Safe Haven" for Al Qaeda and Taliban in Pakistan

The strategic significance of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan stems from its perceived pivotal role in the stabilization of security in neighboring Afghanistan and the war against terrorism. The region is believed to be a “safe haven” used by the al-Qaeda high command for planning future terrorist acts against the US and the rest of the world. In addition, it has been the backyard for the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and a training ground for terrorists, especially suicide bombers. Recently, Michael Chertoff, the US Secretary for Homeland Security, is reported to have categorically stated that “(al-Qaeda) are using their platform in the frontier areas of Pakistan to train operatives.¹

In addition Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has stated that any future terror attack against US interests would most likely be carried out by Islamic militants based in Pakistan's restive tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.
Addressing a press conference he said that tribal groups with ties to Al-Qaeda in Pakistan's FATA area represent the worst security threat to the United States. He said, "I believe fundamentally if the United States is going to get hit, it is going to come out of the planning of the leadership in the FATA” specifically that of al-Qaeda.²

Admiral Mullen’s statement underlined the concern about the FATA region being used as the staging area for attacks against United States.

This paper aims to address the concerns about the FATA region, the impact of the indigenous Pakistan Taliban, and their role in aiding the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. It also seeks to understand the nature of the insurgency and the involvement of different actors in the area. The purpose is not to dismiss security concerns as fabricated and/or exaggerated, but to remember that the unrest in FATA is not only due to the Taliban but also to various other factors. The principal causes are the socio-economic deprivation of the people of the area and the failure to reintegrate the mujahideen fighters from the Afghan jihad back into mainstream society. Further, this piece draws attention to the fact that the instability in Pakistan’s FATA region is the result of conflict and insecurity emanating from neighboring Afghanistan, and not vice versa. Lastly, this study will conclude with recommendations regarding shortcomings in current strategies being employed to deal with unrest in the region, as well as chalking out a development plan that promises to mitigate regional insecurity by seeking the involvement of the Islamic states.

FATA, comprising seven semi-autonomous agencies and six settled frontier regions, has historically posed a governance nightmare for successive regimes. Militant tribes inhabit the FATA, and the rugged terrain of the region is ideal for guerrilla warfare. FATA’s 400 km long border with Afghanistan is porous with multiple unchecked crossing points. The close tribal links between the people on both sides of the border have made it virtually impossible to monitor cross border movement. Pakistan’s proposals to fence and mine the border have met with strong resistance from the Afghan government which fears that any such tacit agreement would be tantamount to accepting the contentious Durand Line as an officially recognized border.³

The prospects of a change in the security situation in the FATA region remain bleak, with overtures to engage the militant groups being met with skepticism and drawing sharp criticism in Washington. In fact, as a result of US pressure, efforts to initiate a dialogue have been shelved at present. This, in particular, relates to the negotiations with the Baitullah Mehsud led Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organization that includes different militant groups. The key TTP objectives include: enforcing the sharia, uniting against NATO forces in Afghanistan and carrying out “defensive jihad against the Pakistan army.”⁴ Mehsud has been categorical in declaring his intent to continue the jihad against the international forces in Afghanistan. This prompted the United States to voice its concern to Islamabad about the ongoing negotiations with the TTP. In an interview given to journalists in May 2008, Mehsud expressed his doubts about the future of any deal with the Pakistani government, stating that any such peace agreement is doomed unless the government changes its policies, stops being subservient to the US, and reasserts its sovereignty.

To make matters worse, in an incident on June 10, a US air attack on a paramilitary check-post killed 11 Pakistani soldiers, including an officer, in the Mohmand Agency. Pakistan reacted angrily even as the US maintained that it had informed them of the air strike conducted to counter an ambush attack on Afghan/coalition forces on the Afghan side near the border. A strongly-worded reaction from the Pakistani army described the attack as “completely unprovoked and cowardly” and “blamed the coalition forces for the violent act and said that the incident had hit at the very basis of cooperation and sacrifice with which Pakistani soldiers are supporting the coalition in the war against terror,” adding that “such acts of aggression do not serve the common cause of fighting terrorism.” The army emphasized that, “A strong protest has been launched by the Pakistan Army, and we reserve the right to protect our citizens and soldiers against aggression.”⁵ This attack is expected to have a detrimental effect on the confidence of the Pakistani Army as it relates to the need to cooperate with the Americans in the ongoing war against terrorism.

Military Operations in FATA

Faryal Leghari: "It is hoped that the international community, including the US, the EU, and especially the GCC states, will reach out to extend cooperation"

Pakistan first deployed its military in the FATA region in 2002 in an effort to expel foreign fighters, mostly those belonging to al-Qaeda and other affiliated organizations, as well as to counter the growing threat posed by local militants. The military operations in the region evolved over three distinct phases. In the first phase, the operations were focused on dismantling the al-Qaeda and Taliban networks. The second phase focused on the selective scouting of the Taliban, and the third stage dating from 2005 to the present (2008) has consisted of large military operations.

At present the total strength of the Pakistani armed forces deployed along the Afghan border is 100,000 soldiers, with two division-sized forces in Waziristan, despite the lull in military operations. The operations conducted by the armed forces in 2007-2008 included 38 surgical air strikes by the Pakistan Air Force/Army, and 25 ground operations that resulted in 930 militants being killed, of which 508 were foreigners.⁶ The withdrawal of the armed forces and removal of all military checkpoints in FATA as demanded by the TTP is highly unlikely. There were rumors of relocation and withdrawal in some areas but the officials have refuted these. At present, Bajaur, North and South Waziristan, and Mohmand – to some extent – continue to be the most troubled of the seven agencies comprising FATA.

Nature of the Insurgency in FATA and the Key Players

In trying to comprehend the evolution of the current situation, it is important to understand the imbalance in the power structures in the FATA region. Prior to 1979 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the power structure in the region had only two elements – the tribes and the Pakistani government. These two powerful elements co-existed peacefully and the governance of the region was designed around them. It was only after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent hasty departure of the international community from the scene that militant organizations, including jihadist militants of different nationalities, emerged. The traditional power structure was threatened by this violent third element, which led to a power struggle that erupted after the US-led attacks on the Taliban in October 2001. To date, this new element in the power structure has not adapted to nor been accepted by the traditional power setup in the region. In fact, the heavily financed and armed militants outmatched the tribal chiefs who stood up to them. They have killed approximately 120 tribal elders on charges of being spies of the Pakistani government and/or the Americans. It was only when it became clear that these militants had outmatched the Frontier Corps that the army was called in to control the situation.

