Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 6988 / 251,287

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1996/11
1997/12
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10 2001/11
2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/11 2002/12
2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AF AE AMGT ACOA ASEC AORC AG AU AR AS AFIN AL APER AA AEMR AMED ABLD AM ATFN AROC AJ AFFAIRS AO AFGHANISTAN AFU AER ALOW AODE ABUD ATRN APECO ASUP AC AZ AVERY APCS ADCO ASIG AGMT AMBASSADOR ASEAN AX AID AUC ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG ADANA AND
BR BIDEN BO BK BU BY BEXP BL BTIO BF BBSR BA BM BH BE BB BILAT BG BRUSSELS BT BC BX BMGT BTIU
CU CH CJAN CO CA CASC CY CD CM COE COUNTRY CLEARANCE CVIS CPAS CMGT CACS CWC CBW CI CG CF CS CN CT CL CIA CDG CE CIS CTM CB CLINTON CR COM CONS CV CJUS COUNTER CKGR COUNTERTERRORISM CODEL CONDOLEEZZA CARSON CW CACM CDB CAN
DA DOE DJ DK DHS DR DEA DS DOMESTIC DAO DCM DEPT DTRA DPRK DISENGAGEMENT DOD DEAX
ETRD ETTC ECON EFIN ES EFIS EWWT EAID ENRG ELAB EINV EU EAIR EI EIND EUN EG EAGR EPET ER EMIN EC ECIN ENVR ECA ELN ET ENERG ECPS EINT ENGY ELECTIONS EN EZ ELTN EK ECONCS EINVETC ECONEFIN ENIV ESA ENGR ETC EFTA ETRDECONWTOCS EXTERNAL ENVI EUNCH EINVECONSENVCSJA ECONOMICS EINN EFINECONCS ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ECUN ENNP EUR EAP EEPET ETRDEINVTINTCS ETRO ESENV ECINECONCS ECONOMY ECONOMIC EINVEFIN ECIP EINDETRD EUC EREL
FR FAO FARC FREEDOM FI FBI FTAA FJ FINR FMLN FOR FTA FOREIGN FINANCE
GM GG GR GE GV GA GH GT GCC GOV GZ GOI GTIP GY GANGS GAZA GTMO
HO HA HR HU HSTC HURI HILLARY HK HYMPSK HUMAN
IC IO IV IR IZ IS IN IT IAEA IWC IIP IA ID ITALIAN ITALY ICAO INRB IRAQI ILC ISRAELI IQ IMO ICTY INRA INRO IRAJ IF ICRC IPR ILO IBRD IMF IZPREL ITPHUM ITPGOV INTERPOL INTELSAT IEFIN INR IRC IACI ITRA IL ICJ INTERNAL
JOSEPH JO JA JP JAMES JOHNNIE JM JUS
KACT KNNP KDEM KGIC KRAD KISL KIPR KTIA KWBG KTFN KPAL KCIP KN KHLS KCRM KSCA KPKO KFRD KMCA KJUS KIRF KWMN KCOR KPAO KU KV KAWC KUNR KPRP KOMC KSTC KTIP KSUM KMDR KFLU KPRV KBTR KZ KS KVPR KE KERG KTDB KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KSTH KGHG KIRC KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KG KWAC KSEP KMPI KDRG KBCT KNUP KTER KCFE KPLS KVIR KAWK KDDG KOLY KMRS KHDP KPAK KNAR KREL KBTS KNPP KCOM KGIT KNNPMNUC KO KPOA KRFD KHUM KDEV KICC KCFC KREC KSPR KHIV KWWMN KLIG KBIO KTBT KOCI KFLO KWMNCS KIDE KSAF KNEI KR KTEX KNSD KOMS KCRS KGCC KWMM KRVC KPAI KHSA KTLA KFSC KX KFTFN KPWR KMIG KSEC KIFR KDEMAF KFIN KNUC KPIN
LY LE LI LH LOG LG LO LT LTTE LU LAB
MNUC MARR MCAP MASS MOPS MP MO MIL MX MY MTCRE MT ML MASC MR MK MI MAPS MEPN MU MCC MZ MA MD MASSMNUC MQADHAFI MTCR MTRE MG MEPI MDC MPOS MEETINGS MUCN MRCRE MEPP MAR MAPP MAS MTS MLS MERCOSUR MC MV MEDIA MILI MOPPS
NATO NO NL NSG NA NU NPT NS NI NZ NATIONAL NP NAR NE NASA NK NG NT NIPP NSF NPG NGO NSSP NRR
OVIP OAS OREP OPRC OPDC OEXC OPCW OSCI ODIP OSCE OTRA OPIC OIIP OFFICIALS OFDP OECD OSAC OIE OVP OPAD OFDA OIC OTR
PREL PGOV PINR PARM PHUM PTER PK PINS PO PROP PHSA PBTS PREF PE PMIL PM POL PY PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PAK PAO PRAM PA PMAR POLITICS PHUMPREL PALESTINIAN PHUS PRL PGOC PNR PL PGGV PNAT PROV PTERE PGOF PHUMBA PINT PEL PLN POV PSOE PF PARMS PBIO PSI POLINT POLITICAL PARTIES PGOVLO PORG PGOVE PINF PRELP PAS PPA PRGOV PUNE PG POLICY PROG PEPR PU PECON POGOV PINL PKFK
QA
RS RU RF RW ROBERT RFE RO REGION RP RIGHTS RICE RSP REACTION REPORT
SENV SNAR SP SOCI SA SY SW SU SF SMIG SCUL SZ SO SH SG SR SL SOFA SANC SK ST SC SN SEVN STEINBERG SAN SHUM SYR SAARC SI SNARCS SIPRS
TU TX TH TBIO TZ TRGY TK TW TSPA TSPL TPHY TNGD TI TC TS TR TD TT TIP TRSY TO TP TERRORISM TURKEY TFIN TINT
UK UY UNESCO UNO UNSC UNEP UN UNGA US UNDP UNCHS UP UG UNMIK UNAUS USTR UNVIE UNHRC UZ UV UE USAID UNHCR USUN USEU UNDC UAE UNDESCO UNCHC
VE VT VZ VM VTPREL VN
WWARD WHA WI WHO WA WMO WEU WTRO WZ WITH WTRQ WBG WTO WB
XZ XF XR XG XW XY XA XM XL XE XK XT XC XH XS XD XV
YI YM YE YMCS
ZI ZB ZU ZA ZOELLICK ZK ZP ZR ZF ZJ ZANU ZO

