Tricky

U.S. Worker in Pakistan Killings Was a Spy

CIA agent has sparked diplomatic crisis.

The American who fatally shot two men in Lahore, Pakistan, has been revealed as a CIA agent who was on assignment at the time of the shooting. Raymond Davis, long speculated to be a spy, has been charged with murder by Pakistani officials, but the White House has argued he is an “administrative and technical official” attached to the Lahore consulate who should have diplomatic immunity. Davis has insisted he acted in self-defense in the shooting, saying the two men were suspected robbers and were carrying guns. But his spy status could poke holes in this story, especially because some Pakistani officials insist Davis was “doing espionage and surveillance activities” at the time. Another bombshell about Davis: Several U.S. media outlets knew he was a spy, but kept it quiet at the request of the White House. The Pakistani government fears a revolt if Davis is released, but the White House has been pressuring Islamabad to free him.