The main reasons that have led to the emergence of this region as a flashpoint of extremism, terrorism and violent insurgency can be traced to the days of the liberation of Afghanistan and includes several failures on part of Islamabad and the international community. These include:

1) The failure to reintegrate the mujahideen (after the Afghan Jihad and ouster of Soviets);

2) The failure to provide the people of the region with desperately needed socio-economic resources, including basic facilities in health, education and communications ⁷; and

3) The failure to initiate reforms both at the political and administrative level in the FATA region.

The cumulative effect of these factors provided a fertile ground for the emergence of several players/groups that had clearly defined stakes in exploiting the situation.

Any effort to tackle the insurgency requires an understanding of the key local players, their strategic objectives and their linkages to other organizations or groups with vested interests.

Currently we can discern four categories of militants in the tribal areas.

1) The jihadists, who are called “purists”, and whose chief purpose is to fight jihad. For them, there is no difference between the Soviets and the United States/NATO, as they are all perceived as occupiers of an Islamic state. These people are believed to have no desire to indulge in anti-state or criminal activity. It is understood that these “purists” will cross over into Afghanistan to fight jihad. The particular nature of the regional terrain is conducive to their activities and their cross-border incursions are expected to continue.

2) The indigenous Pakistani Taliban, who have regrouped under Baitullah Mehsud’s Tehrik-i-Taliban, and like-minded smaller organizations and groups. The TTP’s emergence as an independent entity with a sophisticated organizational structure and operational capability was formally announced in December 2007. The group had been active in the FATA region, principally in the South Waziristan, Mohmand, and Bajaur Agencies for some years. The TTP has successfully engaged the Pakistan armed forces and currently supports Taliban operations in Afghanistan against NATO forces. This has resulted in other smaller militant groups, like Lashkar-i-Islam, joining them either as associated partners or as followers. Mehsud’s organization, which is reported to be 5,000 strong, has attracted many disbanded terrorist groups that are not confined to the FATA region. In fact, the TTP’s reach now extends to the settled areas of the NWFP, including the districts of Swat, Malakand, Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, D.I.Khan, Kohistan and Buner.⁸

3) The criminal groups who have assumed the mantle jihad in order to exploit the situation to the benefit of their criminal activities.

4) The “shadow” group whose identity is yet to be determined. This group is believed to be involved in attempts to reignite conflict when the situation calms down and some headway is being made in efforts to bring peace.

The multi-layered nature of the insurgency demands a similar approach in dealing with the actors involved. There is a need to strengthen the regional security forces including the police, the khassadars and the levies: ⁹ as an integrated force, they could deal effectively with the criminal elements and the smaller militant groups. In order to ensure the implementation of the strategy to deal with the insurgency, it is crucial to harness the support of the tribes. In fact, the government, by exploiting differences between the Uzbek militants and the Waziri tribes, waged a successful operation in March 2007 that resulted in the killing and expulsion of more than 300 Uzbeks from the area.

Failings of the US Strategy towards FATA

"The strategic significance of FATA of Pakistan stems from its perceived vital role in the stabilization of security in neighboring Afghanistan and the war against terrorism."

It seems that the US has failed in its “winning the hearts and minds” strategy; in fact, it has not even bothered to operate in this context in the FATA region. Conducting air strikes, dismissing civilian (and now military) casualties as “collateral damage”, and then expecting local people to be grateful for development aid seems presumptuous. While development funds are badly needed in the impoverished and radicalized region, the truth is that the tribesmen view any development aid from western quarters as blood money. There is evident hostility towards western aid, a fact exploited by the militants who have termed it haram and have vowed to wage all efforts to sabotage any such projects. As a result of the huge socio-economic deficit – a problem that can be partly considered a failure of the Pakistani government and partly of the international community that abandoned the region after the ouster of the Soviets from Afghanistan – the region has tilted towards extremism and terrorism. The conflict in Afghanistan became the cause for the consequent radicalization, terrorism, weapons proliferation and narcotics trafficking.

As if the missile attacks from an unmanned predator aircraft, which caused civilian casualties were not enough – it is now rumored that the Pentagon has planned ground operations in the tribal areas. It is beyond comprehension that Washington seems to have entirely disregarded realities on the ground. Instead, they reveal signs of panic by erring in their policy-making. Their rhetoric about successes in Iraq and control of the situation in Afghanistan is in contradiction to reality, and it seems that the policy makers in Washington are scrambling to take any measure that might indicate some semblance of control over the situation in these two countries.

In order to deter cross-border incursions by al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and to gain logistic support from Pakistan, the US should focus on increasing troops on the Afghan border. The villages that have sprung on the Afghan side of the border have been largely ignored by the coalition and Afghan security forces and are believed to also provide sanctuary and logistical support to the Taliban and others. Besides, the refugee problem (Pakistan hosted about 4 million Afghan refugees, of which about 2 million are still to be repatriated) needs to be addressed on an immediate basis.

The US and its allies should also focus on strengthening the institutional structures in Afghanistan and make concerted efforts to root out criminal and corrupt elements within the establishment. The Afghan Army and police trained by the international forces are expected to share more of the burden of the ISAF at some point later in 2008. However, this is not expected to have much of an impact on controlling the Taliban insurgency, as this is in actuality a nationalist movement. Rampant corruption at various levels within the system, ineffective central governance, and the disillusionment of the Afghan people with the establishment are also contributing factors.

