US: Pakistan's Spy Agency Is al-Qaeda Supporter

ISI's association with terror group used as an excuse to detain people
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 25, 2011 11:13 AM CDT
US Considers ISI, Pakistan's Spy Agency, an al-Qaeda Supporter
The entrance to Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay is seen on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Colin Perkel)

The US military has considered Pakistan’s spy agency an al-Qaeda support group since 2007—and has used association with it to justify imprisoning people in Guantanamo Bay, the latest crop of WikiLeaks documents reveals. The ISI is listed alongside the likes of al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian intelligence, and dozens of others in a document entitled “JTF-GTMO Matrix of Threat Indicators for Enemy Combatants,” according to Reuters.

The ISI is classified as an “associate force’ of al-Qaeda, meaning it “has established working, supporting, or beneficiary relationship for the achievement of common goals.” Pakistan is officially a US ally, but the ISI has long been rumored to support extremists. Last week, Admiral Mike Mullen said as much to the Pakistani media, accusing the spy agency of having a “longstanding” relationship with the Haqqani network, which “is supporting, funding, [and] training fighters that are killing Americans.” (More Pakistan stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X