Lashkar-e-Taiba: The Next Al Qaeda?, Radical Islamism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Radical Islamism and Jihad

Lashkar-e-Taiba: The Next Al Qaeda?

By Jeremy Kahn

Feb 26, 2010

While the U.S. remains focused on hunting down Al Qaeda's original leadership along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, a lesser-known Islamic militant group has emerged as potentially the most dangerous terrorist outfit on the planet. For more than 15 years Lashkar-e-Taiba, known widely as LeT, has been targeting Indian interests, particularly in the disputed territory of Kashmir. But Western and Indian intelligence experts say LeT now has a growing interest in attacking foreigners and expanding its reach on a global scale—and that the group has the capability to carry out devastating attacks beyond India. At a U.S. Senate intelligence--committee hearing in February, Dennis Blair, the director of national intelligence, said LeT is now "becoming more of a direct threat," and "placing Western targets in Europe in its sights." Its "willingness to attack Jewish interests and locations visited by Westerners," he said, "raise[s] concerns that either the group itself or individual members will more actively embrace an anti-Western agenda."

To some analysts, LeT may be an even greater threat than Al Qaeda because of its technological sophistication, its broader global recruiting and fundraising network, its close ties to protectors within the Pakistani government, and the fact that it is still a less high-profile target of Western intelligence. Since about 2003 its fingerprints have been found on anti-Western attacks and plots from Afghanistan to Iraq, Dhaka to Copenhagen. And the choice of targets in LeT's most spectacular operation to date—the carefully choreographed November 2008 assault on Mumbai, including luxury hotels popular with Western travelers and a Jewish center—have been cited by Blair and other top U.S. officials as a sign of LeT's increasing interest in attacking the West. "In Mumbai the targets they went after were the targets of the global jihad," says terrorism expert and former CIA officer Bruce Riedel. Shortly after Mumbai, Pakistani authorities arrested alleged LeT communications specialist Zarar Shah and reportedly discovered on his laptop a list of 320 potential targets, most of them outside India. They included sites in Europe, says a Western intelligence official.

http://newageislam.com/lashkar-e-taiba--the-next-al-qaeda?-/radical-islamism-and-jihad/d/2522

Maharashtra fugitive emerges as 26/11 suspect, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad,

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

Maharashtra fugitive emerges as 26/11 suspect

By Praveen Swami

NEW DELHI: Mumbai police investigators say they may have succeeded in putting a face to an until now unidentified Indian Lashkar-e-Taiba operative who played a key role in guiding the operations of the team that attacked Mumbai in November 2008.

Based on information provided by India’s intelligence services, as well as interviews with arrested jihadists, police believe the Indian national in the Lashkar’s control room could be Syed Zabiuddin Syed Zakiuddin Ansari, a Lashkar-linked Maharashtra resident, who has been a fugitive since 2005.

The unidentified Indian operative was one of several Lashkar personnel who used Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) links to provide orders to the assault team. Last month, The Hindu broke the news that one of the operatives in the control station spoke Mumbai-inflected Hindi, in stark contrast to the Punjabi used by the others.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the Lashkar terrorist arrested in the course of the assault, said his team had been trained by an Indian national identified as Abu Jindal — the alias also used by the unidentified controller, and a nom de guerre known to have been adopted by Ansari in the past. Police say Ansari played a key role in a plot to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, an operation meant to avenge the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat. Ansari is alleged to have been the key leader of an Aurangabad-based Lashkar cell, which received assault rifles and military-grade explosives from Pakistan to stage an attack which would have closely resembled the Mumbai operation.

http://newageislam.com/maharashtra-fugitive-emerges-as-26/11-suspect/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/2440

Fusion Of Crime And Terror, Current affairs, NewAgeIslam.com

Current affairs

Fusion Of Crime And Terror

Criminal syndicates often already possess the operational expertise needed to engage in terrorist acts. They may already employ terrorist specialists to transfer money, purchase weapons, build bombs, and eliminate rivals. The D-Company seems transformation from a profit-motivated criminal syndicate to a fusion crime-terror organization proves this point.

The US has at last recognised the ‘criminal terrorism fusion model’ 17 years after Dawood Ibrahim planned and executed the Mumbai bombings in which at least 258 people were killed. A US Congressional Research Service report, International Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Security Threats, US Policy, and Considerations for Congress, provides a fascinating overview of the criminal-terrorist nexus. The following are excerpts from the report pertaining to the chief of the infamous D-Company:

Over time, a purely criminal group may transform, adopting political goals and new operational objectives. These organisations can form alliances with existing terrorist organisations or foreign Governments to help achieve their strategic aspirations. Or they can initiate, direct, and perpetrate terrorist attacks without external assistance, resulting in the group becoming labelled a terrorist organisation.

