militants/

[the Great Khan]

interesting, in elague with militants and the CIA? are the pakistanis avoiding the obvious here?

[Blistering Barnacle]

What is Pakistan supposed to do?

Reward him for running a fraudulent vaccination program (helping to fuel the already considerable backward paranoia over vaccinations in Pakistan) while secretly working for the CIA?

[Garuda]

^^ But the judgement doesn't say that as crime. It says he was helping terrorists.

There is no mention of effect on vaccination or link with CIA.

[the Great Khan]

sounds like they did him like Capone! they knew he was a CIA agent but couldnt do him on those charges so got him on others..

[Cricketismylife]

By not charging him with treason Sounds like Pak tried to keep US happy without appearing to be weak.

Also, making Dr.Afridi the evil monster makes them look a bit less Incompetent. Overall a sorry state of affairs for all concerned