U.S. pays “blood money” in Pakistan

In an act of outrageous lawlessness unthinkable in U.S. courts, Washington again strikes at the foundations of civil society — bypasses justice under law, pays “blood money” to free a double murderer

Editing, comment Carolyn Bennett

Al Jazeera is reporting today that Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor accused of murdering two men in Lahore, Pakistan, has flown out of the country after the U.S. paid ‘blood money’ (denied by the Secretary of State) to the families of the murdered men.

Davis had admitted his crimes. The Pakistani court had indicted him for the double murders; but according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Peshawar, the lawyer for the families of the murdered men “claimed they were forced to sign the agreement over the blood money.” As yet, the family members have not spoken publicly and the dollar amount of blood money has not yet come to light.

Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah told Al Jazeera the court formally indicted Davis on murder charges. Then the family members of the two victims were brought into the court “where they signed papers formally forgiving [Davis] in exchange for an undisclosed sum of money. Judges then acquitted [Davis] on all charges.”

Under the judicial system of the United States, this man would have charged with “terrorism,”  presumed guilty and sent to Guantanamo Bay or presumed guilty, prosecuted, tried and sentenced to death.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denied that the United States had paid blood money and, in advance of her denial, she had outrageously thanked the murdered people’s families for allowing Raymond Davis to get off scot-free and board a flight to America.

Al Jazeera’s Washington correspondent reaffirmed what has been clear from the beginning. The Pakistani people are angry about the Obama administration’s handling this case and they are promising more anti-American protests.

Source

“CIA man free after ‘blood money’ payment — Court frees Raymond Davis, contractor accused of murdering two men, after he agreed to pay money to their families, March 16, 2011, Source: Al Jazeera and agencies, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/03/2011316121616279778.html#

___________________________________

Bennett's books available in New York State independent bookstores: Lift Bridge Bookshop: www.liftbridgebooks.com [Brockport, NY]; Sundance Books: http://www.sundancebooks.com/main.html [Geneseo, NY]; The Book Den, Ltd.: BookDenLtd@frontiernet.net [Danville, NY]; Talking Leaves Books-Elmwood: talking.leaves.elmwood@gmail.com [Buffalo, NY]; Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza: http://www.bhny.com/ [Albany, NY]; Mood Makers Books: www.moodmakersbooks.com [City of Rochester, NY]; Dog Ears Bookstore and Literary Arts Center: www.enlightenthedog.org/ [Buffalo, NY]; Burlingham Books – ‘Your Local Chapter’: http://burlinghambooks.com/ [Perry, NY 14530]; The Bookworm: http://www.eabookworm.com/ [East Aurora, NY]; LONGS’ Cards and Books: http://longscardsandbooks.com/ [Penn Yan, NY]
___________________________________