Wall Street Journal Exposed

[Windjammer]

Dr. Shireen Mazari Exposes Wall Street Journal Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz

 

[scrumpy]

The other sides of the story
Playing the spy card against WSJ in Pakistan - Blog - Committee to Protect Journalists
Allvoices.com - WSJ claims journalist Rosenberg?s life in dange...

The original story is at
Journalists as spies in FATA? | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Quoting from this story
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According to an official of law enforcement agency, who requested anonymity, Matthew was working as chief operative of CIA and Blackwater in Peshawar. The law enforcement agencies, he said, had also traced Matthew’s links with Israel’s intelligence agency Mosad as well.
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How can a paper pass a judgement that someone is a spy with such statements attributed to an unknown official.

It appears that the journalist broke a law which prevented journalists from travel to the tribal agencies and made enquiries which I guess a journalist generally makes. If there were any suspicions against him, it should have been made by enforcement agencies in a transparent manner. Instead her paper based on hearsay declared a member of their own fraternity a spy.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Journalists working as spies is not a new thing, as this trade is the easiest through which spying work can be performed as journalists have no problem or less issues in moving around and meeting people.

Richard Sorge a Journalist, a soviet spy in Japan during WWII setup his ring being in disguise as a Journalist and this guys is widely thought to be one of the best spies in espionage world.

And US agencies using their Multi National Organizations or other organizations working in different countries is no hidden secret, NOC (Non Official Cover) to be exact.

Also, activities which do not suit the job assignment of journalists does raise eye brows. As in the case of Matthew Rosenberg.

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"ISLAMABAD – Agents of notorious spy agencies are using journalistic cover to engage themselves in intelligence activities in NWFP and FATA, sources informed TheNation on Wednesday.

To the surprise and shock of many, top bosses of Federally Administrated Tribal Area (FATA) Secretariat are allegedly feeding these journalists with secret reports and information regarding Pak Army and militant groups operating there.

Matthew Rosenberg, South Asian correspondent of Wall Street Journal, has been spotted travelling frequently between Washington, Islamabad, Peshawar and New Delhi during the last couple of months. His frequent and secret meetings with Secretary Law and Order FATA Secretariat, Capt (Retd) Tariq Hayat Khan, and Additional Chief Secretary FATA, Habib Khan, have raised several questions.

The sources alleged that both Tariq Hayat Khan and Habib Khan were equally responsible in facilitating and feeding Matthew about secret documents regarding Pak Army and sensitive information regarding ongoing operation against militants.

Despite the fact that Foreign Office and Interior Ministry have warned foreign journalists and foreign workers of NGOs not to visit NWFP and FATA, Matthew in a clear violation of this warning recently held a detailed meeting with Habib Khan that lasted for two hours and 17 minutes.

When contacted, Matthew Rosenberg confirmed to this scribe from New Delhi on phone that he had been meeting with Tariq Hayat Khan and Habib Khan since long, as he enjoyed good terms with them.

“Yes I have been in Islamabad and Peshawar many times and Tariq Hayat Khan and Habib Khan are also close friends of mine. However, let me tell you that I am not working on any hidden agenda,” Matthew said.

According to an official of law enforcement agency, who requested anonymity, Matthew was working as chief operative of CIA and Blackwater in Peshawar. The law enforcement agencies, he said, had also traced Matthew’s links with Israel’s intelligence agency Mosad as well."

Journalists as spies in FATA? | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

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So the bold parts and the one underlined does raises questions that what a journalists has to do with officials from FATA secretariat and such frequent visits that also started in the last 2 months, and naming 2 officials from Pakistan is also a very serious issue, if it hadn't been true the names of these 2 officials would have not been revealed, but after making it public means there is some hard evidence with the intelligence agencies.

 

[scrumpy]

So the bold parts and the one underlined does raises questions that what a journalists has to do with officials from FATA secretariat and such frequent visits that also started in the last 2 months, and naming 2 officials from Pakistan is also a very serious issue, if it hadn't been true the names of these 2 officials would have not been revealed, but after making it public means there is some hard evidence with the intelligence agencies.

The accusation was made by a news paper. As far as I know, no accusations were ever made by any official agencies. Because of the sensitiveness and from past history of journalists being killed by terrorists, the news paper should have taken a conservative approach. Instead they have put his life in danger by making accusations based on activities which sound like what journalists do during investigations.

It is quiet possible that for legitimate or illegitimate reasons, intelligence agencies did not like the idea of him investigating this area but had no proof with which they could have charged him. All they had to do was plant a story in the news paper which suggested that he was a spy. The journalist and his news paper had to pull him out fearing for his life. This is intimidation.

 

[Windjammer]

The accusation was made by a news paper. As far as I know, no accusations were ever made by any official agencies. Because of the sensitiveness and from past history of journalists being killed by terrorists, the news paper should have taken a conservative approach. Instead they have put his life in danger by making accusations based on activities which sound like what journalists do during investigations.