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 08ISLAMABAD3849, PREVENTIVE DETENTION FOR MUMBAI ATTACKERS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08ISLAMABAD3849.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08ISLAMABAD3849 | 2008-12-16 14:02 | 2011-03-30 01:01 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Islamabad
Appears in these articles: http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1582582.ece

`

    VZCZCXRO7542
    PP RUEHLH RUEHPW
    DE RUEHIL #3849/01 3511402
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 161402Z DEC 08
    FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0707
    INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 9580
    RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 9284
    RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4206
    RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 0788
    RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 6519
    RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 5378
    RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
    RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
    RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003849

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2018
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KJUS IN PK
    SUBJECT: PREVENTIVE DETENTION FOR MUMBAI ATTACKERS

    REF: ISLAMABAD 3819

    Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b), (d).

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The continued police round-ups in Pakistan of persons even tangentially connected to the Mumbai attacks have generated much puzzlement about the country's sweeping ability to use preventive detention remedies. For Pakistani authorities, however, this is pretty much business as usual. In fact, the government is generally acting in accordance with Pakistani laws, which give it sweeping capabilities to detain anyone suspected of endangering the public order. The government's powers to detain go beyond the powers of any western government. While these detentions are judicially reviewable (eventually), the government's burden of proof is low, and there are enough loop holes in the laws to allow the government to string out a detention indefinitely. End summary.

    Legal Grounds for Preventive Detention
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ¶2. (U) The use of preventive detention is well established in both law and practice across the Indian Subcontinent. This directly reflects a legal inheritance from the British colonial administration, which codified the practice and used it widely, especially in the turmoil of the late Raj.

    ¶3. (U) As a consequence of this legacy, preventive detention has been used in Pakistan since independence, and has survived successive constitutional revisions. Article 10 of the current (1973) Pakistani Constitution maintains and, indeed, expands the availability of such detention. Additionally, Pakistan has on the books a series of acts and ordinances which also provide for preventive detention, at once both further clarifying and confusing the issue.

