Karzai aide in corruption inquiry is on CIA payroll: Report
August 26th, 2010 - 1:38 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Aug 26(ANI): An aide to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Mohammed Zia Salehi, who is at the centre of a corruption investigation, is on the payroll of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Afghan and American officials have said.
According to the officials, Salehi, the chief of administration for the Afghan National Security Council, has been receiving money from the US intelligence service for years.
However, it is unclear exactly what Salehi does in exchange for his money, whether providing information to the spy agency, advancing American views inside the presidential palace, or both, The New York Times reports.
Other prominent Afghans who American officials have said were on the CIA’s payroll include the President’s half brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, suspected by investigators of playing a role in the country’s booming opium trade.
The revelation has raised new questions about how the US can root out corruption in the Afghan government when US operations in the country require support from some of the same politicians and leaders accused of graft.
Salehi was arrested by Afghani police in July, and was accused of accepting a car in exchange for his help in seeking the release of a suspect detained in another corruption case.
Investigators said that they had wiretapped him soliciting the bribe, but he was released within seven hours of his arrest.
Karzai had intervened after Salehi telephoned him from jail to demand help. (ANI)
- Scores of Karzai administration officials on CIA's pay roll: US official - Aug 27, 2010
- US seeking more 'sophisticated' approach to Afghan corruption to smoothen ties - Sep 15, 2010
- Karzai condemns reports of CIA payroll for Afghan officials - Aug 28, 2010
- Sacked Afghan prosecutor says he was removed for not blocking corruption probes - Aug 29, 2010
- Karzai demands probe of US-backed anti-corruption task force - Aug 05, 2010
- 'Angry' Karzai puts Afghan corruption investigations in 'deep-freeze': Officials - Dec 09, 2010
- US concerned over Karzai order to review West-backed anti-graft bodies - Aug 06, 2010
- Karzai's brother said to be on CIA payroll: NYT - Oct 28, 2009
- Gen. David Petraeus Refers To The U.S.-Afghan Alliance As Concrete - Sep 03, 2010
- Afghanistan denies receiving payments from CIA - Aug 29, 2010
- Karzai kin using ties to acquire power in Afghanistan - Oct 06, 2010
- US, allies give Karzai six months to reform and perform - Nov 04, 2009
- Afghan President Karzai's brother receives regular pay from CIA: NYT - Oct 28, 2009
- FBI utilising private spy network's skills to investigate Afghan aid workers' deaths - Mar 01, 2011
- Former Illinois Gov. Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years for corruption - Dec 08, 2011
Tags: afghan government, afghanistan president hamid, afghans, american officials, bribe, central intelligence agency, corruption case, corruption inquiry, corruption investigation, hamid karzai, intelligence service, national security council, new york times, opium trade, payroll report, president hamid karzai, salehi, seven hours, spy agency, zia