Fai released on bond

Prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Ghulam Nabi Fai who was produced before a US court today has been released on US $100,000 bond.
Fai, who appeared before the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia for a detention hearing today, was released into the custody of his wife and placed under home detention.
The FBI, which arrested Fai last week on charges of being an ISI agent who lobbied for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue in the US, had carried extensive search of his home in Fairfax, Virginia – a suburb of Washington – and the office of Kashmir American Council (KAC) in Washington, a few blocks away from the White House.
62-year-old Fai, headed KAC, which espoused the cause of Pakistan on Kashmir and campaigned against India in the US.
US Attorney Gordon Kromberg informed the Alexandria court and defence attorney that he "intends to offer into evidence" or even disclose in proceedings information obtained and derived from electronic surveillance and physical search conducted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The FBI has alleged that Fai received money from the Government of Pakistan, the ISI in particular, to lobby on their behalf in the US.
FBI says he violated the law as he did not register himself or the KAC as registered agent for foreign government.
While neither the FBI nor the Department of Justice were willing to divulge any details of the material seized from his home and office.
However, it is learnt that federal agencies have obtained huge cache of material from Fai's residence and office which would strengthen its point that Fai worked for the foreign government in violation of the rule of the land.
US will not let Kashmiris down: Fai
Ghulam Nabi Fai, charged with illegally lobbying for Pakistan and its spy agency ISI to influence US policy on Kashmir, has said that people of Kashmir have no reason to fear from America.
"I say with fullest possible consciousness that the people of Kashmir have no reason to fear that the world powers in general, and the United States in particular, will let them down," Fai said in a written statement.
62-year-old Fai's attorney Khurram Wahid distributed copies of the written statement of the separatist Kashmiri leader after he was ordered to be released from prison and instead put under house arrest under electronic surveillance by a US District court judge.
"It has been my lifelong commitment to the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their religious background and cultural affiliations to help achieve the right of self-determination to decide their future. God willing I will continue to do that in days, weeks, months and years to come," Fai said.
In the statement, Fai lauded the traditional support of the United States to the basic principles of fundamental freedoms and democratic process and President Barack Obama's vision about the region of South Asia.
Wahid said that the statement was prepared after the court's order of his house arrest.