FBI arrests two for being allegedly on ISI payroll

[Capt.Popeye]

The allegation isn't just that the accused didn't register as agents BUT that they tried to "falsify, conceal, and cover up material facts they had a duty to disclose".

In Washington it may not be the crime itself that condemns but the cover-up. A cover-up demonstrates that the accused knew or suspected that their actions were of criminal rather than innocent intent.

Under US laws some acts to cover up, falsify, conceal material facts are considered to be a felony; while the material facts may just be related to a misdeamenor.
@Solomon2: Whats your take on this?

 

[Solomon2]

Under US laws some acts to cover up, falsify, conceal material facts are considered to be a felony; while the material facts may just be related to a misdeamenor.
@Solomon2: Whats your take on this?

I was very surprised it made it fair-sized splash in the local media. That may be because it's late July and news stories are kind of sparse, but that the local radio station explicitly called the arrest a blow to the ISI suggests U.S. officials are portraying it as such.

Of all the candidates in the 2008 election Barrack Obama was the one most willing, publicly, to work without the cooperation of the Pakistani government to pursue the War on Terror. So I guess this Administration did nothing special to stop the FBI from pursuing this matter nor bothered to warn the ISI that they had to tone down their allegedly illegal (or unregistered, if you prefer) lobbying efforts.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I was very surprised it made it fair-sized splash in the local media. That may be because it's late July and news stories are kind of sparse, but that the local radio station explicitly called the arrest a blow to the ISI suggests U.S. officials are portraying it as such.

Of all the candidates in the 2008 election Barrack Obama was the one most willing, publicly, to work without the cooperation of the Pakistani government to pursue the War on Terror. So I guess this Administration did nothing special to stop the FBI from pursuing this matter nor bothered to warn the ISI that they had to tone down their allegedly illegal (or unregistered, if you prefer) lobbying efforts.

All the events occurring lately only seem to point to a very clearly perceptible shift in US strategy to prosecute the WOT and related matters.
May be that has something to do with the 2nd para in the post above, Obama is trying to assert his stamp on actions and events perhaps?

 

[AmberDutt]

if you look at the actual website of the organization, it's much like the MANY OTHER Kashmiri groups operating in the country (and in other countries like UK)

it isnt even a militant-leaning organization. They simply highlight the india's state sponsored terrorism and murder of the Kashmiri people. Hís organization simply mirrors the sentiments felt by majority of Kashmiris.

by the way, as he is a US citizen they cant really ''out'' him, can they? The organization itself is still running. In fact their offices are on Washington DCs K-street (a 12 minute walk from my office) so i think I may head there and see how they're doing.


as for popcorn....well yes, you indians are famous for talking and dreaming. So pop plenty of buttered popcorn.

Err.. Outed means exposed.. Why cant USA expose its own citizen?? May be you were confused between outed and ousted.

And you are saying exactly what I said. USA is just showing that the propoganda done by this organization around so called sentiments of Kashmiri population was paid for by Pakistan and hence probably fake. By association, other such organizations will also come under question now

And yeah.. buttered variety is the best. As some one just put it above, the current US-Pakistan tango is more entertaining than the latest episodes of sitcoms like How I met your mother and so on..

 

[Devil Soul]

the americans & the indians r acting like if they are all clean... isnt USA pumping millions of $ to the rebels in Libya and arent they supporting the protests against Asad in Syria? .... i'm sure the indians r also pump'g millions to the USA to lobby against PAK etc... didnt the indians pumped millions to rebels fighting in srilanka or didnt they pumped millions to rebels in 1971??... so whats new in this ??....

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

US Should Investigate Indian Shadowy Groups Lobbying Against Kashmir's Freedom

TORONTO-20th July

World Kashmir Diaspora Alliance(WKDA) in a statement has stated that Kashmiri Diaspora has right to lobby for Kashmir`s freedom struggle in any country and they will continue to do that within the domain of laws of these countries.

