Pollard used to defend bin Laden informant sentence

By GIL HOFFMAN The Jerusalem Post 06/11/2012 01:49
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=273384

A former Pakistani ambassador to the United States recently cited Israeli
agent Jonathan Pollard’s life sentence in defending the 33 years in prison
given to a Pakistani doctor who helped the US track down al-Qaida leader
Osama bin Laden.

A Pakistani court convicted Dr. Shakil Afridi of conspiring against the
state after he helped the CIA find bin Laden using DNA evidence.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other senior American officials have
complained about the sentence but former Pakistani ambassador to the US
Maleeha Lodhi called the complaints hypocritical.

“I think the country that put Jonathan Pollard away for spying for its close
ally, Israel, should understand that other countries too punish those who
spy for an erstwhile ally,” Lodhi, who is now a journalist and academic,
told CBS News.

Officials involved in the effort to bring about Pollard’s release cited
Lodhi’s comments and the Afridi controversy as another reason why US
President Barack Obama should commute Pollard’s sentence to time served,
ideally this week when Obama will present President Shimon Peres the
presidential medal of freedom.

Before leaving Israel for the US to receive the medal, Peres told Army Radio
he would discuss Pollard’s freedom with Obama.

“I will raise the issue in my private conversation with President Obama,”
Peres promised. “The decision is not in my hands but I will do my best. We
want the man to be free but publicity does not always help.”

Peres referred to a pressure campaign urging him to do everything possible
to secure Pollard’s release in Washington. The number of people who signed a
petition to that effect passed 70,000 at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Peres will formally be presented with the petition shortly before he meets
with Obama in Washington, so he can show it to him.

Former captive Gilad Schalit, who is one of several well-known Israelis who
signed the petition, expressed hope that “Peres will succeed in using all
his might as president and a man to persuade Obama to free Pollard from his
cell on a humanitarian basis.”