In brief: Source: Pakistani court says CIA contractor lacks immunity

Lahore, Pakistan – A Pakistani trial court determined today that an American CIA contractor does not have diplomatic immunity in the shooting deaths of two Pakistanis but held off on charging him with murder, said a lawyer involved in the case.

The decision is at least a temporary blow to Washington, which insists the man, Raymond Allen Davis, is considered a diplomat and was acting in self-defense against robbers. But the issue of immunity is also being considered by the Lahore High Court, which could override the trial court’s decision.

The case has severely strained the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan, whose alliance is considered a critical part of ending the war in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government, fearful of public backlash, has yet to make a determination on whether Davis has immunity and said the matter is up to courts.

Davis appeared for the first time with defense counsel during today’s hearing, said Asad Manzoor Butt, a lawyer representing victims in the case. Along with the two men Davis shot, a third Pakistani was killed when struck by a U.S. car rushing to aid the American on Jan. 27 in the eastern city of Lahore.

Davis’ lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Nor could the U.S. Embassy.

The next trial court hearing is set for Tuesday, while the Lahore High Court is expected to take up the immunity case again on March 14.

Coalition troops acknowledge killing Afghan boys in error

Kabul, Afghanistan – Troops in attack helicopters that belong to the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan mistakenly killed nine boys Tuesday with machine-gun and rocket fire, thinking that the children were Taliban insurgents, the international forces acknowledged Wednesday.

U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, ordered all field commanders and helicopter crew members to study their orders again on when coalition aircraft can open fire on people on the ground.

The boys, ages 7 to 13, were collecting firewood in the Pech valley in Kunar province at 11:30 a.m. local time Tuesday when they were targeted, said Fazlullah Wahidi, the provincial governor. Petraeus said the tragedy seemed to have resulted from a mistake in passing the location of suspected terrorists to the helicopter crew, which was responding to a rocket attack on a base in the province.

“These deaths should have never happened, and I will personally apologize to President Karzai when he returns from his trip to London this week,” Petraeus said in a statement.

The coalition was investigating the killings, and it said that disciplinary action against the service members involved was possible.