Washington, Mar.24 (ANI): US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has expressed concern over media reports regarding a Pentagon official running a private spying network in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
It may be noted that The New York Times had reported that a US Defence official, Michael Furlong, has set up a spying network to track and kill suspected militants in the region, under the guise of an information-gathering program.
Gates said he needed to know more about such off-the-books spy operation being run in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"The role of private contractors in collecting intelligence in the field is something I need to know more about. We do have reviews and investigations going on to find out what the story is here, to find out what the facts are. And if it's necessary to make some changes I'll do that," The Dawn quoted Gates, as saying.
Citing some unnamed military officials and businessmen in Afghanistan and the United States, The New York Times had reported that Furlong had hired contractors from private security companies which employs former Central Investigation Agency (CIA) officials and Special Forces agents.
These contractors were supposed to gather intelligence on suspected militants and their hideouts, which was fed to military units and intelligence officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan for se in possible strikes, the newspaper said. (ANI)
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