Again, US Embassy In Islamabad Involved In Sheltering Terrorists
The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US and Dutch diplomats after the Pakistani police arrested members of the US and Dutch embassies roaming Islamabad's streets in unmarked cars carrying sophisticated weapons that diplomats are banned beyond military use. In the latest incident, Dutch diplomats arrested carrying such weapons were rescued by US Embassy officials. The incident has raised alarm bells in Pakistan's diplomatic and security circles in the backdrop of growing evidence that the US Embassy and the country's pro-government were building private armed militias without the knowledge of Pakistani security departments and intelligence agencies.
On Oct. 6, 2009, Pakistani police arrested two Dutch diplomats roaming the streets of Islamabad in an unmarked car carrying advanced weapons. To the surprise of the police, personnel from the US Embassy arrived at the scene to rescue the Dutch. The growing suspicious activities of the US Embassy in Pakistan have the approval of the pro-US 'democratic' government. It seems these activities aim at containing or countering the influence of the Pakistani military. A photocopy of one of the staffers of the US Embassy who came to the rescue of the Dutch 'diplomats'. The Pakistani police ensured that a complaint [c] is lodged against the Dutch diplomats and US Embassy personnel before letting them all go because of their diplomatic immunity.
By KASHIF ALI ABBASI
The Nation
Friday, 9 October 2009.
WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office Wednesday summoned The Netherlands Ambassador and US Embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission, separately, and asked them to explain about the arms and ammunition recovered from Dutch diplomats and the unwarranted involvement of US Embassy staff.
The US Embassy official, however, denied their involvement in this case. Foreign Office officials requesting not to be named confirmed that it summoned Dutch Ambassador to Pakistan Joost Reintjes and Deputy Head of Mission at American Embassy in Pakistan, Gerald Feierstein, separately.
The sources said Pakistan asked the Dutch Ambassador about the recovery of arms and ammunition from two Dutch nationals working at Netherlands Embassy on Tuesday last and warned him in diplomatic manner that such practice should not be continued.
It was also learnt that the Foreign Office asked the Netherlands Ambassador to give in writing about the whereabouts of the arms recovered from their officials.
The sources said Foreign Office asked the American Deputy Head of Mission about the alleged involvement of their employee, namely Sunny Christopher, with two Dutch embassy personnel who were held and later released by Islamabad police.
On this, the American Deputy Head of Mission in Pakistan categorically denied having any connection with Dutch officials who were carrying unlicensed weapons. He made it clear that Christopher had no link with Dutch officials and termed his involvement as baseless and unfounded.
It may be recalled here that police apprehended two Dutch nationals working at Netherlands Embassy some two days back, when they were carrying unlicensed weapons. Later police released them on the, reported intervention of Netherlands’ top diplomats.
Meanwhile, Police has been instructed to have effective check on all the foreigners and no foreigner will be allowed to display or carry arms without valid license, says a statement issued by Interior Ministry.
The statement further said that there was no pressure on Police and arrested Dutch were allowed to go back to the Embassy under the diplomatic immunity.
Statement revealed that the Ministry of Interior has advised all the foreigners and diplomats not to carry unlicensed arms or display them in the public as the police have been authorized to confiscate the same in case of violation.
Meanwhile, Federal Minster on Interior, Rehman Malik while talking to media men at Parliament lobby said, “Under the diplomatic ethics we can’t held any diplomats except those who involved in murder case,’’ he added.
Malik said that Interior Ministry while using diplomatic channels have informed all foreign missions working in Pakistan not to carry unlicensed arms. He said, if it is required than diplomats should contact with Ministry of Interior and get licenses,” he added.
Sources further informed that intelligence officials in a debriefing session with the police who had arrested the two Dutch nationals reprimanded the police for releasing them before they could be questioned by intelligence personnel. It is also being feared in some intelligence circles that the two Dutch employees of The Netherlands embassy were not usual diplomats but were using that as a cover. This could not however by confirmed.
On Oct. 7, The Nation published this report on the story of Dutch 'diplomats' carrying illegal weapons being rescued from the hands of Pakistani authorities through an intervention of the US Embassy:
What is the US-Dutch arms connection?
By: Kashif Ali Abbasi | Published: October 07, 2009
ISLAMABAD - City police on Tuesday held two diplomats of Netherlands’ Embassy and recovered unlicensed arms and ammunition from their vehicle.
The diplomats were later released, besides their weapons, on the intervention of top diplomatic officials from Netherlands and the US Embassy, sources told The Nation.
According to details, Police officials deputed at Police picket near Secretariat Chowk intercepted a Dark Blue BMW (4191) at 11.30 am. The car did not have diplomatic number plates.
On search, police recovered sophisticated weapons including four hand grenades including two smoke equipments and two flash bombs, two handguns, four magazines and six bullet-proof vests from their vehicle.
This arms and ammunition reportedly belonged to the US embassy and was being transported to the US Embassy by the Dutch, the sources said.
The detained diplomats could not provide any justification and relevant documents for keeping such sophisticated weapons to the police, the sources added.
“They had only a letter issued by the Dutch Embassy on which Ministry of Interior was requested to issue licence,” the sources said.
Police sources told the TheNation, “There was another vehicle bearing registration (IDL-266) which was allegedly backing up the Dutch diplomats BMW.”
“When we intercepted the Dutch vehicle the driver of a car behind them, identified himself as US Embassy employee named Sunny Christopher, having US Embassy’s official card (16570),” the sources said.
Christopher interfered in the police matter, but after an exchange of harsh words the police sent him on his way. But before he left he had harassed the police to the extent that they were forced to make a misstatement in the report to the effect that he came after the release of the two Dutch men. The fact, as this scribe witnessed himself, later corroborated by the SHO, was that Christopher was present throughout the process of search and arrest.
Secretariat police also mentioned intervention by Christopher in the report of the case. The report said the person who identified himself as US Embassy official namely Sunny Christopher interfered in police matter. (See copy of report)
After the intervention of top diplomatic officials including those from the US, the arrested diplomats were allowed to leave with their belongings under cover of diplomatic immunity.
The arrested Dutch were identified as Tom Smith and Williem Uen.
When contacted, Spokesman of American Embassy, Rick Snelsire, he said, “Honestly saying I heard today’s incident but I have no more information regarding the alleged involvement of US Embassy.”
When asked, who is Sunny Christopher? He said, “I don’t know about Sunny.” When this correspondent told him about Sunny’s Embassy card number (16570), he said, “There are hundreds of US embassy employees and it would be difficult for me to identify them all by the card number,” he added.
Given the tension over Dyncorp and Inter-Risk and un-licensed arms being exchanged between Pakistani Security companies and US embassy, some serious questions arise from this latest incident: One, Why were Dutch diplomats carrying unlicensed arms for the US embassy? Two, why was a Pakistani employee of US embassy escorting these diplomats from behind?
Three, why were the Dutch diplomats not in a car with a diplomatic number plate?
Four, were these two gentlemen really Dutch diplomats to begin with?
© 2007-2009. All rights reserved. AhmedQuraishi.com & PakNationalists
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium
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