Study in Islamic Technology. BE - Bomb Engineering
M.B.B.S. - Member of Bomb Blasting Society IIT - Islamic Institute of Terrorism CAT- Career in Alqaeda and Taliban MTech - Masters in Terror Technology LLB - Learning Liscence of Bomb Blasting BSc- Bio Weapon Science --- On Tue, 12/2/08, Sukla Sen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Sukla Sen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [rti_india] Mumbai Terror: Some Reactions from beyond the Border and Implications To: [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 1:01 PM Mumbai Terror: Some Reactions from beyond the Border and Implications [The fact that when the terror struck Mumbai that the Foreign Minister from Pakistan was on an official trip to India is a crucial element in the jig-saw puzzle as much as the testimony of the captured terrorist and other evidences. That Pakistan itself is severely afflicted by terrorism - Benazir lost life at the hands of the Islamists less than a year back and J W Marriott in Islamabad with large number of high profile foreign nationals was truck bombed just about two months back - are other elements which must be kept in mind as much as the bombing of Indian Embassy in Kabul. The recent changes that have taken place in Pakistan - a democratic government in place talking peace and sever financial crunch calling for international bail-out - as against the dubious role the ISI and the Army are reported to play must not be just glossed over. Condoleezza rice is rushing to India. Maybe she would also visit the neighbour. Maybe not. But she is expected while trying to restrain India, "persuade" Pakistan to cooperate in the investigation in a more transparent and meaningful manner. The international community cannot but be gravely concerned about the spine-chilling consequences of heightening tensions between two nuclear neighbours. The forthcoming election and shrill noises raised by the dark and sinister forces within pushing the country continually to the brink understandably complicates the situation further. But this crisis also paradoxically offers a window of opportunity of working out a regional approach to eliminate the scourge of terrorism and much else by building bridges, to begin with, even if under the compulsion of circumstances. It'd be highly imprudent, nay utterly criminal, to let this opportunity slip away by falling easy prey to insane blood lust. Sukla] I/II. http://www.antiwar. com/ips/sarwar. php?articleid= 13834 November 29, 2008 Empathy, Grief in Pakistan at Mumbai Mayhem by Beena Sarwar KARACHI - The terrorist attacks unleashed in the Indian port city and financial hub of Mumbai continue to reverberate through Pakistan at a personal level and on the media. The crisis, that began Wednesday night and lasted through Friday, dominates conversation, newspaper headlines, television coverage and Internet chatter on indigenous websites and e-mail lists run by Pakistanis at home and abroad. As a frontline state in United States' global "war on terror" Pakistan is only too well acquainted with the effects of terrorism, with such attacks in the country having more than doubled and the number of deaths quadrupling from 2006 to 2007, according to a report released in May by the US State Department. However, even the most high profile attack in Pakistan which destroyed the Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad on Sep. 20, that some analysts termed Pakistan's "9/11," pales in comparison to the events in Mumbai that have claimed over 155 lives already, that many are now calling India's "9/11." A group of at least 25 men armed with assault rifles and handgrenades attacked 10 sites in Mumbai and then barricaded themselves inside two of the city's finest luxury hotels, the heritage Taj Mahal and the Oberoi Trident, as well as a building housing a Jewish center. By the time commando squads flushed out the buildings, 155 people lay dead, among them eight foreigners. The final death toll may well reach 200, according to officials. There has been widespread condemnation in Pakistan against the violence in Mumbai, from ordinary people and non-government organizations as well as from the Pakistan government which has offered "complete cooperation" and support to India to fight the menace. The Mumbai attacks, hitting in the midst of the fifth round of the ongoing composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, are likely to have wide-ranging repercussions for India and Pakistan relations and for the international community at large. Analysts note that such attacks tend to take place whenever the South Asian neighbors are engaged in talks and peace initiatives. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had barely started his four-day visit to New Delhi to review the dialogue process when the attacks took place. Pakistan and India tend to blame each other for terrorist activities within their borders, although over the past year they have been less quick to point fingers. This time too, New Delhi did not immediately blame Pakistan, but later claimed to have arrested a militant with Pakistani links. The Pakistan government has strongly denied involvement. Commentators in Pakistan point to the huge intelligence failure in India to detect the amassing of arms and training that have enabled such a large number of militants to hold Mumbai hostage for over two days now. They also criticize New Delhi's apparent reluctance to look within India's own borders at its various indigenous insurgencies. "All of India's intelligence agencies have failed," comments Farrukh Saleem, who heads the Center for Research and Security Studies, an independent think tank in Islamabad, "The most critical element in their collective failure is their overwhelming focus on Pakistan-based militant groups." He believes that the intensity of this focus has allowed India's homegrown militant entities "to spread like wildfire" that, according to South Asia Terrorism Portal, afflicts at least 231 of India's 608 districts. These insurgent and terrorist movements include three distinct types, "left-wing extremist, separatist and religious," wrote Saleem in a front page analysis in daily The News on Nov. 28. "In 2006, a total of 2,765 Indians died in terrorism-related violence (that same year, 1,471 Pakistanis died similarly)." Another analyst, who declining to be named, suggests that South Asian countries band together for joint military operations in the areas known to be