Criminal syndicates often already possess the operational expertise needed to engage in terrorist acts. They may already employ terrorist specialists to conduct surveillance, transfer money, purchase weapons, build bombs, and eliminate rivals.

http://newageislam.com/fusion-of-crime-and-terror/current-affairs/d/2393

From Karachi, with love, Islamic Society

Islamic Society

From Karachi, with love

By-Rafia Zakaria

The Karachi I grew up in was haunted by memories of Mumbai. My father, grandparents and aunts had all left Mumbai in the decades after Partition, chasing jobs and the promises sold to the Muslims of the subcontinent. At every dinner table conversation, every afternoon tea reminiscence, and every late night stroll, we were accompanied by the omnipresent ghost of Mumbai. Against the mythic Mumbai of their memories, Karachi always fell short: the fish was fresher in Mumbai, my father sighed, and the nights were cooler, my grandmother complained.

The imagined Mumbai that punctuated my Karachi childhood was an idyll of fresh food, better infrastructure, kinder people and those glorious Bollywood movies that lit up our screens courtesy of borrowed VCRs. Impressionistic remembrances muted all dissonance. The imagined Mumbai my father brought with him had been delivered of the daily annoyances that everyday life in the city would undoubtedly have had.

The Karachi of my childhood thus existed very much in relation to and in conversation with a Mumbai whose reality for me was only defined by other people’s recollections. Saddened by the discontent of the transplanted grown-ups, I wanted to exorcise the ghost that seemed to be the ever present lament of my father that inevitably distanced him from loving Karachi, the only city I knew and loved. How could he love me and not love Karachi, I wondered? My twin brother and I, united in our devotion to Karachi would mount vehement arguments in its favour. Our childish reasons for loving Karachi were constructed both from our childlike love for the only home we knew and the propaganda about India that we were regularly fed at school.

http://newageislam.com/from-karachi,-with-love/islamic-society/d/2152

Emraan Hashmi’s complaint: Muslims shunned, Why?, Islamic Society, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic Society

Emraan Hashmi’s complaint: Muslims shunned, Why?

By Dr. Mookhi Amir Ali

5 Aug 2009

However, it does not make sense to be in such a vehement denial of the realities which the wonderful young men Shahrukh and Salman apparently are. I was heartbroken when I went looking for a flat to buy, as my own building was being redeveloped. Emraan Hashmi was not given the NOC to buy the flat he wanted, but he was not told on his face that the reason for refusal was his faith. I was told so on my face. I saw to my dismay that there are many buildings in the suburbs of Mumbai who do not want a Muslim inmate. There are vast areas where groups of Housing Societies have jointly decided not to let a Muslim live in their locality. Local estate agents have been instructed not to bring in Muslim buyers. In one suburb an estate agent rattled the names of the buildings which were out of bound for Muslims. All this hurt me no end. I have not discussed this with any of my Hindu friends. I have felt embarrassed and humiliated to face the fact that my community is so expansively shunned. But unless the community continuously wants to wallow in the quagmire it is in, it must rise and face the facts, do some soul-searching, go into the reasons of their malady and do some course-correction. The likes of Shahrukh, Salman, Saif and Shabana should take the lead.

http://newageislam.com/emraan-hashmi%E2%80%99s-complaint---muslims-shunned,-why?/islamic-society/d/1603

Some reflections on Mumbai Terror and the Indian Muslims, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

Some reflections on Mumbai Terror and the Indian Muslims

NEW DELHI: They wore black ribbons, carried placards of peace, sent out emails and SMSes reiterating harmony, and put up banners saluting those who died in the 26/11 terrorist attack. From Chennai's Thousand Lights Mosque to Delhi's Jama Masjid, from Khwaza Banda Nawaz dargah in Gulbarga, to the mosques of Mumbai — Bakr-Eid celebrations were subdued, in a symbolic declaration of Muslim protest against terrorism.

"At every dargah, prayers were said for the grieving families in Mumbai. In Ajmer Sharief, Kaliyar Sharief (Uttarakhand) and Barabanki's Deva Sharief, the community came together burying their differences to focus on one thing: communal harmony. By showing our unity, we have spoilt the terrorists' Bakr-Eid," said Qari Mohd Miya Mazhari, editor, Secular Qayadat.

The festival of sacrifice also became a platform of protest both for celebrities as well as ordinary citizens.

