Pakistan Intel Manipulated Election In 02-Offered To Drop Corruption Cases Against Musharraf Backers

[kpete]

NYT: Worst Fears About the Pakistan Intelligence Agency (ISI)Confirmed. Just One Charming Revelation: "One former senior Pakistani intelligence official, as well as other people close to the agency, acknowledged that the ISI led the effort to manipulate Pakistan’s last national election in 2002, and offered to drop corruption cases against candidates who would back President Pervez Musharraf." No Wonder Bush Loves the Guy! 1/15
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Militants Escape Control of Pakistan, Officials Say

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The unusual disclosures regarding Pakistan’s leading military intelligence agency — Inter-Services Intelligence, or the ISI — emerged in interviews last month with former senior Pakistani intelligence officials. The disclosures confirm some of the worst fears, and suspicions, of American and Western military officials and diplomats.

The interviews, a rare glimpse inside a notoriously secretive and opaque agency, offered a string of other troubling insights likely to refocus attention on the ISI’s role as Pakistan moves toward elections on Feb. 18 and a battle for control of the government looms:

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One former senior Pakistani intelligence official, as well as other people close to the agency, acknowledged that the ISI led the effort to manipulate Pakistan’s last national election in 2002, and offered to drop corruption cases against candidates who would back President Pervez Musharraf.

A person close to the ISI said Mr. Musharraf had now ordered the agency to ensure that the coming elections were free and fair, and denied that the agency was working to rig the vote. But the acknowledgment of past rigging is certain to fuel opposition fears of new meddling.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/world/asia/15isi.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1200373483-Xo9auTBhIZoEwBYdAjO7ag&oref=slogin