Bin Laden raid: ISI officials brief Abbottabad commission on US raid

Spy agency reiterates claims of being kept in the dark about May 2 operation.

ISLAMABAD: The commission investigating the May 2 US raid in Abbottabad recorded statements of ISI officials on Monday who reiterated claims that the US had conducted the raid unilaterally without the consent of Pakistani authorities.

“The operation was conducted by US authorities without keeping Pakistan on board,” the ISI team was quoted as telling the commission members.

ISI officials briefed the commission about investigations it had carried out into the raid by a team of US Navy SEALs that had killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

“The (ISI) interrogation team gave a detailed briefing and explained their perspective of the US operation in Abbottabad.

The briefing included background information and post-operation investigation findings,” said an official statement issued after the meeting.

The commission had barred at least two of Bin Laden’s wives and several children from leaving the country. They are in the custody of Pakistani agencies since.

The commission’s chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal will continue recording statements of ISI officials till October 6.

The meeting was attended by the commission members, including Abbas Khan, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and Lt-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed.

The terms of reference of the Abbottabad commission are to ascertain the facts surrounding Bin Laden’s undetected presence in Pakistan for almost five years, the circumstances and facts of the US operation, to investigate any security lapses that may have occurred on May 2 and lastly to make consequential recommendations based on the commission’s findings.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2011.