Pakistan to contest US court notices to ISI officials
December 31st, 2010 - 1:40 am ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Dec 31 (IANS) Pakistan Thursday said it will challenge in court a US lawsuit accusing officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of providing material support for the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, Xinhua reported.”The government of Pakistan has taken a firm decision to strongly contest the suit filed against the ISI, its present and past directors general,” the Pakistan foreign ministry said.
The lawsuit was filed by the relatives of two American victims in the attack.
A New York court had issued summons to ISI chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha and other officials of the agency in November.
Summons were also issued to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi and Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the attacks.
“The government of Pakistan and the Pakistan embassy in Washington shall defend the legal suit on behalf of ISI and its directors general fully and properly,” the ministry said in a statement.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also said in the National Assembly: “We do not believe the ISI, as an agency of the government of Pakistan, or its present and former officials could be subjected to civil litigation in the courts of the US and we intend to take appropriate steps to obtain dismissal of this action.”
The 26-page lawsuit was filed before a Brooklyn court last week by family members of Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his pregnant wife, Rivka, who were among the 166 people killed in the attacks.
Their son Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny in the tragedy.
The suit alleges that the ISI “provided critical planning, material support, control and coordination for the attacks” to the Pakistan-based militant group LeT, blamed for the 26/11 attacks. The LeT is also named in the suit.
Besides Pasha, who has been the director general of the ISI since September 2008, the court has also summoned his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj and ISI officials Major Samir Ali, Azam Cheema and Major Iqbal.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and also arrested several people, including LeT commander Lakhvi.
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- ISI chief won't appear in US court over Mumbai attack: Gilani (Lead) - Dec 23, 2010
- Don't drag ISI into 26/11 trial, says Pakistan - Nov 25, 2010
- Dragging ISI into Mumbai attack preposterous: Pak FO - Nov 26, 2010
- Hafiz Saeed seeks Pakistan government aid in Mumbai case - Jan 13, 2011
- JuD head Hafiz Saeed wants Pak Govt to defend him in US court in Mumbai attack case - Jan 13, 2011
- India may implead in US court to establish ISI's terror link - May 29, 2011
- Pakistan to defend ISI officials in Mumbai attacks lawsuit filed in US court - Dec 31, 2010
- US court summons ISI chiefs, LeT leaders in 2008 Mumbai terror attack case - Dec 23, 2010
- Pakistan unlikely to defend Hafiz Saeed in 26/11 US lawsuit - Jan 14, 2011
- MQM criticises US court order against Pak intelligence personnel - Dec 26, 2010
- Lahore HC seeks Pak Defence Ministry's reply regarding Hafiz Saeed petition - Mar 30, 2011
- US suits against ISI chief in Mumbai massacre case face 'serious legal obstacles' - Dec 23, 2010
- Mumbai Chabad House 'home' for Baby Moshe, say grandparents - Nov 24, 2010
- India, Israel behind US court summons against ISI chiefs, JuD leaders, claims Makki - Jan 19, 2011
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