Can we trust anything sourced from Pakistan’s ISI?

Last Updated on Sunday, 3 August 2008 05:44 Written by admin Wednesday, 30 July 2008 11:02

The Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence has been running covert operations with militant groups outside of Pakistan since at least the 60’s according to this report at FAS. The CIA is so concerned about its present affilitations with al-Qa’ida and other terrorists that secret visits with high-ranking CIA officials happened twice this year, the latest just a few weeks ago according to today’s New York Times.

Now we hear that a CIA UAV targeted and killed Abu Khabab al-Masri along with 5 other men. Unfortunately, the source of this information is an anonymous Pakistani intelligence official with the ISI. According to this news release by CBS news, there’s also a discrepancy about the nationality of the other men reportedly killed. Here’s an excerpt from CBS:

One of al Qaeda’s top chemical and biological weapons experts was killed in an air strike by a CIA pilotless drone in a remote Pakistani border region, senior Pakistani intelligence officials told CBS News Tuesday morning.

Intelligence officials investigating the early Monday missile attack confirmed that Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri was one of six men killed and his remains had been positively identified.

“We now have a positive ID on the body. I can confirm to you that Al-Masri has been killed,” a Pakistani intelligence official told CBS News on the condition of anonymity. Earlier reports claimed that the six men killed included three Arabs, while the other three were believed to be Afghans or Pakistanis.

However, the intelligence official who spoke to CBS Tuesday said all six men were Arabs. Those killed also included Sheikh Ibrahim, a mid ranking al Qaeda operative believed to be either Egyptian or Jordanian. The other four victims were described as ordinary foot soldiers. The intelligence official did not provide the full names nor the citizenship of the four lower ranking militants.

I’m hoping that a CIA paramilitary team is available in Pakistan to do a positive ID. A more active CIA role in Pakistan territory was reported to be one of the reasons for Admiral Millen’s trip last January. The actual death of this criminal would be a cause for celebration, but due to the long-standing relationships that the ISI has with the very groups that our counterterrorism efforts are directed against, one has to wonder what the protocol is to vet a source as compromised as the ISI.

UPDATE (08/01/08): CBS News now reports that Ayman al-Zawahari (bin Laden’s number 2) is critically injured, probably from the same CIA Predator attack. The report remains unconfirmed by U.S. authorities and was also sourced from Pakistani intelligence. Bill Roggio writes an excellent analysis (h/t the Jawa Report).

UPDATE (08/03/08): Al Qa’ida confirms the death of al-Masri today, but no word yet on al-Zawahiri’s alledged death.