In Mumbai, cerebral star Aamir Khan wore a black band on his arm. So did 'Jab We Met' director Imtiaz Ali, lyricist Javed Akhtar and his actor-director son, Farhan Akhtar. A news agency reported that other Bollywood biggies such as Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan too preferred to stay away from the festivities.

Some Muslims even avoided festival purchases such as new clothes. The trustee of Mumbai's Khar Jama Masjid, Zafar Iqbal, sent 500 emails and 250 SMSes reaffirming Islam's peaceful tenets.

http://newageislam.com/some-reflections-on-mumbai-terror-and-the-indian-muslims-/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/1045

Indian Muslims: A wonderful model and challenge to the rest of humanity, Islam and Pluralism, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Pluralism

Indian Muslims: A wonderful model and challenge to the rest of humanity

Media silent as Indian Muslims forego holiday

By Marc Gopin

Washington, DC - Millions of Muslims across India decided to temper or even cancel festivities on their most cherished week of holy yearly celebrations, Eid al-Adha, which commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son in obedience to God and His mercy upon him as a result, in protest of violent acts committed in the name of Islam by the criminals who murdered so many in Mumbai.

According to a Times of India article, "They wore black ribbons, carried placards of peace, sent out emails and SMS's reiterating harmony and put up banners saluting those who died in the 26/11 terrorist attack.

Some Muslims even avoided festival purchases such as new clothes. From Chennai's Thousand Lights Mosque to Delhi's Jama Mosque, from the Khwaja Banda Nawaz Dargah (shrine) in Gulbarga to the mosques of Mumbai – Eid celebrations were subdued, in a symbolic declaration of Muslim protest against terrorism.

"At every shrine prayers were said for the grieving families in Mumbai. In the cities of Ajmer Sharief, Kaliyar Sharief (Uttarakhand) and Barabanki's Deva Sharief, communities came together burying their differences to focus on one thing: communal harmony. By showing our unity, we have spoilt the terrorists' Eid," said Qari Mohd Miya Mazhari, editor of the Urdu daily, Secular Qayadat.

http://newageislam.com/indian-muslims--a-wonderful-model-and-challenge-to-the-rest-of-humanity/islam-and-pluralism/d/1056

Antulay’s empty mind is a devil’s workshop: Time to recoup national unity, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Antulay’s empty mind is a devil’s workshop: Time to recoup national unity

By Sultan Shahin, editor, NewAgeIslam.com

What had happened was so obvious, so public, and with one terrorist captured alive, one would have thought, there would be no room for conspiracies this time. But conspiracy theories started swirling around within hours of the attack. Dangerous individuals with dangerous and completely baseless conspiracy theories started peddling their wares. Some Muslim intellectuals and Urdu newspapers editors initially lapped them up. But as the fog of whatever little misunderstanding there was cleared up, most Urdu newspapers too refrained from publishing these conspiracy theories. The nation was one and unified as seldom before after such a heart-wrenching tragedy. Mumbai Muslims refused to bury the Pakistani dead in their burial grounds, saying such dastardly killers and terrorists cannot be Muslims and do not deserve a Muslim burial. Muslims all over the country toned down Eid celebrations, merely going through the rituals, as they did not have the heart to celebrate Eid when the nation was in mourning. Describing the mood of unity I wrote a column titled: Indian Muslims’ maturity, deft govt. handling staves off a crisis: Time for the West to watch in awe India’s ‘unified response to terror’ This was posted on 10 Dec 2008 and is available at:http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1044

http://newageislam.com/antulay%E2%80%99s-empty-mind-is-a-devil%E2%80%99s-workshop--time-to-recoup-national-unity/war-on-terror/d/1073

Massacre in Mumbai: L-e-T role clear. Should Muslims continue to be in denial?, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

Massacre in Mumbai: L-e-T role clear. Should Muslims continue to be in denial?

