ISI's Security Directorate was referred to as the 'library in Islamabad' while the phrase 'half a dozen Brylcreem' denoted a sum of USD 60,000 in a series of coded messages used by Kashmiri separatist Ghulam Nabi Fai to communicate with his handlers in Pakistan.
The separatist, who pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of spying for ISI and illegally lobbying to influence American policy on Kashmir, sent coded messages to his handlers and those related to money transfer matters to deceive American authorities, according to court documents.
So, if "The library in Islamabad" was the code for the ISI's Security Directorate, "157 page draft" was the code language for USD 157,000, says the court documents now part of the plea agreement between Fai, 62, and the US Government. Under the plea agreement Fai pleaded guilty to the two charges against him -- concealing from US authorities that he was acting on behalf of the ISI and the Government of Pakistan and secondly violation of tax laws.
In his communication, "Seeing the doctor" referred to seeing (Zaheer) Ahmad, and was regarding money. The phrase "visiting the doctor" was coded language for "arranging money to be sent by Ahmad to Fai," and that the reference "1:50" represented the amount USD 150,000," it said.
Federal prosecutors said that Fai, between 1990 and 2011, received more than USD 3.5 million from the ISI with Ahmed being the via medium. During one of the transfers of money, "fifteen copies" was the code for USD 15,000 and "two" meant USD 200,000. "On August 30, 2009, Khan e-mailed Fai that Khan 'saw the doctor' and that '(the doctor's) consultation fee has increased by rupees 150'".
Khan's use of the phrase "saw the doctor" was a coded reference to the fact that Khan had spoken with Ahmad, and approved the funding request that Fai made to him for USD 150,000 on August 4, 2009, the statement said. Javeed Aziz Khan also known as "Brigadier Abdullah ('Khan')" was the ISI handler of Fai in Islamabad.
The affidavit filed by the FBI against Fai in July also referred to many of these coded messages of communication. For instance the 'Tall Man' was the ISI Major General Mumtaz Ahmad Bajwa, 'Mir Saheb' was Mahmood.
Many of these coded languages were in medical terminology. For instance '30 plus' was the coded reference to USD 30,000 for Fai. "Brylcreem, 75 miligram" was the coded language for USD 75,000; while "half a dozen Brylcreem" was the code for 60,000. "Last edition" meant last instalment of the money. According to the affidavit, April 7, 2011, Lieutenant Colonel Touqeer Mehmood Butt wrote an email to Fai saying, "Likely to meet with friend Doctor today for need full".
Fai responded the next day by writing "Doctor Sahib already informed me that Aspirin was the right medicine which has been delivered". The next day, Butt wrote back, "Go as per the advice of doctor, but keep the dose low".
"I believe that Fai and Butt were using coded language to discuss Fai's financial transactions with Ahmad, and that Butt was warning Fai not to spend (or request) too much money," Sarah Webb Linden, the Special FBI Agent, said in her affidavit to the court in July. In another email, Fai's ISI handler Butt asked Fai for additional information to "complete my update for elders".
Linden said by this phrase Butt was briefing Fai's information up his chain of command and that Fai was aware his information had a greater audience than just Butt.