Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pakistani anger over release of CIA killer Raymond Davis

Key Excerpts:

...Faizan Haider, a lawyer representing the family of one of those killed, told the BBC on Wednesday that the "blood money" deal was done without his knowledge and that he was in detention when it was made.

...Critics of the deal point out that as recently as four days ago, the relatives said that they wanted justice not compensation.

...Public anger intensified in the case earlier this year after unnamed US officials said that Mr Davis had been secretly working for the CIA at the time of the killing.

...'Saudi money'

Meanwhile, more details have emerged of the financial compensation paid to the families of the dead men.

Siddiqul Farooq - a spokesman for the PML-N party that leads the coalition in Punjab province - said relatives performed a pilgrimage to Mecca earlier this month and collected the money before returning to Pakistan.

The whereabouts of the families is still not known after the Pakistani media reported on Wednesday that they received 200 million rupees ($2.34m, £1.1m).

The decision to release Mr Davis was made during a hearing at a prison in Lahore.

...The relatives confirmed to the judge overseeing the case that they had received "blood money" in return for pardoning him.

Under Pakistani Sharia law, relatives of a murder victim can pardon the killer.

Original article 17 March 2011 Last updated at 04:53 ET Pakistan anger over release of CIA killer Raymond Davis here

Pakistanis are also quite angry over the continual killing of civilians by US drones
here

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