The linkages between narcotics production and the insurgency are often discussed but have yet to be fully addressed. There is strong evidence that narcotics serve as the crucial financial supply-line for the Taliban and al-Qaeda. A hard-hitting strategy for narcotics eradication complemented by a viable alternative livelihood plan for the opium farmers is the need of the hour. In addition, the vested interests of international organized criminal groups, specifically the narco-mafia, in an unstable Afghanistan and Pakistan cannot be ignored.¹⁰

As for the Pakistani perception of the “War on Terror”, the truth of the matter is that the Pakistani people, in general, do not consider it their war; they feel they have been dragged into it. Despite being subjected to a wave of suicide attacks and the spread of Talibanization, they feel these are reactions to the government’s support of US policies. Instead of aggravating an already volatile situation by staging ground operations to hunt down al-Qaeda, the US should place the onus on the Pakistani military and beef up the regional security forces with technical training and intelligence support. Any air strikes to hit “high value targets” must be conducted only by the Pakistani armed forces, and these should be kinetic strikes with minimal civilian casualties. Pakistani intelligence services are already in close collaboration with the US and other allies, where intelligence information is shared with about 50 countries on a daily basis. This intelligence cooperation could be enhanced with added focus on the development of human intelligence in the area (FATA and other identified sensitive areas in Pakistan) aided by technical surveillance.

In reaction to the constant haranguing from Western sources regarding the role of the ISI and elements in the armed forces in helping the Taliban, Pakistan has recently issued a strong denial of such activities. It has taken particular exception to the report issued by the RAND Corporation entitled “Counter Insurgency in Afghanistan” which claims that there are Taliban sanctuaries inside Pakistan and that elements within the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Frontier Corps (FC) are providing arms and financial assistance to Taliban. Pakistan has also categorically denied that any of its officials or troops is helping insurgents and has rejected the report’s allegations. A statement issued by the Pakistani military denounced the report, stating that it, “is misleading, factually incorrect and based on propaganda to create doubts and suspicion in the minds of (the) target audience about Pakistan’s role in supporting the coalition forces in Afghanistan.”¹¹

As far as Pakistan is concerned, efforts to catch some of the key al-Qaeda planners and operators have met with considerable success in the past. However, the struggle promises to be a long one, for the organization has now grown into a movement. The strategy in the War on Terror should be to avoid the high-handed approach and the use of language that has generated hatred and extremism against the West in the past. It is naïve to expect that the unilateral use of force could lead to the eradication of terrorism. Recommendations have been made at the international level to address the root causes of grievances and injustices (perceived or real) that lead to radicalization and extremism. However, the growing spread of radicalization not only among the so-called madrassah trained youth but also among the educated classes portends that the problem will not be an easy one to resolve. In fact, there is a clear lack of strategy as well as a lack of commitment to implement and sustain plans geared towards resolving the region’s problems; the lack of understanding of the people, their culture and beliefs is another major problem.

On the other hand, as part of a comprehensive strategy, the US has planned to contribute over $2 billion, with a special development package worth $750 million including the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in the FATA region. The US has also drawn up a Security Development Plan estimated to cost $400 million for enhancing the capability of the Frontier Corps, thus improving security in the region.¹² These are commendable initiatives and are expected to yield dividends for the local people. However, as seen in the past, the implementation of such projects has faced obstacles, with a major portion of the funds going towards consultants’ fees in western capitals and very little trickling down to benefit the locals. Afghanistan is facing the same problem where reconstruction funds amount to a meager $7-8 billion compared to military costs of $80 billion. Implementation of such projects can be made acceptable to the people by involving Muslim countries that can play instrumental roles; this will be discussed below in more detail.

Pakistan’s Strategy towards FATA: Suggested Amendments

"The agriculture sector has been neglected due to the lack of resources"

The effort to use military deployment as a means of political negotiation and a facilitator of economic development has been absent from the strategy to deal with the situation in the tribal areas. A political strategy, drawn up in consultation with tribal elders, to spread awareness among the local tribes could clear up any misconceptions and mistrust created by the militants. At this point the presence of military forces in the region as a means to apply sustained pressure to deter any sabotage attempts is important.

Historical facts show that the unilateral use of the force has never been an answer to resolve the FATA’s problems. Though a military presence in the FATA eventually became a necessity, this has had an adverse effect on the administrative set-up as the authority of the political agent has been eroded.¹³ Taking punitive action against the tribes, including blockades and mass arrests, will not work and will likely lead to a worsened situation. In fact, the militants have welcomed blockades of the area as it deprives the locals of the area of their basic economic needs.

In order to rectify the present situation, there should be a graduated response. Political and administrative reforms need to be introduced with the possible merger of the region into the NWFP. (The government has proposed renaming the province, from NWFP, to ‘Pukhtookhwa’ as a first step in addressing the perceived neglect of the region). Until such time, the authority of the political agent must be restored.

As for negotiations with militants and peace agreements, the government needs to show resolve in standing by its objectives of not tolerating any type of activity against the state apparatus or violence against its citizens. Pakistan has expressed its inability to control incursions into Afghanistan on its own. It is only fair that Pakistan and Afghanistan should share the responsibility to stop such incursions. Further, NATO must act upon the government’s proposals to the ISAF command to post extra troops and check movements on the Afghan side of the border. While curtailment of the use of force against groups like the TTP is not a likely option in the foreseeable future, there should be a continuous effort to keep channels of communication and dialogue open with such groups.

Socio-economic Development in the FATA Region

The provincial government in the NWFP plans to initiate a $4 billion development fund for the Frontier province including the FATA region. This is in addition to the $2 billion Sustainable Development Fund (SDP) for the FATA region that could not be implemented due to a lack of resources and funds.

A key factor in the implementation of any development work in the region is consolidating and strengthening local support. It is important to reach an effective agreement with the tribes in the FATA region in order to implement development projects. This in turn will have far reaching implications, as the tribes will realize the benefits of these projects for their areas.

A comprehensive regional development plan encompassing training and provision of jobs, infrastructure, education, health, agriculture and trade development is urgently required. However, for immediate impact, providing jobs to the people from the area either locally or internationally is vital.

Any future development plans for the FATA should include the Islamic states, principally the GCC states, as integral partners with a leading role. This would be immensely beneficial in two ways. Firstly, it would counter the widespread hostility in the area towards western aid and the fears of a broader ‘design’ to subvert the people of the area from their religion and beliefs. Secondly, the locals, who would perceive these projects as an Islamic initiative, would resist sabotage attempts by militants. The projects would also address the concern about unemployed youth being drawn into extremism, as they would aim to provide jobs to young people. ¹⁴Much of the large youth population (approximately 15 percent in Waziristan alone) could also be provided jobs in the Gulf States with strict monitoring from the Pakistani side. Understandably the Gulf States would have security concerns as well, which would need to be addressed by Pakistan.

