OSLO: The head of Norway’s intelligence service (PST) – widely criticised after the July 22 attacks last year – has resigned after hinting the country has agents in Pakistan, the justice ministry announced on Thursday.
Her remarks had led the Pakistani foreign ministry to summon Norway’s ambassador in Islamabad on Thursday, Norwegian paper of reference Aftenposten reported on its website.
“PST chief Janne Kristiansen has informed me that she is resigning from her post effective immediately,” Justice Minister Grete Faremo told reporters.
“The reason is that a possible breach of her duty to maintain confidentiality has been observed through the revelation of classified information,” she added, describing the facts of the case as “extremely serious.”
The minister was referring to Kristiansen’s appearance on Wednesday before a parliamentary committee during which she revealed that Norway’s military intelligence, the E Service, had agents in Pakistan.
The E Service “would have to answer themselves (but) they are represented in countries that you have in mind,” she said in answer to a question from a parliamentarian on Norway’s contacts with Pakistan.
Her comments come as Western powers, led by the United States, have expressed suspicions about the Pakistani services clandestinely supporting the Taliban. On Thursday, the Pakistani foreign ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador requesting more information, Aftenposten reported.
“It is natural that we have contact with Pakistani authorities,” Norwegian foreign ministry spokesman Kjetil Elsebutangen told AFP, refusing to confirm the summoning.
Additional contact with Pakistani officials could also take place in Oslo during the day, he said.
A special unit of the Norwegian police has launched an investigation to determine if Kristiansen’s comments breached her duty to maintain confidentiality, unit chief Jan Egil Presthus told AFP.
Kristiansen had been criticised for her comments defending the PST’s failure to detect and stop Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, who has confessed to the July 22 twin attacks that killed a total of 77 people, many of them teens.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (23)
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@Fahad: good one
@hamzad: would you PLEASE stop bringing in religion in everything as an excuse to attack Scandinavians - they are a lot better in their 'humanity' then we Pakistanis are in our religion.... in fact I would go as far as to say that are certainly more 'Islamic' then the mullahs in Pakistan
USA is clever, they are taking help from their friend countries to operate agents in PAK instead come in front self. so if PAK catch any one so other country will get all anger n hate from Pakistanis. but surely these Norwegian agents are getting payed by USA. DOLLERS.
@Salman, that sounds like the 'opposite' of Pakistanis in UK, loll
The Scandinavian countries are in the forefront in muslim world for evangelical zeal to spread "Humanism" ( code word for secularism liberalism and atheism)....HUge grants and NGO operatives are teeming in muslim world through "seminars", "education " "literature" etc etc.. the whole idea is to gnaw and eat at muslims & islam foundation....Most get converted to Islam anyway once they get in touch with our mullas ( good word use it often)
I live in Sweden and have been to all the Nordic countries. Norway really enjoys cordial relations with Pakistan and the agents she is talking about are Pakistani origin Norwegians not any white guys. Infact Norwegian Govt diplomats on their Pakistan visit, always visit Pakistani villages for vote bank where most of the Pakistani origins are from. And let me tell you that Pakistanis there are really well settled. They are into business and belongs to good working class and Pakistani tax paying percentage is 100 %.
loll.. she resigned , big deal, Agents still in Pakistan !!!!
@Pakistani Agnostic: Why on Earth Pakistan protested over the freedom of speech in Denmark?
@Pakistani Agnostic: Dear Agnostic, I am just as intrigued as you appear to be. However, I think that when perfectly normal people move up into the higher echelons of power and security, they develop some type of metamorphosis, and loose all sense of correctness together with a total loss of intelligence. I personally am just a normal person ( I hope ), who has moved around the world for 76 years, and I continue to be completely mystified with the idiocy of world leaders, and the reasons why equally stupid people in organizations such as CIA, MI6, and Mossad, to name a few, get up to their childish, but murderous activities. What is really alarming though is that when intelligence agencies do something horribly wrong they always get away with it, because politicians immediately go to ground whenever the word "security" is used.
@wasif:
Yes I agree the Indians are creating problems in Pak by beaming the tv channels and bollywood in Pak which is responsible for all the bombings, Raymond Davis, star wars troopers attacking Mehran etc. Very acute analysis sir.
@M.Akthar:
Because we treat foreign conspirators as VVIP and consider them very trustworthy in our country. If you don't believe see how Mansoor Ijaz is being treated.
we are nuetral??????
@TightChuddi: ok, indian, we are creating problems there and you are creating problems for us in paks
All embassies and high commissions usually have at least one intelligence officer working in them it's just the way international diplomacy works
It makes sense...Norway has quite a big Pakistani diaspora and they are involved in quite a few criminal activities. The A and B gangs as they are called. Also there was a movie by a Norwegian Pakistani director about the Pakistani community in Norway. I cant remeber the name but you can see on youtube. Kind of east meets west.
@Afaaq, we are not a civilized society and we are not honorable people.
@ Pakistani Agnostic. Pakistanis are the largest minority in Norway. The whole lot is from the GT road; Gujrat district, Punjab.
To all the people asking why Norway Intelligence wants to operate inside Pakistan, it is because Pakistan has the capability to exercise and independent foreign policy which may not align with Norway (or indeed NATO's) objectives in Afghanistan. That capability is provided by the ISI and the Army. The moment both of these institutions are neutralised, the vacuum will be filled by CIA/MI5 and other foreign intelligence agency operatives. That is also the reason why English Media of Pakistan today is being used to maligned the Army and the ISI.
Why on earth is Norway interested in Pakistan
In a Civilized society honourable people resign for even a statement. When will we learn!
why every country in the world wants to operate agents in Pakistan?
She's obviously way in over her head. Amazing how much damage an unsuitable person can do in a critical job.