Washington: Kashmiri separatist Ghulam Nabi Fai, who was arrested last year on charges of being a paid agent of the ISI, has lied to the court on his doctorate degree, which he does not possess, a US Attorney has said.
"Fai has no doctorate degree," US Attorney Neil MacBride informed the court on Wednesday in a foot note, of the 10-page submission to the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia. Fai`s false representation that he possesses such a degree unfairly dilutes the respect rightly earned by others that actually possess such a degree, MacBride said adding that in the letter to the court Fai addresses himself as Dr Fai.
"While Fai`s misleading characterisation of his educational attainments before this Court are relatively benign compared to the deceit inherent in his criminal conduct, it is nonetheless consistent with his attempts to mislead the Government of the United States and the American people for decades" MacBride said in his submission to the court. MacBride also informs the court that Fai, 62, who pleaded guilty and has co-operated with the investigating agency thereafter, continues to mislead the court and the people of the country.
The US Attorney also noted that Fai does have a criminal history as he was involved an offence of which Fai was publicly accused but never charged: the 1986 murder of Ismail al-Faruqi.
"Al-Faruqi was the founder of the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia. In 1986, Joseph Young, also known as Yusuf Ali, confessed to murdering al-Faruqi and his wife, and claimed that he was inspired to do it by Fai.
"Fai was never charged with involvement in the crime and there was ample reason to question Young/Ali`s veracity," MacBride said.
The US Attorney also alleges that "Fai`s answers to many of the questions posed to him since he entered his guilty plea were less than forthright."
PTI