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    January 09, 2012

Ex-Pakistani Envoy Denies Link to Controversial Memo

   VOA News
   Husain Haqqani,
   Photo: AP
   Husain Haqqani, Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, speaks
   during an interview with The Associated Press in Washington, June 20,
   2008.

   Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States has denied any
   connection to a memo sent to Washington asking for U.S. help in
   preventing a purported army coup.
   In his first appearance before a Supreme Court commission Monday,
   Husain Haqqani said he had "no role in creating, drafting and/or
   delivering" the memo to Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military
   official at the time.
   Haqqani appeared before the commission under tight security. His lawyer
   said the security concerns will likely prevent the former diplomat from
   appearing before the panel again.
   The existence of the document came to light in October when
   Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz wrote a column in The
   Financial Times accusing Haqqani of writing the memo requesting U.S.
   assistance to prevent a coup. The request was reportedly sent to Mullen
   in May.
   U.S. military officials have said Admiral Mullen received the memo but
   did not find it credible.
   The Pakistani commission on Monday also ordered Ijaz to appear before
   the panel at its next hearing on January 16.
   Ijaz's lawyer told reporters that his client has received e-mailed
   death threats and that the military has been ordered to provide
   security for the Pakistani-American businessman when he arrives in
   Pakistan.
   Haqqani returned to Pakistan in November and resigned as ambassador.
   The Supreme Court appointed the three-judge commission last month to
   investigate the circumstances surrounding the unsigned memo.

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