LAHORE: Pakistani police Friday rejected the self-defense claim of a US official who shot dead two men in broad daylight, accusing him of cold-blooded murder as a court extended his remand. A judge in the eastern city of Lahore ordered Raymond Davis be held in prison for 14 days. US lawmakers have threatened to cut payments to Pakistan, the beneficiary of $7.5 billion of aid and $2 billion in military aid, and Washington has warned that high-level dialogue is at risk unless Davis is freed. ABC News claimed US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon had threatened to expel Pakistan's ambassador to Washington, shut US consulates and cancel a forthcoming visit by the Pakistani president if Davis is not released. However, the US embassy and Pakistan's Ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani, denied the report. “It has been proved that Raymond Davis committed murder,” Lahore city police chief Aslam Tareen told a news conference, although he gave no motive. “It was cold-blooded murder. Eyewitnesses have told police that he directly shot at them and he kept shooting even when one was running away. It was an intentional murder,” Tareen said. Police said he was being sent to Lahore's high-security Kot Lakhpat jail and that the defense had demanded immunity on his behalf, saying he could not be put on trial, and requested court proceedings be held in camera. – Agence France
