*WASHINGTON: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has said that Pakistanis a key partner in counterterrorism operations.*
“We work very closely with our Pakistani counterparts”, FBI Deputy Directorfor International Operations George Piro told a briefing arranged forforeign journalists here at Foreign Press Centers.
“Terrorism is the FBI’s number one priority, not only here domestically butinternationally and we work very closely with all of our internationalpartners,” the deputy director of FBI said.
To a question about FBI operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pirorefused to provide details but said “we recognize Pakistan as a keypartner, majority of our effort is devoted towards counterterrorism, notonly protecting US citizens, US interests but also providing assistance,support, engagement to our foreign partners”.
“It’s a collaborative effort and we have been engaged in that partnershipfor years and it’s been consistent and determined,” he said. He added thatFBI agents were based in Pakistan and Afghanistan and working closely withthe counterparts.
To a question about “zero tolerance” policy of FBI on child pornography,Piro said that FBI International Division was aware about the Zenabincident in Pakistan. “We are sending experts in our “Crimes againstChildren” program and we are confident that exchange will assist — not onlyin investigation but prevent future incidents from occurring”.
To another query, he said that 600 FBI personnel were permanently stationedoverseas and on any given day they could have another 600 on assignment.
About the security of US citizens during FIFA World Cup, the deputydirector said that FBI expanded its office in Moscow during the World Cupnot only to protect the US citizens but to also assist ther counterparts.
“The largest attendees and purchasers of tickets to the world cup wereAmericans, we have folks in Moscow working with our counterparts to provideany assistance and information so they are able to address any potentialthreats to the event and venues”.
Piro, who interrogated former Iraqi President Saddam Hussain, told aquestioner that “I didn’t realize I was being considered for thatassignment. I just got a call that said ‘you have just been selected tointerrogate Saddam Hussain’, so you can imagine my shock and surprise atthat.
“Saddam Hussain only spoke Arabic, so the interrogator had to be able tospeak Arabic for the interrogation to have any chance of success. I waspart of the FBI’s first team to deploy into Iraq during the war, so I hadan understanding of the regime, the history of Ba’ath party, SaddamHussain, things like that”, he concluded.