It is 4AM in India right now. I am in Mumbai reporting from the ground. I have not slept a wink. Mumbai is under attack. People and forces who killed Mahatama Gandhi, who demolished the Babari Mosque have triumphed. More than 16 groups of terrorists have taken over Taj, Oberai and several hotels. Hundreds of people are dead. For the first time no one is blaming Muslim organizations. The Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare and other officers of the ATS have been killed. These were the same people who were investigating the Malegaon Blasts--in which Praggya Singh, an army officer and several other noted personalities of the BJP-RSS-Bajrang Dal-VHP were arrested. Karkare was the man to arrest them. Karkare was receiving threats from several quarters. LK Advani, the BJP chief and several other prominent leaders of the so-called Hindu terrorism squad were gunning for his head. And the first casualty in the terrorist attack was Karkare! He is dead--gone--the firing by terrorists began from Nariman House--which is the only building in Mumbai inhabited by Jews. Some Hindu Gujaratis of the Nariman area spoke live on several TV channels--they openly said that the firing by terrorists began from Nariman house. And that for two years suspicious activities were going on in this house. But no one took notice.

http://newageislam.com/massacre-in-mumbai--l-e-t-role-clear.-should-muslims-continue-to-be-in-denial?--/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/1030

Suspect SIMI? Of course!, Radical Islamism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Suspect SIMI? Of course!

Indian Muslims must recognise the organisation for what it is: against secular democracy

By Javed Anand

Posted online: Saturday, August 16, 2008

What about yet another ex-SIMI-man, Kanpur’s Haji Mohammed Salees, horrified by what he saw and heard at SIMI’s “Ikhwan Conference” in his city in October 1999? Among the things that shocked Salees was reportedly the war cry of the seven-year-old Gulrez Siddiqui before an audience of over 20,000 people: “Islam ka ghazi, butshikan/ Mera sher, Osama bin Laden (The warrior of Islam, the destroyer of idols/ My lion, Osama bin Laden)”. Those who addressed the gathering, long-distance telephonically, were Hamas founder, Sheikh Yaseen, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, and the imam of the al Aqsa mosque, Israel/Palestine. “It was all a shock for us. We realised they are developing international links. We distanced ourselves,” Salees has said

Two years later, at a gathering of 25,000 Muslim youths in Mumbai, SIMI reiterated that the time has come for Indian Muslims to launch an armed jihad in India with the establishment of an Islamic caliphate as the ultimate aim.

Don’t believe any of them? What about SIMI’s own posters plastered in the by-lanes of Muslim mohallas across the country following the demolition of the Babri mosque, with an invocation: “Ya Ilahi, bhej de Mahmood koi (Oh Allah, send us a Mahmud)”. Who does not know that the reference was to Mahmud Ghaznavi whom fanatics revere as a “But Shikan (Destroyer of Idols)”

http://newageislam.com/suspect-simi?-of-course!/radical-islamism-and-jihad/d/568

Don't mess with my madrasa: “A madrasa must not be rich enough to become corrupt”, Islamic Society, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic Society

Don't mess with my madrasa: “A madrasa must not be rich enough to become corrupt”

Mohammed Wajihuddin,TNN

Maulana Qasmi is among the swelling army of clerics who have resolved to stonewall the government's bid to modernise the madrasas. Last year, the Centre, under the aegis of the National Commission for Minority Institutions (NCMI), proposed the establishment of a central madrasa board to bring thousands of Islamic schools across the country into its fold. The heated debate generated then has again sprung to life with NCMI'S chairman, Justice MSA Siddiqui, undertaking an extensive tour of the country to advocate modernisation of the madrasas.

Last week, Justice Siddiqui was in Mumbai, where he met half a dozen ulema and Muslim NGOs. Stressing that there was no coercion ("We will not push the board down the throat of the community; we are merely asking clerics to read the proposed Central Madrasa Board act and give objections and suggest changes"), he said that the affiliation to the board would be optional. The board itself, once ratified by an act of Parliament, will get a corpus of Rs 500 crore from the government—good money which can put the perennially cash-starved madrasas into modernisation mode with computers, trained faculty for science, mathematics and English at al.

http://newageislam.com/don-t-mess-with-my-madrasa--%E2%80%9Ca-madrasa-must-not-be-rich-enough-to-become-corrupt%E2%80%9D/islamic-society/d/206

Troubled Torpor, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Troubled Torpor

By Ajai Sahni

Editor, SAIR; Executive Director, Institute for Conflict

Management

The ‘Indian Mujahiddeen’ – probably a front for a Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) combine – claimed responsibility for explosions in an email message sent out to media organisations minutes before the explosions. The email was traced back to an account held by an American corporate executive located in Mumbai, and initial reports suggest the account was probably hacked. The Indian Mujahiddeen has claimed responsibility for two earlier incidents – the serial blasts in court compounds in Faizabad, Lucknow and Varanasi on November 23, 2007; and the serial blasts in Jaipur on May 13, 2008. While investigations are far from conclusive in both these incidents, there is a wide range of corroborative evidence that suggests that both these incidents were orchestrated by cadres drawn from the HuJI and SIMI.

http://newageislam.com/troubled-torpor/war-on-terror/d/340