In fact, the export of labor from these areas to the GCC States would add to employment opportunities. The local tribes can be apportioned a quota that could be flexible and based on performance and good behavior. Providing training opportunities in remote areas could facilitate the recruitment of locals for un-skilled and semi-skilled labor. Mobile training teams would travel throughout FATA with tribal support in order create awareness among the local population about opportunities. The Political Agent and the tribal elders could also be involved in the process in order to facilitate the endeavor in addition to propagating the initiative regionally.

The existing recruitment centers in the Frontier Province and other parts of the country could be utilized for providing further training in various fields to those who have had some basic education and other technical training. It is expected that there will be a larger turnout for labor recruitment in the construction and services sector. This would be mutually beneficial for the FATA area and Pakistan as well as the Gulf States due to booming construction and real estate development in the Gulf. ¹⁵

A key area in dire need of resources is the transportation infrastructure, specifically roads. Any development in the roads network would have an immediate impact on the people’s lives and make the region more accessible. This would also boost trade and commerce in the region. Home to 3.96 million people, FATA suffers from a lack of development in the education, health, energy and agricultural sectors. The literacy rate for FATA is a mere 17.42 percent, according to a 1998 census, compared to 43.92 percent for the rest of Pakistan. The female literacy rate at three percent is the lowest in the country. ¹⁶

Similarly, the health sector also demonstrates poor indicators. The total number of hospitals in the entire FATA region is 33, with a further 301 dispensaries. Sadly, there is only one doctor for a population of 6,970.17

The agriculture sector has also been neglected due to a lack of resources. Addressing the issues of water scarcity, land reclamation and forestry development, the introduction of tunnel farming for off-season vegetables and fruits, and livestock farming could give a boost to overall development in the region. Similarly, the mining of coal, marble and other important minerals is a potential goldmine waiting to be tapped. The region also badly needs energy for village electrification and irrigation purposes. Additionally, tapping sources of hydroelectric power and solar energy is another area that could be explored.

Conclusion

"Tapping resources of hydroelectric power and solar energy is another area that could be explored"

Pakistan’s military cooperation with the US and coalition forces in Afghanistan is likely to continue despite the June 10 air strikes that have elicited a sharp reaction and created tension. However, the air strikes by US aircraft and coalition forces must be curtailed in the larger interest of winning this war. As stated earlier, it is advisable that Pakistani forces carry out any air strikes on targets inside Pakistan. The criticism of Pakistan’s efforts being aired in Washington has caused confusion leading to a debate in the country on whether or not the current situation is part of an induced destabilization process aimed at denuclearizing the country.

In any case, a genuine effort to completely root out extremism requires that the West revise its strategy. It is also mandatory that the internal dynamics of the FATA region be incorporated in any strategy that seeks to deal with the conflict situation.

Pakistan should step up efforts to implement political, administrative and judicial reforms in keeping with tribal traditions. There must be a concerted effort to dispel the feeling among the people that they are not part of the mainstream in the country. More importantly, the government should address their frustration and sense of socio-economic deprivation. As stated earlier, the use of military force should only serve as a supporting tool for implementing the political and economic strategies discussed above. However, it would also help to thwart the militants’ goal of exploiting the situation and recruiting people for extremist activities.

It is hoped that the international community, including the US, the EU, and especially the GCC states, will reach out to extend cooperation for the development of the FATA region. It should be kept in mind however, that there is no short cut to achieve the final objective. While measures implemented on an immediate basis could generate results and change perceptions, a multifaceted strategy that would work on different levels would need a long-term commitment and sustained resources. This is the responsibility the international community must commit to; for Afghanistan’s example is a stark reminder of how an unattended situation can disintegrate into chaos.

Notes:

1 BBC World News, June 1, 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7429699.stm

2 Geo Television Network, June 11, 2008.
http://www.geo.tv/6-11-2008/19148.htm

3 The Pak government, in the face of belligerent Afghan posturing about sending its forces to hunt down Taliban leaders like Mehsud and Mualvi Umer (there was an ambiguity about which “Umer” Karzai referred to, there is the Taliban leader Mullah Umer (Afghan) and then there is Maulvi Umer who is the spokesman of the TTP (Mehsud’s); had also propositioned NATO to increase vigilance on the Afghan side of the border. Border monitoring has to be a collective responsibility in this case and must be shared equally between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the International Coalition Forces.

4 Daily Times, December 16, 2007.

5 The News, June 12, 2008.

6 Information obtained from interviews with some high level Intelligence Officers in Islamabad, May 17, 2008. Identity cannot be disclosed as per prior understanding.

7 This socio-economic deprivation has led to rise in extremism and radicalization. As a result the Taliban and other militant organizations have been able to recruit much of the younger population as well as many of the returnees of the Afghan jihad.

8 The News, December 16, 2007.

9 The establishment of Federal Levies and Khassadrs in FATA and (tribal areas in Balochistan) was introduced by the British and has to date been maintained in order to exercise an effective control over the tribal people and for the maintenance of law and order in the tribal areas. The political agent holds the control of the federal levies and khassadars and runs the day to day affairs of policing the agency. Levies are the community police. They perform all functions that the regular police are supposed to do. Total strength of Federal Levies in FATA is 6785. Khassadar position is hereditary and incumbents carry their own weapons for the duty. Total strength of Khassadars working in NWFP & FATA is 17597.

10 It is believed that the Taliban in Afghanistan are being paid heavily by the organized crime groups running the narcotic trafficking network to allow safe passage of drug consignments to pass into Pakistan and Iran for trafficking to other destinations. The al Qaeda is also believed to be using narco money as a financial supply-line. The narcotics production and trafficking is now directly linked to the financing of the Taliban insurgency and the terrorist funding for al Qaeda and other associated groups. The international community needs to address this on an urgent basis.