Reacting to the arrest of Dr. Fai in US, Chairman of the WKDA , Farooq Papa said that while we do not want to comment on the legal procedures as the matter is subjudice, but if the allegations are based on what FBI has charged Dr. Fai , then it is imperative for both USA and Western countries to investigate the shadowy organisations of Indians and Kashmiri pandits who have been lobbying in different parts of the world against the Kashmir freedom struggle, these individuals and organisation are allegedly supported covertly by RAW.

These Indian sponsored and supported organisations are presumed funded by Indian Intellegence Agencies and contigent of individuals are running so called organisations as NGO`s all across Europe and North America. We see these individuals and organisations every year in Geneva , New York and Toronto countring the Kashmir freedom struggle with allegation of terrorism and Islamic fundamantalism which is absolutely false.

Kashmir is a human issue and right to uphold human dignity and raise voice to stop the human rights and fascilitate the right of self determination can not be termed as a crime.

Farooq Papa said that Pakistan's diplomatic support to Kashmir's freedom struggle is that country's stated position , that it must not shy away with pressures from West or India.

 

[AmberDutt]

US Should Investigate Indian Shadowy Groups Lobbying Against Kashmir's Freedom

TORONTO-20th July

The thing is that all those groups are declared Indian groups. This however was working under incorrect credentials. And you never know, since the money source was Pakistan, there may even be doubts of linkages with declared terrorist fronts like JuD etc..Things will become clearer in a few more days i guess

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

The thing is that all those groups are declared Indian groups.

?????

so you are implying that a Kashmiri freedom group is okay if it is ''declared indian'' Where is the logic in that??


Oh wait....i forgot with whom I am interacting.

This however was working under incorrect credentials. And you never know, since the money source was Pakistan, there may even be doubts of linkages with declared terrorist fronts like JuD etc..

the list of allegations could grow, but for now there's only talk about financial and other technical/legal anomalies. Nothing at all to do about JuD and certainly nothing to do with terrorism. The activities of the group thus far are not in question; just the legal status of these American suspects.


there's an outspoken critic on Kashmir issues -- a Congressman by the name of Daniel Burton (not sure what his political affiliation is). He had nothing but adulation for Mr. Fai and it appears that he is being quite vocal against the arrest of the gentleman.

Things will become clearer in a few more days i guess

which is why i clearly stated that thus far, we can only speculate for now

 

[AmberDutt]

?????

so you are implying that a Kashmiri freedom group is okay if it is ''declared indian'' Where is the logic in that??


Oh wait....i forgot with whom I am interacting.

You really cant be this dense so i am assuming you are purposely going in the wrong direction. The issue here is incorrect declaration of source of funds which were being given as donations to politicial parties. The funds given out to American politicians as party donations (only allowed by american citizens) by this gentleman were coming from an external espionage agency which USA considers in cahoots with the terrorists..

So while you can forget who you were interacting with, US citizens giving out political donations dont have that luxury, specially if they are interacting with a spy agency of another nation. BTW, arent a lot of pakistani members on this forum advocating death penalty for a doctor who helped CIA kill the biggest terrorist on earth, just because he helped CIA.. Hmm..Pakistani double standards ?? I would be shocked, but unlike you i have not forgotten who i am interacting with

the list of allegations could grow, but for now there's only talk about financial and other technical/legal anomalies. Nothing at all to do about JuD and certainly nothing to do with terrorism. The activities of the group thus far are not in question; just the legal status of these American suspects.


there's an outspoken critic on Kashmir issues -- a Congressman by the name of Daniel Burton (not sure what his political affiliation is). He had nothing but adulation for Mr. Fai and it appears that he is being quite vocal against the arrest of the gentleman.




which is why i clearly stated that thus far, we can only speculate for now

Pretty prophetic.. Dan Burton himself is coming under scrutiny it seems...

L'affaire Fai: US lawmakers, Indian liberals come under scrutiny - The Times of India

I wonder what is USA getting from India for doing this...

 

[Solomon2]

I wonder what is USA getting from India for doing this...

