Ten Chinese caught spying in Kabul allowed to fly home

BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, January 6: The ten Chinese nationals who were arrested for spying in Kabul last month were allowed by Afghanistan to fly back to China on Saturday in a special aircraft arranged by the Chinese authorities, the Hindustan Times reported on its website today.

The Chinese Government is reported to have put diplomatic pressure on Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to procure the release of its nationals.

Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) had busted a Chinese spy ring last month, but kept the case a closely-guarded secret. On Tuesday, the NDS confirmed for the first time that the security agency did detain Chinese nationals for espionage.

At least two of the 10 spies were learnt to have been in touch with the Haqqani Network, the terrorist group that is blamed for many bloody attacks and doubles as the sword arm of the Taliban. The Haqqani Network is backed by Pakistan’s spy network, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

The NDS had initially declined comment on the detentions to the media in Afghanistan.

The official confirmation about the Chinese spy ring came on Tuesday after members of Wolesi Jirga, the Afghan House of Representatives, demanded answers from the NDS Chief Ahmad Zia Saraj to the news about the Chinese spy ring’s arrest, first reported by the Hindustan Times, an Indian newspaper published from here.

Saraj confirmed that a group of Chinese nationals had been arrested on charges of espionage in Kabul, the Afghan private news channel Ariana News reported. But he declined to give any more details.

“Yes, a group of Chinese has been arrested. But, due to it being a sensitive issue, I cannot share details,” the NDS chief told the lawmakers, according to the news channel.

The official confirmation, however, comes after Afghanistan came under pressure from President Xi Jinping’s Government, and allowed the 10 Chinese nationals to leave the country on Saturday.

Diplomats and security officials in Afghanistan believe that the 10 were linked to the Chinese intelligence agency, Ministry of State Security.

President Ashraf Ghani was briefed about the detentions right in the beginning in view of the sensitivities involved. First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, a former NDS chief who is credited with rebuilding the intelligence agency, was tasked to oversee the investigation and engage the Chinese.

Amrullah Saleh met the Chinese envoy to Kabul Wang Yu, and had initially conditioned their release on an official apology from Beijing.

The terms of the arrangement between the two countries are not known.

A diplomat in Kabul said President Ashraf Ghani may have been keen to wrap up the case as soon as possible before it lands in a position where Beijing’s adversaries, such as the US, use it to fire at China from his shoulders.