ISI hires US attorneys, pleads immunity in 26/11 case

[cosmicone]

Source: Times of India/TNN

WASHINGTON: American attorneys hired by Pakistan's spy agency ISI have pleaded immunity for their clients in the Mumbai 26/11 terrorism case by questioning jurisdiction of US courts in the matter and arguing that the US government has designated Pakistan "a critical friend and ally," effectively giving it political and diplomatic cover.

In a May 6 brief filed before a New York district court in a case brought against ISI and its current and former chief by relatives of American victims of the 26/11 carnage allegedly masterminded by the spy outfit, attorneys Kevin Walsh and Allen Wasserman, citing case law, maintained that "under fundamental principles of international law long accepted by the courts of the United States, ISI, as a 'foreign sovereign' is immune from the jurisdiction of this court."

Likewise, in reference to the defendants named in the case, Ahmed Shuja Pasha and Nadeem Taj (current and former ISI chiefs), the brief maintained that the "Director General Defendants, officials of a foreign sovereign sued for acts taken in their official capacity, are similarly immune under common law principles of 'foreign official immunity' long recognized by US courts."

Walsh and Wasserman are NewYork-based attorneys with the Dallas-based Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP, whose lobbying arm, Locke Lord Strategies, represents the Pakistani government in Washington. The firm's principal partner Mark Siegel, a close friend of the late Benazir Bhutto, has served as Pakistan's lobbyist from 1988-1990, from 1993-1996, and again from 2008 to date, each time the Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has been in power.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/ISI-hires-US-attorneys-pleads-immunity-in-26/11-case/articleshow/8257031.cms

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Claiming immunity is practically an admission of guilt!

[iemitsu]

1. this case certainly highlights how

the american justice system is geared to protect those on top.

[dipsydoodle]

2. As an aside

The use of the expression "9/11" started an unfortunate trend considering most of the world uses day month as is used in this example - 26/11. It is foreseen that in years to come today's children outside of the US will wonder what the fuck the Berlin Wall coming down 9/11 had to do with terrorism.

It's no big deal using a full date for clarity.

[Chan790]

3. There are some institutions in the US that use DDMMYY.

I work in a bank that handles that handles international transactions for clients upon request and as a result all my paperwork is DDMMYY dated. No hyphens or slashes even. Today is 110511, tomorrow is 120511. Even in my personal life I write 11 May 2011.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Interesting

I wasn't meaning to imply that either way was right or wrong - just inconsistent.

:hi:

[pettypace]

4. Please explain

Every single post you write is an anti-Pakistan rant.

Why are you so bent out of shape over them?

[cosmicone]

5. Is an explanation necessary?

Is diversity in posting a requirement?

I suppose it was a rhetorical question :) Peace

[dipsydoodle]

7. Claiming immunity is practically an admission of guilt.

Same applies to the US in other instances where they do not recognise international courts.