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Detained CIA Contractor Held in Pakistan Released

   VOA News  March 16, 2011
   Pakistani  police  escort  arrested US national, identified as Raymond
   Davis (C), to a court in Lahore on January 28, 2011 (file photo)

Photo: AFP

   Pakistani  police  escort  arrested US national, identified as Raymond
   Davis (C), to a court in Lahore on January 28, 2011 (file photo)

   Pakistani  officials  say a detained CIA contractor accused of killing
   two Pakistanis has been freed.
   Punjab provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah told reporters Wednesday
   that  Raymond  Davis, 36, was first formally indicted on double murder
   charges in Lahore.  However, during the proceedings, relatives of the
   deceased  said  they  agreed,  under  Islamic  law, to accept monetary
   compensation in exchange for pardoning Davis.
   It is unclear whether or not Davis is still in Pakistan.
   Prosecutors  had  accused the American of shooting and killing two men
   in  the  eastern city of Lahore on January 27.  Davis maintained that
   the  men  were  trying  to rob him and that he acted in self-defense.Â
   The incident was further complicated by the death of a third Pakistani
   struck by a U.S. diplomatic vehicle rushing to Davis' aid.
   The   United  States  had  demanded  Davis'  release,  saying  he  had
   diplomatic immunity.
   The   case   inflamed  anti-American  sentiment  across  Pakistan  and
   increased  tensions  between  the  CIA  and  Pakistan's  military  spy
   service, the ISI.
   In  the  wake  of Davis' arrest, Pakistani officials demanded that the
   CIA release the names of all of its agents operating in Pakistan after
   alleging Davis was working there without Islamabad's knowledge.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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