11 The News, June 12, 2008

12 Shuja Nawaz, “Rethinking the War in Pakistan’s Borderlands,” The Huffington Post, March 13, 2008.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shuja-nawaz/rethinking-the-war-in-pak_b_91407.html

13 The Political Agent referred to here is the administrator appointed by the Governor of the NWF province and is in charge of running the administration of the agency. This setup has been implemented since the days of British Colonial rule has carried on successfully to date. Ironically with the increased military presence of the Pakistan Army, the role and authority of the Political Agent is now reduced to a nominal stature.

14 Some quarters assert that the GCC states do not fully respect labor rights and question the increased export of Pakistan labor force to the Gulf. Recent press reports also brought to light several incidents where protests over unpaid wages and proper accommodation were staged by the work force especially in the construction sector. This served as an eye opener causing some of these host states to review the problems and address the violations. Many of these workers who were found guilty of inciting and indulging in violence were deported as well. It is not correct to assume that there are no transgressions in the labor sector by private or semi private of even government owned companies but there is marked improvement and more openness about such issues. In fact several of the GCC states are on a self improvement drive.

15 In view of anti trafficking laws and labor reforms being implemented due to international concerns for expatriate labor communities in GCC states, and a desire to improve their image, many of the GCC states have seriously started to take measures to improve abuses within the labor sector. It is not expected to assume a model status but things have improved significantly over the years. It is also true as proved by a study conducted by Gallup Pakistan, that Pakistan labor force prefer the Gulf as a work destination due to closeness to home, perceived higher monetary returns and ideological reasons.

16 Directorate of Education FATA, NWFP, Pakistan Education Survey, 2004-05, Census Report of FATA, 1998.

17 Statistics provided by the FATA Secretariat, Year 2006.

This artice has been first published in Volume II, Issue 10 of Perspectives on Terrorism.

Faryal Leghari
Researcher
Gulf Research Center in Dubai

Al Qaeda Video Urges Muslims to Kill Saudi King for Hosting Interfaith Conference

Monday, July 28, 2008

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CAIRO, Egypt —  An Al Qaeda commander who escaped from a U.S. prison has posted a Web video urging Muslims to kill the Saudi king for leading an interfaith conference in Madrid earlier this month.

Abu Yahia al-Libi, who escaped from Afghanistan's Bagram prison in 2005, says "bringing religions together...means renouncing Islam."

Saudi King Abdullah sponsored the dialogue among Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists, and encouraged all faiths to turn away from extremism.

But al-Libi says "equating Islam with other religions is a betrayal of Islam." He calls for "the speedy killing of this tyrant."

The 43-minute video was posted late Monday on an Internet site frequently used by militants. Its authenticity could not be independently verified.

Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has also frequently lashed out at the royal family of his native Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally.

Jihadists Killed Christian Teacher, Had Planned To Kill American

Source: AP, 28 July

Indonesian terror suspects executed a Christian teacher in front of his family and were planning to assassinate an American language teacher before their arrest this month, a top anti-terrorism official and the suspects' lawyer said Monday.

The ten alleged militants have also told officers they were plotting to attack the Supreme Court to avenge the upcoming executions of the Bali nightclub bombers and attack a joint Singaporean-Indonesian military exercise, the security official said.  The revelations point to the resilience of Islamist militant networks in Indonesia despite a U.S.-backed crackdown that has netted more than 400 suspects in recent years and reduced the risk of more large-scale attacks on Western targets, most experts say.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Indonesia has been hit by a string of suicide bombings blamed on members and associates of the regional militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, including the 2002 nightclub bombings on Bali island that left 202 people dead, many of them foreign tourists. The last major strike was in 2005, also on Bali . The group of 10 militants were arrested in early July in a series of raids on Sumatra island. Officers have said one of the suspects was a Singaporean who trained in Afghanistan with al-Qaeda. Twenty bombs packed with live bullets were seized from the men. The men's lawyer Asludin Hatjani said Monday the group was responsible for shooting 59-year-old Dago Simamora, an Indonesian teacher, to death in front of his children last year in the south Sumatran town of Pekanbaru. The crime had previously been unsolved. "It's true, they did that," the lawyer told The Associated Press. He gave no motive for the attack.

Late Sunday, the anti-terrorism officer revealed the men were also planning to execute an American teaching English in the town of Sekayu , which lies just west of Pekanbaru. He identified the teacher by his first name of Samuel.  A teacher at the SMU-2 school in Sekayu confirmed a U.S. citizen called Samuel used to work there, but left several months ago. She did not give her name. The U.S. Embassy in the capital, Jakarta , declined comment.  The anti-terrorism officer spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, saying that revealing his identity would jeopardize ongoing anti-terror operations. Hatjani declined to comment on that allegation, saying interrogations were continuing.  The officer also said the group planned to detonate one of the devices in the car park of the Supreme Court in the capital, Jakarta , to coincide with the executions of three militants convicted in the Bali attacks.

Authorities say they expect to execute the trio before the beginning of September.

He also said the group was planning to attack a joint Indonesia-Singaporean military exercise at Baturaja, the Indonesian military's major combat training area. It is located in south Sumatra . The official declined to say how advanced the planning was in the operations.

Officers have previously said the group also planned to attack a cafe in the Sumatran tourist town of Bukittinggi , but aborted it at the last minute out of fears there would be too many Muslim casualties.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/28/asia/AS-Indonesia-Terror-Plot.php
(Comment: In this instance, at least, it would appear that Indonesian jihadis have learned that the wholesale massacre of their co-religionists is counterproductive and erodes support.  Targeting other religions and foreigners suggests a more refined targeting approach.)

India On Alert After Two Days Of Bombings Kill 46

Excerpt(s): “At least 16 bombs exploded in the Indian city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state on Saturday, killing at least 45 people and wounding 161, a day after another set of blasts in Bangalore killed a woman. Two more unexploded bombs were found in the city of Surat on Sunday, one of the world’s biggest diamond-polishing centres, located in Gujarat state, police said. A little-known group called the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad attack on Saturday. The same group said it carried out bomb attacks that killed 63 people in the western city of Jaipur in May. It is unusual for any group to claim responsibility, but India says it suspects militant groups from Pakistan and Bangladesh are behind a wave of bombings in recent years, with targets ranging from mosques and Hindu temples to trains.”