What a sick attitude. The FBI doesn't decide whether or not to prosecute an American citizen in the U.S. for alleged crimes committed in the U.S. based on the desires of some foreign country.

From the press record I've reviewed it seems no Administration officials have commented on this matter, not even anonymously. Therefore these rank as comparatively mild charges that the media blew up because it's the slow summer news season: no spy charges, not even tax evasion. Without new developments it'll be relegated to the back pages by tomorrow.

 

[VCheng]

from: Pro-Pakistan American lawmakers in trouble | Newspaper | DAWN.COM

WASHINGTON: A day after US federal authorities arrested a Kashmiri leader for allegedly lobbying for Pakistan, US lawmakers who supported Pakistan or the Kashmir cause find themselves in trouble.

The US media — from The New York Times to obscure small town newspapers — highlighted some US lawmakers’ alleged links to Pakistan, claiming that they too had received funds from Ghulam Nabi Fai who was arrested in Virginia on Tuesday for allegedly lobbying for Pakistan.

The media quoted the US Federal Elections Commission databases as showing that Mr Fai gave more than $20,000 in campaign contributions over the past two decades. The bulk of his donations went to two recipients: the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Congressman Dan Burton, a Republican who favours Pakistan’s position on Kashmir and other issues. Mr Fai made smaller contributions to Democrats as well, including to Congressmen James P. Moran of Virginia, Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio and Gregory W. Meeks of New York.

He also gave $250 to the 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns of Al Gore and Barack Obama. Mr Fai gave over $10,000 to Mr Burton between 1990 and 2010.

He also gave $250 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, $250 to the DNC Services Corp and $6,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The media pointed out that for at least 15 years, Congressman Burton has been a champion for Kashmiri causes in Congress, appealing to Presidents Bill Clinton and Obama to get more involved in attempting to mediate a settlement between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

He has also endorsed allowing the Kashmiri people to vote on their own fate.

Contacted by the media, Congressman Burton said he was “deeply shocked” by the arrest of Mr Fai, because he had known him for 20 years and “in that time I had no inkling of his involvement with any foreign intelligence operation and had presumed our correspondence was legitimate”. He said he would donate the funds provided to his campaign to the Boy Scouts of America. Congressman Joe Pitts, a Pennsylvania Republican, also allegedly received donations from Mr Fai and his group. Mr Pitts visited South Asia in 2001 and 2004, where he met Pakistani and Indian leaders and called for a ceasefire. He also introduced a resolution in 2004 calling for President George W. Bush to appoint a special envoy to help negotiate peace.

A spokesman for Mr Pitts said he had donated $4,000 — an amount equal to the donations his campaign received from Mr Fai’s group — to local charities in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

The US media, however, focused on Congressman Burton who also played a key role in the formation of a Kashmir caucus in Congress.

Media reports included quotes from the speeches he made in Pakistan, saying in one such speech that “since 1948, the people of Kashmir have been offered and promised a plebiscite and that’s something that has not happened…. Here we are 61 years later, and we are still hoping that one day there will be peace and tranquillity in that beautiful part of the world”.

In another speech, highlighted in the US media on Wednesday, Mr Burton noted that India had deployed hundreds of thousands of troops in Kashmir who were “keeping everything under wraps, patrolling the streets and there are still some horrible tragedies that are taking place. I heard of gang-raping of young women, I’ve heard of murders and tortures”.

Mr Burton was also quoted as chiding the Obama administration for failing to engage in the region.

“During the presidential campaign President Obama pledged to appoint a special envoy on the region and declared that solving Kashmir crisis was one of his critical tasks. So far this has been a promise unfulfilled,” Mr Burton said.

 

[Pak_Sher]

US arrests or India arrests individuals fighting for justice in Kashmir will not change the truth. Kashmir was suppose to be part of Pakistan since day one and there are 2 UN resolutions pending for the liberation of Kashmir. The day will come when Kashmir will be free of Indian military brutalities, rapes, torture, illegal detentions and fake police cases.

 

[EjazR]

I think this just shows how much money the Army/ISI has wasted in causing pain and suffering to the Kashmiri people.

