Pakistani Forces Arrest CIA Informants Who Led U.S. to Usama Bin Laden

Fox News ^ | June 14, 2011 | Staff

[lbryce]

Pakistan's intelligence service has arrested the owner of a safe house rented to the CIA to observe Usama bin Laden's compound before the U.S. raid that killed the Al Qaeda leader, as well as a "handful" of other Pakistanis, a U.S. official said late Tuesday.

In Pakistan, a Western official confirmed a New York Times report that five of the Pakistani informants who fed information to the CIA before the May 2 bin Laden raid were arrested by Pakistan's top military spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, known as ISI.

The officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

The Times, in an article posted on its website late Tuesday, said the detained informants included a Pakistani army major who officials said copied the license plates of cars visiting bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad in the weeks before the raid.

The fate of the CIA informants who were arrested was unclear, but American officials told the newspaper that CIA Director Leon Panetta raised the issue when he visited Islamabad last week to meet with Pakistani military and intelligence officers.

U.S.-Pakistani relations have been strained over the raid by Navy SEALs on Pakistani territory, which was a blow to Pakistan's military, and other issues. Officials said the arrests of the informants was just the latest evidence of the fractured relationship between the two nations.

The Times said that at a closed briefing last week, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee asked Michael Morell, the deputy CIA director, to rate Pakistan's cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism operations, on a scale of 1 to 10.

"Three," Morell replied, according to officials familiar with the exchange, the newspaper said.

[lbryce]

Say you live in interesting times, often referred to as the Chinese curse, is reputed to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese proverb and curse, although it may have originated among the English themselves (or Americans). It is reported that it was the first of three curses of increasing severity, the other two being:
* May you come to the attention of those in authority (sometimes rendered May the government be aware of you). This is sometimes quoted as May you come to the attention of powerful people. (Alternately important people.)
* May you find what you are looking for. This is sometimes quoted as May your wishes be granted.
Indeed, we live in the most interesting of times.
Wikipedia:May You Live in Interesting Times

[Rapscallion]

It is time to rain HellFire on Pakistan’s ISI.

[AmericanInTokyo]

We can, and should, rescue THEM then. It is the honorable, yet dangerous thing to do. Pakistani guards would be a pushover compared to our kick ass night ninjas.

[Pollster1]

When the adults were in charge, we valued our sources more than we valued the positive publicity that might be obtained by releasing every detail. Under the current drug-addled communist, we release far too many details, and this detention is the predictable result. There was, very obviously, no potential up side for America (just for Obama, and he even messed that up) in releasing the details of the OBL raid. I hope potential intelligence sources will trust us again once Sarah is sworn in.

[liberalh8ter]

Agreed however, first thing we need to do is cut off the ridiculous, never-ending money supply we keep sending over there. I believe it totals something like 30 billion now.

[David Isaac]

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that this is a CYA operation in more than one way. The arrested may be people who know that the Pakistanis have known where Bin Laden has been for the last several years, due to the fact fact that they were the ones guarding him. Did Bin Laden’s living arrangements appear to be those of a very rich man on the lam, or someone in rather poor circumstances? Where were his loyal followers who would gladly give their lives defending his? Does the term “on ice” have relevence here?

[caver]

Why would anyone work with the USA in the future when we sold these CIA informants down the river?

[freeangel]

Isn’t the aid we send to the pakis oh, so , special? One of husseins friends for sure.

[LibWhacker]

Exactly what I was thinking. Just another group of terrorists whose leaders need some attention by the drones.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[The arrested may be people who know that the Pakistanis have known where Bin Laden has been for the last several years, due to the fact that they were the ones guarding him.]

It may be senior U.S. officials knew Bin Laden’s whereabouts for years. But with Pakistan's cooperation essential for prosecuting the war in Afghanistan, action against Bin Laden would have presented a diplomatic problem. Bin Laden may have been killed rather than captured because his interrogation would have implicated wealthy Saudis and others who help fund al Qaeda.

[Diogenesis]

Is there ANY doubt that Holder or Obama gave
their Pakistani friends (their allies in THEIR 57 states)
the names to exterminate more American patriots?

[4rcane]

why arrest them if pakistan goal is to get bin laden too? Shouldn’t those ppl be considered heroes

[EBH]

First ....repeat this often...

What country did 0bama say he wanted to encourage democracy in during the 2008 campaign? Pakistan.

Why would 0bama go after bin Laden?

Poll numbers

“If the United States has al Qaeda, (Osama) bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to act, then we should take them out.” (September 26, 2008)

“We’re going to encourage democracy in Pakistan, expand our non-military aid to Pakistan so that they have more of a stake in working with us” (October 7, 2008)

The problem, John, with the strategy that’s been pursued was that, for 10 years, we coddled [former President] Musharraf, we alienated the Pakistani population, because we were anti-democratic. We had a 20th Century mindset that basically said: ‘Well, you know, he may be a dictator, but he’s our dictator.’ (September 26, 2008)

So in 0bama’s grand scheme of the Arab Spring...

Does rescuing these informants play into creating the democratic Pakistan?

How does killing Osama play into the Arab Spring?

0bama has told us what the goal already is...the question is do we understand his strategy? What is the ends justify the means liberal strategy? He will let those informants die. They are collateral and played as useful idiots to the regime. In 0bama’s mind, when all is said and done...then those men will be heroes in the new Pakistan.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks lbryce.

Pakistan's intelligence service has arrested the owner of a safe house rented to the CIA to observe Usama bin Laden's compound... five of the Pakistani informants who fed information to the CIA before the May 2 bin Laden raid were arrested by Pakistan's top military spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, known as ISI... the detained informants included a Pakistani army major who officials said copied the license plates of cars visiting bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad in the weeks before the raid... CIA Director Leon Panetta raised the issue when he visited Islamabad last week to meet with Pakistani military and intelligence officers... Officials said the arrests of the informants was just the latest evidence of the fractured relationship between the two nations.

Which two nations? Pakistan is divided into at least six.

This makes it obvious that the ISI (at least) is allied with the terrorists, with jihad, with the enemies of the United States -- and was complicit in the sanctuary for Bin Laden.

The ISI headquarters should have been UAV'ed off the map long ago -- and it's not too late. If there's complaints about that, let the a-holes know that if they don't shut their mouths about it, their aid will disappear and with it, themselves.

[reefdiver]

why were they still there?

[maica]

They are collateral and played as useful idiots to the regime.

$$$$$

It is time that we recognize that Obama looks at everyone, except perhaps his big money supporters, as useful idiots or just plain idiots.

His contempt for Americans without jobs or homes - if they live in states with Republican governors - is THE glaring example of his contempt for ‘ordinary’ people.

[BuffaloJack]

When will we finally start treating Pakistan as the terrorist state that it is?
There should be a constant stream of cruise missiles falling on Islamabad until the Pakis tow the line.

[SunkenCiv]

They were born there.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I am with you on THAT!