Context/Analysis: Gujarat is one of the wealthiest states in India , as well as one of the most ethnically and religiously divided. More than 2,500 people were killed in 2002 in sectarian riots, mostly Muslims attacks by Hindu mobs. Bangalore is the wealthy center of India ’s hi-tech industry.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP225114

 

Police Arrest Activist Of Banned Group In Connection With Ahmedabad Blasts

Source: New Delhi The Times of India Online in English 28 Jul 08

New Delhi: An activist of the banned militant outfit, Ahle Hadees [Ahle Hadith], has been arrested in connection with the serial blasts in Ahmedabad which was on the edge on Sunday [ 27 July] with a live bomb in the city being defused and another three found in Surat city as the death toll rose to 49.

            The arrested activist, identified as Abdul Halim and wanted in connection with 2002 post-Godhra riots, was picked up by the police from the communally-sensitive Dani Limda area in the walled city. He had remained elusive since the riots.

            What is Ahle Hadees?

            The terror outfit, Ahle Hadees, is an ultra conservative religious group that owes its allegiance to the Wahabi sect of Islam. The Ahle Hadees is known to have founded the dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba [Lashkar-e Taiyiba] militant outfit in Pakistan that is known to be behind several terror attacks in India .

            Many members of this group are also known to be part of the SIMI [Students Islamic Movement of India] cadre. Moreover, several Ahle Hadees activists have been accused of carrying out terror acts.

            On Sunday, a live explosive was found in a garbage can in Amraiwadi area and defused by the bomb detection squad. A bomb kept in a wooden box near a hospital and two car laden with explosives were found in Surat city.

            Army staged flag marches in the vulnerable areas in the city to instill confidence among its shaken residents.

            In New Delhi , Home Minister Shivraj Patil chaired a high-level meeting to review the security scenario in the country and assured all possible help to the Narendra Modi government in its hour of crisis.

            Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accompanied by Home minister Shivraj Patil and UPA [United Progressive Alliance] chairperson Sonia Gandhi who are to visit Ahmedabad on Monday, was briefed by Patil, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and top officials of the Home Ministry on the security situation in the country.

            Intensifying its probe into the serial blasts, the anti-terrorism squad of Maharashtra police raided an apartment in Navi Mumbai's Palm Beach Road area and seized a computer from which an email was suspected to have been sent to TV channels purportedly by a little-known "Indian Mujahideen" [Indian Mujahidin] threatening more blasts in the country.

            Terror struck Ahmedabad on Saturday when 16 coordinated serial blasts ripped through the metropolis killing 49 people and injuring more than 150, a day after multiple explosions rocked Bangalore .

            Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi , Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, sounded red alerts heightening vigil in sensitive areas. 

 

Bombings May Threaten India-Pakistan Relations

Source: AFP, 28 July

Indian cities are on high alert after a series of explosions ripped through the western city of Ahmedabad on Saturday, killing at least 45 people and wounding 160. The blasts, which occurred a day after bombings in the southern city of Bangalore, are the latest in a string of attacks in India believed to be the work of Islamic terrorists. 

A little known group calling itself the "Indian Mujahideen" claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad bombings, just as it had for an attack in Jaipur in May that killed 60 people. But security analysts and intelligence officials are doubtful about these claims and instead suspect that militant Islamic groups from Pakistan and Bangladesh are behind the attacks.

            "The way in which the attack in Ahmedabad took place – the multiplicity of the bombs and the way in which they were coordinated – suggests a level of expertise not yet associated with any Indian group," says Uday Bhaskar, a security analyst and former director of New Delhi 's Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. "It is reasonable to say this group has benefited from external involvement," he adds.  Other observers say the "Indian Mujahideen" was coined to cover the involvement of Pakistani groups, although few here doubt that Indian Muslims are involved at some level. Saturday's bombings occurred in two waves. The first series of explosions detonated in crowded markets; the second wave, less than half an hour later, targeted two hospitals where the injured had been taken. Television footage showed blood-covered victims writhing in agony on hospital floors. In all, there were 17 explosions, caused by crudely made devices that peppered victims with red-hot ball bearings and shrapnel.

            The day before, one person was killed and six wounded when eight bombs exploded in quick succession in Bangalore . No group has claimed responsibility for the Bangalore bombings.

            Both attacks – like the one in Jaipur – occurred in states run by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India 's main opposition party.   Ahmedabad, the main city in Gujarat , is especially vulnerable to communal tensions. In 2002, a train fire that killed members of a Hindu nationalist group sparked Hindu-Muslim riots in which over 2,000 people, most of them Muslim, died.  "Await five minutes for the revenge of Gujarat ," read an e-mail sent to television stations, purportedly from the Indian Mujahideen, moments before Saturday's explosions.  But analysts say that stoking communal tensions is not the sole objective of recent attacks. "These people want to hurt the country in any way possible," says Ajay Sahni, a terrorism expert at the Institute for Conflict Management in Delhi . "Causing communal tensions is a secondary objective to that. If I wanted to whip up communal riots I would ensure that only Hindus were killed whereas these attacks are occurring in areas with mixed populations." Indeed, Saturday's attacks occurred in Ahmedabad's old city, which houses many Muslims.

In recent years, there have been regular, fatal bomb blasts in cities across India . Many have targeted religious sites: a temple in the ancient pilgrimage city of Varanasi in 2006, a mosque near Mumbai ( Bombay ) later that year, and another mosque, during Friday prayers, in the southern city of Hyderabad in 2007.  Often, no one claims responsibility for the attacks. But officials in New Delhi routinely point fingers at Pakistan , or at militants backed by Islamabad .  Such accusations of cross-border terrorism are a legacy of the cold war between India and Pakistan , during which Pakistan has used militancy as a tool to destabilize India .  Many believe that Islamabad retains links to militant groups, although the degree to which it remains operationally in control is unclear, especially at a time when Pakistan itself is suffering from an upsurge of Islamic militancy. Pakistan , meanwhile, denies backing any Islamic militants, including those operating in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir .

