Pakistani forensics 'prove US murder'

PAKISTANI police claimed yesterday to have forensic proof a US official shot two motorcyclists in "cold-blooded murder", not self-defence.

The incident has created an escalating standoff between Washington and Islamabad

Raymond Davis, 36, was remanded in custody for another 14 days by the Lahore High Court yesterday while a higher court decides whether he is a US diplomat entitled to immunity from prosecution, as Washington insists.

Mr Davis, 36, has reportedly told police he shot the two armed motorcyclists in self-defence, believing they were planning to rob or kidnap him, after they approached his car at an intersection in Lahore on January 27.

But Lahore police chief Aslam Tareen rejected the self-defence claims at an extraordinary press conference yesterday.

"The police investigation and forensic report show it was not self-defence," Mr Tareen said.

"He gave no chance to them to survive. It was cold-blooded murder. Eyewitnesses have told police he directly shot at them, and he kept shooting even when one was running away."

No fingerprints were on the triggers of the pistols found on the men's bodies, he said, and tests showed the bullets remained in the magazine of their guns, and not the chamber.

The US embassy and State Department have accused Pakistan of breaching conventions by remanding in custody an official with diplomatic status. The embassy has demanded Mr Davis's release and refused to hand over to Pakistani authorities a second American, who rushed to help his colleague and in the process ran over and killed a third Pakistani.

Mr Tareen said he had sent the US consulate in Lahore five letters demanding access to the consular vehicle believed to be involved in the hit-and-run.

Washington has warned that the standoff risks derailing the nations' bilateral relationship and could force the cancellation of a crucial summit between Pakistani, US and Afghan leaders scheduled for later this month.

US congressional officials have threatened to block instalments of Washington's promised $US7.5 billion ($7.45bn) assistance package to Pakistan if Mr Davis is not released.

But Pakistani officials questioned the claim of diplomatic status, citing confused statements from the Lahore consulate, and reports that Mr Davis is a private security contractor to the consulate with limited immunity.

The issue has fanned the strong anti-US sentiment across Pakistan at a sensitive time for the government, which is besieged by economic and security problems.

The suicide on Sunday of the widow of one of the men shot by Mr Davis has fuelled the public anger and the government is under intense pressure not to bow to US demands.

Mr Davis appeared briefly in court yesterday accompanied by a US-appointed lawyer who submitted applications demanding immunity from prosecution and for all further court proceedings to be held in camera.

 

Amanda Hodge

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/pakistani-forensics-prove-us-murder/story-e6frg6so-1226004682840

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Pakistan claims US gunman Raymond Davis is CIA agent

A PAKISTANI intelligence official says an American in custody for killing two men is an undercover CIA contractor, in remarks likely to inflame a crisis with the United States.

Washington insists Raymond Davis, who says he acted in self-defence, is a member of its Islamabad embassy's "administrative and technical staff" who has diplomatic immunity and should be released immediately.

But the unpopular government in Pakistan is under huge pressure from the political opposition not to cave in to US demands, with analysts even warning that the case could bring down the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

"It is beyond any shadow of a doubt that he was working for CIA," an official from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency told Agence Ffrance Presse on condition of anonymity.

"He's on contract. He's not a regular CIA guy, but he's working for CIA. That's confirmed," the Pakistani official said.

Pakistan's powerful intelligence services and military have been angered by accusations that they support Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked networks fighting US troops in Afghanistan, and need to do more to eliminate Islamist militants.

Few in Pakistan believe Davis, who reportedly worked for a security contractor and had a background in US Special Forces, is a regular diplomat.

Police told AFP they recovered a Glock pistol, four loaded magazines, a GPS navigation system and a small telescope from his car, after the shooting on a busy street in the eastern city of Lahore on January 27.

A third Pakistani was struck down and killed by a US diplomatic vehicle that came to Davis's assistance.

US officials denied Pakistan access to the vehicle and the occupants are widely believed to have left the country.

Washington has postponed a round of talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Islamabad has said the matter is before the courts, although one compromise would be for the families to pardon Davis, in keeping with Islamic law.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the lower house on Monday he was confident "that both the Pakistani and the US governments will not allow the Davis case to come in the way of mutually beneficial partnership".

He said Pakistan was mindful of its international obligations under the Vienna Convention and other agreements.

But he added: "I want to assure this house and the nation that my government will not compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty and dignity. We are a responsible government and conscious of the sentiments of our people."

On Monday, a judge at Lahore's top court ordered the government to appear on March 14 to respond to private petitions related to Davis' incarceration, the law on diplomatic privileges.

The court last week deferred any judgement on whether Davis has diplomatic immunity and gave the foreign ministry until March 14 to determine his status.

US Senator John Kerry visited Pakistan last week to express regret and say Davis would face a criminal investigation at home, but hopes for a swift resolution now appear unlikely.

Local analysts suggested Pakistani intelligence had deliberately decided to complicate the case to put pressure on the government and the United States, with whom relations have been troubled over the war in Afghanistan.

"This would be seen as a kind of deliberate attempt to make the situation more difficult and complex to handle, and this provides additional material to the Islamic groups to adopt a hardline stance," said analyst Hasan Askari.

"These (intelligence) groups are not happy with the way America was building pressure on Pakistan on the war on terrorism.

"If it goes to the street and massive agitation, all political parties will find it a good opportunity to knock the PPP out of power," he said.

So sensitive is the case that Fauzia Wahab, spokeswoman for the ruling party, was forced to resign after saying diplomats have immunity and Davis had an "official" visa.

The PPP has also ditched former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a recent cabinet reshuffle.

Qureshi, who was still in his post at the time of the shootings, said last week in his view Davis did not have full diplomatic immunity.

The Pakistani intelligence official said the Davis case had soured relations with the Central Intelligence Agency.

"Our relations with the CIA are now sort of pretty dicey. It has affected our relationship," the official told AFP.

 

 

AAP

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/pakistan-claims-us-gunman-raymond-davis-is-cia-agent/story-e6freonf-1226009789029

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Border fee: Is passenger inspection fee reasonable?

By CBC News

The budget U.S. President Barack Obama submitted to Congress on Monday proposes to slap a $5.50 fee on every visitor from Canada who travels to the U.S. by air or by sea.

    The fee would not apply to visitors arriving in private vehicles, thus exonerating typical cross-border shoppers.

Currently, visitors from Canada, Mexico and a number of Caribbean countries are exempt from "passenger inspection fees." It's an exemption these countries have enjoyed since 1997.

But Obama's 2012 draft budget includes a legislative proposal to lift those exemptions -- a move that a supporting document from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates would bring in an extra $110 million a year.

Revenue from the charges would be used to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection's inspection functions, the document says.

By POV

http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2011/02/border-fee-do-you-think-the-passenger-inspection-fee-is-reasonable.html
 

 

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