Reports of a possible rogue US DoD operation in Pakistan

By IAN ALLEN | intelNews.org |
A New York Times article published late yesterday alleges the existence of a clandestine intelligence network of private contractors, set up by a US Pentagon employee, possibly without supervision or approval by senior US Defense officials. The network, which appears to operate under the cover of an Internet-based research company, is actually used to gather intelligence on the activities and whereabouts of individuals on the CIA’s assassination list, claims the paper. What is more, the network coordinator, retired US Air Force officer Michael D. Furlong, is currently being investigated by the US Department of Defense for fraudulent dealings with private contractors. It is not clear whether these were the same contractors (mostly former CIA and US Special Forces operatives) who were employed in the undercover intelligence network uncovered by The New York Times. The paper says that it is unclear whether Furlong’s activities were authorized or supervised by senior US Defense officials. Nor is it clear if the funds that were used to fund the operation were specifically cleared for that purpose, or whether they were clandestinely diverted from other Pentagon programs by Furlong. There are suspicions that the clandestine program may have been utilized to ensure a presence of non-official-cover (NOC) US Special Forces operatives inside Pakistan, who are not officially connected to the US government. The US Strategic Command, which employs Michael Furlong as a civilian, is so far refusing to allow The New York Times to speak to him. Last November, investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill alleged that private mercenary firm Blackwater (recently renamed Xe) is part of a covert US program in Pakistan that includes planned assassinations and kidnappings of Taliban and al-Qaeda suspects.