            The recent bomb attacks come at a time when the Pakistan-India peace process is under strain. Amid one of the sharpest exchanges between the neighbors since they launched peace talks in 2004, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said that "elements" in Pakistan were behind a resurgence in militant activities, including the recent bomb attack at the Indian Embassy in Kabul that killed 58 people, including two Indian diplomats.

"There have been statements by leaders of Pakistan , inciting terror," Mr. Menon said. "There are such statements from some government officials and this incitement of violence has culminated in suicide blasts.... All investigations point to Pakistan being behind the blast."  The involvement of home-grown Indian terrorists in such attacks is also of increasing concern here. "In the wake of 9/11 there was a lot of satisfaction that no Indian national was involved in terrorism in India ," says Mr. Bhaskar. "I would be cautious in saying that was changing, but it may be that we are reaching some sort of tipping point."

Fear Grows Over India Car Terror

Source: The Australian, 29 July

Two cars packed with explosives and bomb-making equipment were found yesterday in the Indian city of Surat, where 92 per cent of the world's diamonds are cut and polished, as fears mounted that jihadis have begun a campaign attacking targets of international significance.

Bomb disposal experts dismantled both bombs in cars that had been abandoned in the city, but officials said there was intelligence showing extremists were "trying to cause as much chaos and bloodshed as possible to further the cause ofjihad".

Anti-terror squads swooped on an apartment in an upmarket part of Mumbai, pinpointed as the origin of a 14-page manifesto issued by an organisation known as Indian Mujaheddin following the bomb blasts in Ahmedabad, in Gujarat .

            Police said the apartment was rented to two Americans who had denied any involvement in the email, which, "in the name of Allah", proclaimed "the terror of death" and was sent to several Indian news channels.   Investigators are looking at the possibility that the Americans' personal computers were hacked to send the incendiary document, which analysts say gives the clearest indication yet of the thinking behind the wave of bomb attacks.   The document, written in English, insists Indian Mujaheddin is a home-grown organisation, and asks the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba organisation, which is close to Pakistan's ISI spy agency and linked to al-Qa'ida, not to claim responsibility for bomb attacks carried out in its name.   Indian intelligence experts believe Indian Mujaheddin is the al-Qa'ida-linked Students Islamic Movement of India in a new guise, rebadging itself as Indian rather than a puppet of the ISI.

 

Terrorist Bombings Rattle India

Source: OSC

Global media reported at least 46 people were killed in a series of bombings in two main Indian cities over the weekend, while a little-known group calling itself the “Indian Mujahideen” claimed responsibility.

A London Times editorial believed Indian politicians were worried that Islamist extremism may have finally taken root in India, which—in spite of having one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, “had not been radicalized so far by the global jihadist movement.”  Like Italy ’s Le Figaro, London Times suspected Pakistani or Bangladeshi involvement. 

*        Indian media saw the attacks as intended to disrupt harmony—Inquilab said they were “aimed at disturbing India ’s religious unity, destroying its economy, or derailing it from the path of progress and development by creating instability.”  Maharashtra Times stated the terrorists’ singular aim was “to unsettle normal life and pit the Hindu majority against the Muslim minority;” however, this design would not succeed because people could easily see through it.  Anandabazar Patrika opined the “sole objective was to spread panic among people and to sow seeds of a long-lasting fear.” 

*        Indian media lambasted the government’s “political and procedural response to terror,” which Indian Express called “scarily confusing.”  Dainik Jagran said, “The present government does not even have a rudimentary sense of how to combat terror;” Gujaratmitra said the attacks reflected a “complete failure in preventing terrorists’ infiltrating into our region from across the borders.”

Indian media also called for a tightening of India ’s security and intelligence networks. Akhbar-E-Mashrique wanted intelligence agents “punished for sitting around, twiddling their thumbs!” Gujarat Samachar and Navbharat Times said security agencies were “napping,” in “blissful slumber.”  Divya Bhaskar exhorted, “The need of the hour is not to play the blame game, but to ensure stringent security measures to prevent such incidents”; The Asian Age declared it was time to implement “a single national authority charged with fighting terrorist hundreds of thousands would “fight the Americans in every city and village” in Afghanistan, and declared the Taliban’s control of the region imminent. Rahmani said the Afghan government was too weak to carry out operations against the Taliban in Pakistan , and the US would not invade it either “because of the resistance it faced and the heavy losses it incurred in Iraq and Afghanistan .”  He called on Pakistan and Iran to assist the Afghan people in their “jihad against the Americans, infidels, and crusaders.”

Senior Al-Qaeda Chemical Weapons Expert 'Killed' In Missile Strike

Abu Khabab al-Masri reportedly killed in US missile strike in Pakistan.

Synopsis: Reports from Pakistan say a leading al-Qaeda chemical weapons expert, Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, has been killed in a missile strike. Taliban officials in the tribal area of South Waziristan confirmed to the BBC that he was killed in a missile strike that left at least six people dead. The US , which has a reward of $5m on his head, said it had no information. He was wrongly reported to have been killed in 2006 in a strike aimed at al-Qaeda deputy head Ayman al-Zawahiri. The pre-dawn strike targeted a house near a mosque in the village of Azam Warsak , 20km west of the main town in South Waziristan , Wana. It was suspected to be a strike by US forces, with residents saying they had heard US drones, but this has not been confirmed. Pakistani military spokesman Maj Gen Abbas said it was still awaiting "authentic information" from the area. Also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, is an Egyptian national. The US government's Rewards for Justice Website says he is "an explosives expert and poisons trainer working on behalf of al-Qaeda". It says he trained hundreds of militants in chemical and explosives operations at a camp at Derunta in Afghanistan . The BBC in Islamabad says the militant was considered part of Osama Bin Laden's inner circle and was said to be in charge of efforts to gain access to, or develop, weapons of mass destruction. Local residents said the house targeted belonged to a local tribesman and suspected militants used to stay there. The US is reported to have carried out a number of drone missile attacks in the tribal regions. Pakistan has complained the attacks could damage bilateral relations. The latest strike came shortly before Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani was due to meet US President Bush in Washington . White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said she had no information about the incident. In recent months the US and its allies have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in military and other forms of assistance to help Pakistan 's new government tackle militancy in border tribal areas.