breeding grounds for militancy against the guerrilla groups operating in different areas in the region. In New Delhi, Qureshi stressed that India and Pakistan are both victims of terrorism. He said there was a need to strengthen the Joint Anti-Terror Mechanism and "revisit our strategies for peace and security of the region." "Terrorism is a global phenomenon. We in Pakistan deal with it on a daily basis," Qureshi said. "We will have to join all our resources to fight the menace." In an unprecedented gesture, Islamabad agreed to send its intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, the new director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to India at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's request. [The offer now stands somewhat modified, apparently under pressure from the Army.] Pakistan's civilian government in another groundbreaking move has recently disbanded the political wing of the ISI, often blamed for fomenting political trouble in the country and abroad. "I feel a great fear that (the Mumbai violence) will adversely affect Pakistan and India relations," prominent Karachi-based feminist poet and writer Attiya Daud told IPS. "I can't say whether Pakistan is involved or not, but whoever is involved, it is not the ordinary people of Pakistan, like myself, or my daughters. We are with our Indian brothers and sisters in their pain and sorrow." Daud said she is still in shock from the events in Mumbai, a city she has often visited. "Such a beautiful city, so many people's livelihoods and so much art and culture associated with it It is so painful to see what is happening there. I watch the television coverage and remember standing at one of those spots watching street theater..." Others, like Karachi-based businessman Tahir Siddiqui, believe that events in Mumbai will force greater cooperation not only between India and Pakistan but also between other countries engaged in combating terrorism. "Pakistan can't afford to open any more fronts," Siddiqui told IPS. "We have to cooperate in this fight. I think any support within Pakistan to militants will decrease significantly now, including in Kashmir." He added that the situation in Mumbai is "basically the symptom of a larger problem the imperialist world's continuing support to dictatorial regimes across the Muslim world, from Indonesia to Morocco. This lack of democracy marginalizes people and holds back development. This is a wake-up call to address these issues." On a personal level, what can citizens do? "Resist fear!" advocated Islamabad-based peace activist Shahid Fiaz in an email to friends in India and Pakistan. "I know how it feels when your cities are attacked. After the Marriot Hotel bombing and continued suicide bombings around the country, people go out less - markets and restaurants have a deserted look." Fiaz, who is on the National Council of the Pakistan-India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD), the largest people-to-people initiative between the two countries, told IPS that fear is what the terrorists want to achieve. "We need to come out and resist and tell terrorists that these are our cities, we own our cities and we are not scared!" "We in Pakistan understand and share the pain, anger and grief of the people of India, as we are also victims of terrorism including daily suicide bombings in one part of the country or the other," said Iqbal Haider, co-chairman of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and a former federal minister for law and human rights. "Instead of accusing each other, which will only help the real terrorists, the need of the hour is unity and understanding among the people of our region. We need to make concerted efforts to defeat the nefarious aims of these terrorists and eradicate these extremist religious militants or mafias from every nook and corner of South Asia." In the final analysis, what is certain is that there will be no progress towards peace without determined political will. (Inter Press Service) II. http://www.cbc. ca/world/ story/2008/ 11/27/f-vp- fatah.html# socialcomments Viewpoint Lament for Mumbai Tears as the city of joy burns Last Updated: Friday, November 28, 2008 By Natasha Fatah CBC New A particularly sinister type of evil crept into Mumbai this week. The type that stalks innocent people as they board commuter trains at a busy downtown station. The type that opens fire on families eating quietly at a cafe. The type that takes dozens of visitors and newcomers hostage while they are still coming to terms with a foreign land. It was with deep sorrow that I watched the news as the city of Mumbai burned. As those groups of highly organized, hate-filled young men stormed and destroyed some of the most glorious spots of that most beautiful city, a sense of hopelessness washed over those of us who love Mumbai. An attack on Mumbai is an attack on the very ideals of beauty, joy and harmony. It isn't just any other city, it is the cultural capital of South Asia and it has spread more happiness and artistry to the world than any other in the region. Where good guys win One of Mumbai's greatest contributions to the world, of course, has been Bollywood, the world's largest film and television industry. Each year thousands of over-the-top movies and soap operas are pumped out of that frantic place, enriching lives in ways that are not always readily apparent. Through the beauty of Urdu poetry, the gaggles of gorgeous dancing girls and the love triangles that always end with the good guy winning out, Mumbai has given millions in the developing world the idea of hope. While we in the West may take that for granted, the notions of possibility and love have been unattainable concepts for many in the developing world. Mumbai, its cultural capital, has allowed them to believe. What's more, it is not through state legislation or legal judgements that India celebrates its diversity. It is through Mumbai's movies that Indians and the rest of the world are reminded of just how tolerant a place India is.. In a country where Hindus are the overwhelming majority, Muslims actors dominate the leading roles alongside their stunning Hindu starlets; the romantic ballads in the film scores are written in Urdu, not Hindi; and in just about every movie the idea of religious diversity and acceptance is an underlying theme. City of harmony Mumbai has always been a city of harmony. It is also a city that has been much sought after by outsiders who have tried to reshape it. The Arabs, the Portuguese and the British have all tried to conquer Mumbai. But a conquest was not necessary. Mumbai, the Indian city of brotherly love has accepted them all and many millions more at the same time. