Specter Calls for United Nations Investigation into Bhutto’s Death

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) today sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon regarding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

“In light of the uncertainty on who assassinated former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the impact of her assassination on the pending Pakistani elections, I urge the United Nations, either alone or in conjunction with the Musharraf government of Pakistan, to appoint an investigating commission,” Specter wrote.

Senator Specter suggests that investigative bodies such as the FBI and Scotland Yard would be willing to undertake an investigation under the name of the United Nations.


Full text of the letter follows.

January 2, 2008

The Honorable Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, New York 10017

Dear Secretary-General:

In light of the uncertainty on who assassinated former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the impact of her assassination on the pending Pakistani elections, I urge the United Nations, either alone or in conjunction with the Musharraf government of Pakistan, to appoint an investigating commission.

Since President Musharraf has already suggested an international investigation, joint action by the U.N. would be consistent with Pakistani sovereignty. Even without the voluntary joinder of the Musharraf government, it is obvious that a U.N. investigation would have greater public credibility.

In making this recommendation, I recollect the action taken by President Lyndon Johnson within seven days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to appoint an independent investigating commission.

As you may know, Representative Patrick Kennedy, member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-RI), and I were scheduled to meet with Ms. Bhutto at 9 pm on Thursday, December 27th. She had called for that late meeting because she was fully engaged in campaigning that day. As Representative Kennedy and I were preparing to depart for a dinner with President Musharraf at 7pm and the later meeting with Ms. Bhutto, we were informed of her assassination.

I am further concerned by a report in the Boston Globe from January 2, 2008 picking up a Washington Post story by Griff Witte and Emily Wax which says:

“Senator Latif Khosa, a lawmaker from Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party, said she had planned to give the lawmakers (referring to Representative Kennedy and myself) a report outlining complaints on ‘pre-poll rigging’ by Musharraf’s government and the military-run Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate.”

In a matter of this sort, it is to be expected, based on what happened following the assassination of President Kennedy, to have a wide range of allegations and conspiracy theories.

It would be expected that expert investigative bodies like the FBI and Scotland Yard and other national, reputable investigating organizations would be willing to undertake such an investigation under the name of the United Nations.

Sincerely,


Arlen Specter

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