It is quiet possible that for legitimate or illegitimate reasons, intelligence agencies did not like the idea of him investigating this area but had no proof with which they could have charged him. All they had to do was plant a story in the news paper which suggested that he was a spy. The journalist and his news paper had to pull him out fearing for his life. This is intimidation.

The dilemma is when these Westerners come to Countries like Pakistan, all their code of ethics go through the window as they trample the rules and laws of subject country. Just to achieve a spectacular this guy didn't heed any official warnings which can only be termed as professional misconduct. If this guy had met same fate as Danial Pearl, then all fingers near and far would have accused GOP for not giving protection to Foreigners .

 

[scrumpy]

The dilemma is when these Westerners come to Countries like Pakistan, all their code of ethics go through the window as they trample the rules and laws of subject country. Just to achieve a spectacular this guy didn't heed any official warnings which can only be termed as professional misconduct. If this guy had met same fate as Danial Pearl, then all fingers near and far would have accused GOP for not giving protection to Foreigners .

I agree with you. This guy could have actually been asking for it.

In this case though, Dr Mazari's newspaper behaved very irresponsibly.

 

[TaimiKhan]

The accusation was made by a news paper. As far as I know, no accusations were ever made by any official agencies. Because of the sensitiveness and from past history of journalists being killed by terrorists, the news paper should have taken a conservative approach. Instead they have put his life in danger by making accusations based on activities which sound like what journalists do during investigations.

It is quiet possible that for legitimate or illegitimate reasons, intelligence agencies did not like the idea of him investigating this area but had no proof with which they could have charged him. All they had to do was plant a story in the news paper which suggested that he was a spy. The journalist and his news paper had to pull him out fearing for his life. This is intimidation.

Not would be not a possibility, major reason is that we have a past bad experience related to Wall Street Journal journalist, Daniel Pearl who was killed while chasing such kind of stuff as this one is doing.

Other reasons is that Pakistan based journalists are more active then him and many have met the TTP leaders and commanders on various occasions. And they move around in & out of FATA frequently and do deep investigations & publish reports of high quality with no problems being faced by them. And i haven't seen any smoking gun kind of report or any other report with some revelations from Wall Street Journal yet related to militancy in Pakistan, other US newspapers do publish reports naming unnamed sources related to Pakistan but not this one, so with no smoking gun kind of reports, seeing him active in such a manner is very eye catching.

There are other western journalists working too, why no such reports about them ?? This guy has something with him, so his name came up.

And the major reason i see for the publishing of this report and leakage of this highly sensitive material to press would be a warning to Mr. Rosenberg to take care and that we know what you are doing, so be careful and not to come this way again. As if he is caught by agencies, it will set off an international incident as you know journalists and their hue & cry. Plus to take custody of an American national would be a problem for Pakistani govt. Journalists lobby is very strong that also when its an American citizen.

The 2 Pakistanis named are of very high level, one i know very well personally, while also know the other one. So implicating them is no joke. A very serious allegation, both guys have served at important seats & their careers are now in jeopardy.

 

[TaimiKhan]

I agree with you. This guy could have actually been asking for it.

In this case though, Dr Mazari's newspaper behaved very irresponsibly.

I believe it was the best option, Dr. Mazari herself is a journalists and perfectly would know what the consequences would be, so the publishing of such report would be out of dire necessity as no other way would have given the results which they are seeking.

 

[Windjammer]

I agree with you. This guy could have actually been asking for it.

In this case though, Dr Mazari's newspaper behaved very irresponsibly.

In fact Dr. Mazari did what any responsible citizen would do, that is to expose activities against the state as this journalist was breaching his professional responsibilities, hence some one had to draw the line.
Kudos to the Doc.

 

[scrumpy]

In fact Dr. Mazari did what any responsible citizen would do, that is to expose activities against the state as this journalist was breaching his professional responsibilities, hence some one had to draw the line.
Kudos to the Doc.

Reporting that some one is possibly breaking the law is very different to making allegations of him being a CIA/Mossad spy. The article sensationalised the matter resulting in someone's life being in danger.

 

[Windjammer]

Reporting that some one is possibly breaking the law is very different to making allegations of him being a CIA/Mossad spy. The article sensationalised the matter resulting in someone's life being in danger.

The unhealthy activities of some Western journalists have also been uncovered in the past, Christina Lamb being one of several.
In the past these thrill seekers have been reported and deported only to be replaced by some one else.
Dr. Mazari is highly respected in her profession and circuit, it was high time that instead of merely deporting them, the culprits were actually exposed.
On a side note, keep in mind not long ago how the innocent Pakistani students were arrested by gun totting British authorities.

 

[deathfromabove]