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and Jews all call this place home. This attack on Mumbai is much more than a symbolic or political atrocity. For me, it is also very personal even though I have never actually visited the city itself. But Mumbai is where I come from. It is where my father's family has their roots and those roots run deep. My great-grandfather was the French consul in the city during the Second World War. When he married my great-grandmother, a French woman, they could have chosen to live in Europe. But London or Paris could not compete with Mumbai's beauty and culture. Religion as a source of friendship My grandfather was an artist, a poet and a musician and Mumbai has always been a city for artists. I've been brought up with stories of my grandfather enjoying a cup of tea at a popular Mumbai restaurant, maybe a restaurant like the Leopold Cafe, which was attacked. In his day, children would approach and ask him to sketch their portraits. He would go for long walks on the promenade singing a song from the latest film. He mixed and mingled with well-known film directors, movie producers and stars in the early days of the Mumbai film industry. My aunts and uncles fondly remember growing up in Mumbai in pre-partition days when religion was a source of friendship, not division. During the 1920s and 30s every Mumbai resident celebrated each religious holiday. Hindus marked the Muslim holiday of Eid as if it were their own religious celebration. Muslims brought in their new year with Diwali and threw about spring colours with their neighbours during Holi. Of course, once religion was used as a means of casting Indian against Indian, Mumbai became unstable. In 1947, India gained independence from the British and was split in two. That was when my family left for Pakistan. But even to this day, even though my father was born in Pakistan, in his heart his hometown is Mumbai. So while, looking on, we may have felt hopeless watching the events unfold at the Taj Mahal hotel or the Chhatrapati Shivaji train station, we must not lose faith in Mumbai. It has given so much hope and faith to so many others over the years. III. http://www.dawn. com/2008/ 12/02/top2. htm Zardari offers India unconditional help By Syed Irfan Raza ISLAMABAD, Dec 1: President Asif Ali Zardari again offered on Monday unconditional cooperation to New Delhi to investigate the Mumbai carnage after the Indian government formally accused elements in Pakistan of being involved in the incident. In response to allegations by the Indian media that there was a possibility that the banned Jehadi outfit Lashkar-i-Taiba was involved in Mumbai attacks, the president said security forces were already fighting the same and many other groups in the war on terror, sources close to Mr Zardari told Dawn. He warned that provocation by rogue non-state actors had posed a danger of war between the two countries. In his continued efforts to bring relations with India to normality, the president remained engaged on diplomatic and political fronts and he met Prince Karim Aga Khan and contacted some world leaders by telephone. During the meeting with Prince Aga Khan, he said Pakistan was ready to cooperate with India in investigation into the Mumbai attacks, but feared that statements being made by New Delhi could damage relations. The Aga Khan said both countries should show patience and continue the process of dialogue. In an interview with The Financial Times, Mr Zardari warned India against escalating tensions and said any confrontation would be disastrous for the war on terror because this would sap Pakistans efforts against militants on the Afghan border. The architects of this calamity in Mumbai have managed to raise a threat on our other (eastern) borders. As we have these people (militants) on the run along our western borders (with Afghanistan) , our attention is being diverted at this critical time, the president told the paper on telephone. In reply to a question about Indias allegation that the two dozen terrorists who had killed some 200 people in Mumbai belonged to Lashkar-i-Taiba, Mr Zardari said security forces had already been fighting militants linked to the outfit. We live in troubled times where non-state actors have taken us to war before, whether it is the case of those who perpetrated 9/11 attacks on the US or contributed to the escalation of the situation in Iraq. Emphasising the need for cooperation between Pakistan and India to fight terrorism, the president said: Now, events in Mumbai tell us that there are ongoing efforts to carry out copycat attacks by militants. We must all stand together to fight out this menace.According to Financial Times, Pakistan is worried that suspected foreign involvement in terror attacks in Mumbai would lead to a sharp deterioration of relations with India.. Deepening hostility between the two adversaries could lead Pakistan to defend its border with India more heavily, the newspaper added. GORDON CALLS ZARDARI British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called President Zardari and offered his governments assistance to help reduce tension between India and Pakistan. They discussed the situation in the region and bilateral ties. China has also assured Pakistan of moral, financial and material support in tackling the Mumbai fallout. In a message, the Chinese government said that it would assist Pakistan in any situation to overcome problems and challenges. Sources close to the president said the Chinese leadership was in constant touch with Pakistan to know the nature of assistance the latter requires and ensure its immediate availability. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani received a telephone call from his Italian counterpart, Silvio Berlusconi, who extended support to Pakistan in facing the situation. On the political front, almost all major political parties have expressed willingness to take part in a multi-party conference called by the prime minister on national security on Tuesday. Peace Is Doable Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger. yahoo.com/ invite/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! 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