Islamabad: US embassy contractor arrested, cache of illegal weapons recovered

[Naveed Yaseen]

A police officer inspects confiscated weapons displayed for media at a police station on Saturday. The police raided a local firm, contracted to provide security to the US embassy, seizing dozens of allegedly unlicenced weapons at a time when American use of private contractors is under unusual scrutiny here. ap






Police raid US embassy-contracted security firm: dozens of unlicensed weapons impounded
ISHFAQULLAH SHAWL
ISLAMABAD (September 20 2009): Islamabad Police on Saturday raided a local private security firm hired by the US Embassy and impounded dozens of unlicensed weapons at a time when the private security contractor was under unusual scrutiny. Police have recovered 61 assault rifles and nine pistols in the raid besides arresting two employees of the Inter-Risk private security company, spokesman of Islamabad Police Rana Akram told a news conference here.

Reporters were also shown the disputed weapons. The spokesman said that the Kohsar Police received information about concealing of huge quantity of arms and ammunition in a house in F-6/1 sector, owned by the owner of Inter-risk security company. The police in league with Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration raided the house, where arms were seized.

Arms and ammunition were concealed in the servant quarter of the house, the spokesman said, adding that two persons Tauqeer Ahsan s/o Saif Ali resident of Narowal, Muhammad Khan s/o Sher Zaman resident of Fateh Jang were arrested during the raid. The nabbed persons revealed during the preliminary investigation that the recovered arms and ammunition are owned by Ali Jaffer Zaidi who is the owner of Inter-risk security company.

Giving details of the recovered weapons, the spokesman said that 61 repeater guns, nine 30 bore pistols, one 22 bore pistol and 545 rounds were recovered in raid. He said that during the search of another house (No 62) one 7mm rifle, one repeater, computer files, registers and other items were also recovered. No NOC or licenses of the weapons were presented while several rifles were also found tempered, he added.

Akram said police are investigating whether any other private security firms are using illegal weapons. Meanwhile, Business Recorder has learnt that law enforcement agencies have arrested the owner of Inter-Risk security company, Ali Jaffer Zaidi, a facilitator of notorious Blackwater World-wide.

Captain Zaidi, a retired officer of Special Services Group (SSG), an elite commando force of Pakistan Army was arrested from Islamabad office of his security company namely 'Care and Caring', intelligence sources told this scribe. They said that Captain Zaidi along with another Army retired officer Captain Bernard Masih had recruited more than 200 retired army officials mostly from SSG and they were being given special training at a recently established training camp at Rawat, in the outskirts of Islamabad.

Sources alleged that Captain Zaidi was recruiting army personnel and training them to use sophisticated weapons for notorious Blackwater. These trained personnel would be used by Blackwater programmes in Pakistan. They have been offered lucrative salaries and other perks and privileges and are being provided training for quick response against any target as per international standards, sources said.

Sources revealed that Blackwater is preparing a quick response force in Pakistan by hiring local people to meet its interests. Captain Bernard Masih, a retired Pakistan Army official from 10th corps, was stopped by Islamabad Police at Kashmir Highway a few days ago and sophisticated weapons were found from his car; high officials were informed about the cache and a SP ranked officer along with a contingent of police officials reached the spot and started inquiry but Bernard thrashed the SP and threatened him of dire consequences.

Later, the US Embassy in Islamabad contacted high government functionaries and demanded immediate termination of the SP of Islamabad Police, sources said, adding that the SP was transferred to Balochistan under heavy pressure from US officials.

When this scribe contacted the Islamabad Police for details of the incident, a well-placed official on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident saying that besides US officials some government functionaries also want a clean chit to Blackwater in the country.

Captain Bernard was released after phone calls from high government officials and was transferred to Balochistan. This situation has created a sense of insecurity among police and civilian administration, he said, adding that Blackwater wants easy movement of its officials and weapons without any hindrance. Sources also revealed that a few days back law enforcement agencies arrested Captain Zaidi but later released under heavy pressure.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=963030