If $4million just to Fai could be speant and probably millions more in UK and Europe then you can imagine the millions spent in Indian Kashmir instead of welfare of the Pakistani people.

It is very sad that Pakistanis just don't understand that the historical fact remains that the J&K state was integrated into India not forcefully but after free and fair elections that was protected from tribal invaders and Sheikh Abdulla's party came to power. This election happened even before an election was held in Pakistan and it was this elected assembly that passed a resolution to join India.

And this was the fundamental bedrock of public opinion that kept Kashmir peaceful until the late 1980s. Despite the continuous provocations from Pakistan.

Post 1989, India made its own mistake of rigging elections and the ISI funded militancy wreacking havoc on the people there. But the worst is now over. And the Kashmiri people are now again showing in various opinion polls that not only is the Pakistan option dead, even the independence option is declining.

If as the PM Manmohan rightly said that Pakistan forgets about Kashmir, not only in its own interests to help Pakistan but also in the interests of Indian Kashmiris who are finally putting aside the two decades of conflict; we can see a new era of prosperity in the region. But that is if the PA/ISI establishment realizes this. Historically, it doesn't care for the Pakistani people or the Kashmiri people.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

I think this just shows how much money the Army/ISI has wasted in causing pain and suffering to the Kashmiri people.

If $4million just to Fai could be speant and probably millions more in UK and Europe then you can imagine the millions spent in Indian Kashmir instead of welfare of the Pakistani people.

Nothin has been proved... Also have u read the news? the money was given to politicans to highlight the Kashmir cause....Also india spends 10 million on lobbyin...

It is very sad that Pakistanis just don't understand that the historical fact remains that the J&K state was integrated into India

Read some neutral book... Hope u know how kashmiris were treated by dogras,discriminated... even in 2005 ur own army published a pamphlet telling kashmiri muslims not to apply?

Read Shahabnama if u can...

Also Muslim Majority areas were given to Pakistan tht included gurdaspur etc in punjab,junagarh n others aswell!

not forcefully but after free and fair elections that was protected from tribal invaders and Sheikh Abdulla's party came to power. This election happened even before an election was held in Pakistan and it was this elected assembly that passed a resolution to join India.

BS... It was the sikh or hindu ruller who opted to join india not the kashmiri muslims!

And this was the fundamental bedrock of public opinion that kept Kashmir peaceful until the late 1980s. Despite the continuous provocations from Pakistan.

Why not hold a refrendum th nehru promised in 48??? scared.. u know u will lose IOK!

Post 1989, India made its own mistake of rigging elections and the ISI funded militancy wreacking havoc on the people there. But the worst is now over. And the Kashmiri people are now again showing in various opinion polls that not only is the Pakistan option dead, even the independence option is declining.

In ur dreams~!!!

Stone throwing,protests allover IOK,hoisting PAKISTANI flags in sri nagar and wall chokings all over IOK is an eye opener... u should open ur eyes!

If as the PM Manmohan rightly said that Pakistan forgets about Kashmir, not only in its own interests to help Pakistan but also in the interests of Indian Kashmiris who are finally putting aside the two decades of conflict; we can see a new era of prosperity in the region. But that is if the PA/ISI establishment realizes this. Historically, it doesn't care for the Pakistani people or the Kashmiri people.

BS... It has been 6 decades n yet the Kashmiris call themselves KASHMIRI not indian !

Forget ISI/PA... look at the mass graves,gang rapes in IOK by indian terrorists!\

A kashmiri terrorist paid by ISI being thrown in a military truck after arrest!

 

[great]

US arrests or India arrests individuals fighting for justice in Kashmir will not change the truth. Kashmir was suppose to be part of Pakistan since day one and there are 2 UN resolutions pending for the liberation of Kashmir. The day will come when Kashmir will be free of Indian military brutalities, rapes, torture, illegal detentions and fake police cases.

Not in our life time. Unless things change dramatically and somehow Pakistan gets a bigger say than India then may be. But I doubt it.