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Adm Mullen: Pakistan 'sanctioned Saleem Shahzad murder' | Adm Mullen: Pakistan 'sanctioned Saleem Shahzad murder' |
(40 minutes later) | |
Pakistan "sanctioned" the killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad, the highest-ranking officer in the US military, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said. | Pakistan "sanctioned" the killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad, the highest-ranking officer in the US military, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said. |
But he said he could not confirm if the country's powerful intelligence agency, the ISI, was involved. | |
A government spokesman called the statement "extremely irresponsible". The ISI has denied any involvement. | |
Mr Shahzad was kidnapped near his home in Islamabad in May. His body was found two days later in Punjab province. | |
At the time, many in the Pakistani media blamed the Pakistani intelligence agency for the murder, despite its denial. | |
An inquiry set up by the government to investigate the killing began work last month. | An inquiry set up by the government to investigate the killing began work last month. |
"I have not seen anything that would disabuse that report that the government knew about this," Adm Mullen told journalists in Washington on Thursday. | "I have not seen anything that would disabuse that report that the government knew about this," Adm Mullen told journalists in Washington on Thursday. |
"It was sanctioned by the government, yeah," he said. | "It was sanctioned by the government, yeah," he said. |
Adm Mullen added that he did not have a "string of evidence" linking the death to the ISI. | Adm Mullen added that he did not have a "string of evidence" linking the death to the ISI. |
A Pakistani government spokesman said Pakistan had set up an independent commission to probe the killing and that Adm Mullen's statement would not help the investigation. | A Pakistani government spokesman said Pakistan had set up an independent commission to probe the killing and that Adm Mullen's statement would not help the investigation. |
Correspondents say the remarks will further worsen ties between Washington and its ally, Islamabad. | Correspondents say the remarks will further worsen ties between Washington and its ally, Islamabad. |
The relationship has been on a downward spiral for many months only exacerbated by the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by US commandos in a midnight raid in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. | The relationship has been on a downward spiral for many months only exacerbated by the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by US commandos in a midnight raid in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. |
Mr Shahzad had made a career writing about various Islamist militant networks operating in Pakistan and had recently written an article about al-Qaeda infiltration in Pakistan's navy. | Mr Shahzad had made a career writing about various Islamist militant networks operating in Pakistan and had recently written an article about al-Qaeda infiltration in Pakistan's navy. |