    ¶4. (U) The constitutional basis for preventive detention, Article 10, is sweeping in scope; it allows for the preventive detention of ""persons acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan, or external affairs of Pakistan, or public order."" Such language very conveniently leaves the government a lot of room for interpretation.

    ¶5. (U) For a constitutional provision, Article 10 is also startling both in the degree of procedural specificity it provides regarding preventive detention, and the paucity of protections it affords the detained person. There are no rights at all afforded to the detainee in the first fifteen days. At that point, the person is entitled to know the basis for the detention and be given opportunity to ""make representation"" against it. Within three months, a judicial ""Review Board"" must be convened and hear the case. The Review Board is appointed by the Chief Justice and is comprised of sitting or retired high court or Supreme Court judges. The board may extend the detention for a period of up to twelve months.

    No Real Cap on Detention Limits
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ¶6. (U) While the conventional wisdom holds that there is a twelve month limit on preventive detention, in fact the Constitution leaves a loop hole big enough to drive a jingle lorry through: The Review Board can extend preventive detentions beyond the twelve months period in the case of a person ""who is acting or attempting to act in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or . . . who commits or attempts to commit. . . anti-national activity. . . or is a member of any association which has for its objects, or which indulges in, any such anti-national activity""; sweeping language indeed. As one senior government official noted to the Embassy Resident Legal Advisor, detentions under this exception may be ""indefinite.""

    ¶7. (U) The government's burden in establishing grounds for preventive detention is light; the Review Board need only agree that a ""reasonable person"" would be satisfied as to the necessity of making the order for detention. To the credit of the courts, however, they do not always serve to rubber stamp government detention requests, and do require some degree of ISLAMABAD 00003849 002 OF 002 prima facie evidence in support of the detention.

    The Anti-Terrorism Act and Other Laws
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ¶8. (U) The constitutional provisions on preventive detention are also reflected in various statutes and ordinances enacted by Pakistan over the years, including the Security of Pakistan Act of 1952 (still in effect), the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (issued in 1960 but also still used), and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) (1997, with amendments).
    ¶9. (U) The ATA, in particular, often serves as the basis for preventive detentions. Like the Constitution, it is sweeping in scope, allowing for detention of anyone who is even ""affiliated with groups suspected of terrorism or sectarianism."" Acts that might serve as grounds for preventive detention include speaking or soliciting on behalf of a ""proscribed"" (i.e., terrorist) organization, or even wearing clothing that suggest such affiliation.

    ¶10. (U) While the ATA states that detention under the Act should not exceed twelve months, it also directly incorporates Article 10 of the Constitution by reference -- and, as noted, that Article allows for extension of the detention beyond twelve months for activity prejudicial to national interest, among other things.

    Charging the Mumbai Attackers
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ¶11. (C) Pakistan's extensive preventive detention regime provides a convenient mechanism, at least in the immediate term, for dealing with persons linked to the Mumbai attacks (or linked to the organizations involved in those attacks). The bigger question remains: how will Pakistan actually charge and prosecute these people? Embassy RLA put this question to the Pakistani Law Minister Farooq Naek on December 16, who suggested such charges would likely be brought under the ATA, but declined to be more specific, noting they would have to see the evidence first. The Law Minister was also quick to put the responsibility for current detentions on the Interior Ministry; he ""assumed MoI had grounds under Article 10, but declined familiarity with their evidence.

    ¶12. (C) When questioned further about how Pakistan might assert jurisdiction under the ATA (or any other statute) over acts that occurred in India, the Law Minister simply dodged the question, noting that he was ""unsure"" of how Pakistani law would deal with this issue, and would have to look into it.

    ¶13. (C) Comment: Pakistan's government is finding convenient use for its preventive detention laws in the wake of international pressure to do something following the Mumbai attacks. The laws provide a short term fix, and as the Law Minister himself seems to concede, not much thought has been given to how more comprehensive legal proceedings might play out. Nor are preventive detentions ironclad; they have been successfully challenged in the past, and savvy lawyers might be able to do so again now. The entire area is a murky one, fraught with ambiguities. The case law (and there is a fair amount on the matter, given that this is a common law country) generally supports the concept, but not always the execution. Yet the practice has endured since independence, and obviously has served the purposes of successive governments. End comment.

    PATTERSON

`