ISI Colonel provided information to CIA to help find Osama Bin Laden

[Mercenary]

Some interesting development. Not sure how much validity is in this article but it is certainly an interesting turn of development. Its also quite strange that the notoriously anti-Pakistan, Times of India is publishing this.

ISI colonel provided vital help in locating Osama: Book - The Times of India

WASHINGTON: A colonel in the Pakistan's spy agency ISI had provided vital help to the CIA in tracing Osama bin Laden, a new book has claimed.

The book also claims that Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani may have been briefed by the US on its operation to kill Osama bin Laden, some five months in advance.

'Leading from Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him', penned by eminent American journalist Richard Miniter, hit the stands on Tuesday.

The new book also says that land of the Abbottabad compound, where the al-Qaida leader lived with his family, was "carved out" from the Pakistan military academy compound.

"A colonel in Pakistan's feared intelligence service, the Inter-Services Institute or ISI, provided vital help in locating Bin Laden when he walked into the CIA's Islamabad station in August 2010," says the book.

Bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs inside his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May 2011.

"And Pakistan's Army chief of staff may have been briefed in December 2010, five months before the nighttime raid on bin Laden's concrete castle.

"Far from taking a risk, there are indications that a cover story had been developed with the Pakistani military and that Obama had their tacit consent for the mission," claims Miniter, a former reporter with 'The Wall Street Journal' and 'The Washington Post'.

"In a never-before-reported account, Pakistan was more involved in the bin Laden operation than Obama's team admitted. When the CIA revealed that an ISI colonel had contacted the CIA in Islamabad and offered information about bin Laden, a debate followed," it says.

 

[Awesome]

This has long been argued but Pakistani government would have jumped to share the credit which they have not.

Any sort of approval for the op saves them from massive embarassment.

The issue for Pakistanis is two fold. One how did Osama live there without our guys knowing about it. Second how did Americans come in go boom boom and leave without anyone shooting a single bullet at an intruding militar force.

 

[KRAIT]

If Kayani knew it, wouldn't he had captured him and made Pakistan's all allegations of double standard on WoT to rest. If Pakistani generals knew it and didn't do the work then I think they missed the golden opportunity to get Pakistan in entirely different perception....

This news doesn't make any sense. Pakistan could have gained much higher things in comparison to what they did get in continuation of WoT. They would be projected as actual work done by any country against WoT. And their status would have increased a lot.

Again, Hogwash...

 

[Roybot]

Some interesting development. Not sure how much validity is in this article but it is certainly an interesting turn of development. Its also quite strange that the notoriously anti-Pakistan, Times of India is publishing this.

ISI colonel provided vital help in locating Osama: Book - The Times of India

Well it depends how you see this news. Some like you might see this as a good thing, the others not so much. ( specially the ones who think that Osama raid was staged).

 

[Awesome]

Also December briefing does not make any sense. Americans acted to attack OBL's compound within days if not hours of confirming his whereabouts.

They won't leave him lying around in a known location for 6 months.

 

[notsuperstitious]

I hope nobody claims that ISI helped them catch Osama but Zardari did not let them take the credit but Osama was actually not there at all because he died in 2002.

That will show ISI in good light in every possible way. Of course it does not have to make sense with the fanboys.

 

[OrionHunter]

Oh yeah! Next some clown will publish a book where he'll say that Pasha himself contacted the CIA in Islamabad and offered information about bin Laden!

Conspiracies are manufactured by desperate authors just to sell their books. Period!

 

[Awesome]

The new book also says that land of the Abbottabad compound, where the al-Qaida leader lived with his family, was "carved out" from the Pakistan military academy compound.

This is also wrong, anyone with a map can see that the military compound didn't exist there and the housei is part of a town.

 

[third eye]

This has long been argued but Pakistani government would have jumped to share the credit which they have not.

Any sort of approval for the op saves them from massive embarassment.

The issue for Pakistanis is two fold. One how did Osama live there without our guys knowing about it. Second how did Americans come in go boom boom and leave without anyone shooting a single bullet at an intruding militar force.

It cuts both ways.

Taking credit by GOP would earn them points with the west but would permanently close options with the hardliners.

The bold part is relevant.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

This has long been argued but Pakistani government would have jumped to share the credit which they have not. (1)
Any sort of approval for the op saves them from massive embarassment. (2)
The issue for Pakistanis is two fold. One how did Osama live there without our guys knowing about it. Second how did Americans come in go boom boom and leave without anyone shooting a single bullet at an intruding militar force. (3)

Addressing the issues that you have raised:
(3) happened since GoP was in the know and had tacitly approved the op. Which gells with the hypothesis put forth in the book. And works very well with the doctrine of "plausible deniability" which has been often the bedrock of Pak policy.

(1) has not been acknowledged since its a "political hot potato" both for GoP and GHQ to acknowledge that fact.

(2) GOTUS got approval (seemingly) for the op. but played along with the Pakistani scenario to minimise 'collateral damage' to GoP and GHQ.

Seems to be a classic case of " Saanp bhi mare, par lathi bhi na toote".

Of course there are great worthies here who have strenously exerted themselves to assert that OBL was not in Abbottabad, OBL was not born, OBL did not die, his compound in the neighborhood of PMA did not exist, maybe even Abbottabad is an imaginary place!
Lets wait for even that lot to have their say.

 

[KRAIT]

It cuts both ways.

Taking credit by GOP would earn them points with the west but would permanently close options with the hardliners.

The bold part is relevant.

I agree if Pakistan would have done it, all the terrorist group linked with Al Qaeda would have gone against Pakistan , but isn't Pakistan already dealing with enough enemies especially TTP. Pakistan has lost billions in terms of infrastructure and fight against terrorism. They are already against many hardliners who are blowing Pakistan up.

But it would have come up with entirely different support from US and west. not to forget, they would have avoided India's growing influence in Afghanistan as WoT became a good reason for India to move to Afghanistan.

There would have been two choices for Pakistan. making themselves the target of all anti-US terrorist group and fight with them but gaining entire world's support or prolonged WoT which is turning out to be more disastrous for Pakistan already.

 

[Awesome]

It cuts both ways.

Taking credit by GOP would earn them points with the west but would permanently close options with the hardliners.

The bold part is relevant.

No I don't think that's it, at this point there's nothing to lose with killing OBL, Pak has ties with certain Taliban members only, not all, and definitely not AQ.

The only thing I can figure out is that money was involved. Obama n co wanted full credit and they asked Pakistanis to shush up. They were told we will blow hot and cold but never do anything practically about it, which is exactly what followed. The "incompetence" excuse was perfect and was first used by Americans too... Money came in from Saudi and then after the Supply route deal some money came directly from US.

Covert funding to personal bank accounts is something we don't know anything about too.

Pakistani and American leadership are cut from the same cloth, that much I'm sure of. When they play ball with each other they are totally in synch. One has to just see how they wrapped up the Raymond Davis case.

 

[Guest01]

It is just a Republican author going after the Democrat President in the election year. There will be more mainfestations of the episode to try to take away the credit that Obama claimed for OBL raid. That is the only thing that is certain.

 

[joekrish]

From a lay man's perspective Osama was helped by someone in Pakistan.

 

[*Awan*]

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