Analysis/Road Ahead: Multiple news sources cite Abu Khabab al-Masri’s death by US missile strike in Pakistan , if confirmed; his death would pose a potentially substantial setback to al-Qaeda as al-Masri was considered an essential dynamic in al-Qaeda’s quest for weapons of mass destruction. An alleged member of Osama Bin Laden's inner circle his death would represent a direct blow to the al-Qaeda leadership and could indicate Osama Bin Laden's own security is at risk as intelligence revealed al-Masri’s location, so Bin Laden is conceivably also susceptible to discovery. While al-Masri was erroneously reported killed in 2006 confirmation of his death is vital otherwise al-Qaeda’s propaganda machine will illuminate/exploit the US failure. This missile strike was also significant as its timing occurred just prior to Pakistan ’s Premier meeting President Bush. Imaginably this missile strike intervention in Pakistan influenced Pakistan ’s Premier’s to vow to fight "extremists/terrorists" and to secure its porous border with Afghanistan .

Sources: BBC, The Scotsman, Times Online, Turkish Press, AFP, NYT, KUNA, Daily Times, Press TV, Reuters, AP, Inter Services Public Relations, 28 Jul 08

Al-Qaeda Member Among 35 Activists Of Banned Extremist Groups Arrested

Source: IRNA, 25 Jul 08

Pakistani security forces have arrested a member of al-Qaeda and 35 activists of banned extremist group during an operation in the country's northwest, the Interior Ministry said Friday.

            The arrest of Amjad, a key al-Qaeda member and other activists of outlawed groups was made in Hangu, a major city in the North West Frontier Province , Interior Advisor Rehman Malik said. The army said this week that the forces ended operation against local Taliban in Hangu after 'achieving all targets'. Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said that 20 local Taliban were killed and 60 others arrested during the week-long operation, launched after Taliban shot dead 17 soldiers. Malik told reporters that the arrested men are being questioned by the security agencies for their activities. The government had earlier claimed the arrest of Rafiuddin, the deputy commander of Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsod but Taliban denied the claim.

            The Interior Advisor said that suicide attacks have ended in the country's eastern Punjab and southern Sindh province and suicide attacks decreased in the troubled northwest by 80 per cent. In another development, tribal elders have brokered a temporary ceasefire between the local Taliban and the government forces in Hangu. Taliban released as a goodwill gesture eight government workers of 50 kidnapped government employees and security personnel, a tribal elder said. A jirga or council of elders held talks with local officials and local Taliban and announced a ceasefire after securing assurances from both side, Maulana Hussain Asghar, a member of the jirga said. Taliban handed over eight abductees to the jirga members as goodwill gesture, Asghar said and said that the ceasefire will continue till a formal agreement is reached. He added that Taliban have stopped all activities after the ceasefire. The jirga and Taliban will formally launch negotiations on Monday, he said.

 

Article Says TV Interview Proves Al-Qa'ida Leaders Not Present in Pakistan

Source: Pakistan Observer Online, in English (OSC), 25 Jul 08

Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the man believed to be Al-Qaeda's commander of operations in Afghanistan, has given a rare television interview to a private Pakistani TV channel.

            In the rare interview broadcast on Monday, July 21, 2008, al-Yazid confirmed to Geo TV that Al-Qaeda carried out the June bombing of the Danish embassy in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad . Geo say the interview was carried out by Geo TV's reporter Najib Ahmad in an undisclosed location in the Afghan province of Khost , in the east of the country. This is the first interview granted by a senior Al-Qaeda member to the independent media since 2002. Mustafa Ahmed Muhammad Uthman Abu al-Yazid (born December 17, 1955, also known as Sheikh Saeed, is an Egyptian Islamic militant and the current Al-Qaeda commander of operations in Afghanistan. Al-Yazid was imprisoned for three years in Egypt because of involvement in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat in 1981. During this time or shortly after he joined Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and in 1988 went to Afghanistan where he played a role in founding Al-Qaeda. The 53-year-old Egyptian, wearing a commando jacket, a white turban and dyed beard, spoke to the camera in Arabic, holding a Geo microphone in hand.

            He confirmed that an Al-Qaeda operative carried out the 2 June suicide attack on the Danish embassy in Islamabad . "We are proud of that attack, and I had congratulated my colleagues for conducting it successfully," he said. "We had chosen a time for the attack when there would be no innocent Muslims around," he added. All of the eight people who died in the attack were reported to have been Muslims. Shortly after the attack Mustafa Abu al-Yazid said on the internet that the attack was in revenge for the reprinting by Danish newspapers of a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad considered blasphemous by many Muslims. Mustafa Abu al-Yazid is understood to be the operational commander of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan - a position which the Western intelligence community has long viewed as pivotal to the planning and execution of militant attacks around the world. He is also reported to have managed the finances for the 11 September, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington . He told the interviewer that al-Qaeda was "properly involved" in those attacks, as well as the 1998 attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania .

            Mustafa Abu al-Yazid also denounced the Pakistani government for fighting Islamic militants, justified suicide attacks and predicted victory for Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan . He is thought to have climbed to the number three position in Al-Qaeda about a year ago when his predecessor, Abu Ubaida al-Masri, died of hepatitis. This is the first interview given by a senior Al-Qaeda figure since May 2002, when two key figures in the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheik Mohammed and Ramzi bin al-Shibh, were questioned by a reporter for the al-Jazeera television channel. Mustafa Abu al-Yazid has claimed his organization's responsibility for Benazir Bhutto's assassination in Dec 2007. Earlier too just after the assassination, according to Asia Times, he had claimed: "We terminated the most precious American asset which vowed to defeat Mujahedin." "This is our first major victory against those [e.g., Bhutto and President Pervez Musharraf] who have been siding with infidels [the West] in a fight against Al-Qaeda and declared a war against Mujahedin," Mustafa told Asia Times Online by telephone. He said the death squad consisted of Punjabi associates of the underground anti-Shi'ite militant group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, operating under Al-Qaeda orders.

            The assassination of Bhutto was apparently only one of the goals of a large Al-Qaeda plot, the existence of which was revealed earlier. In his interview, Al-Yazid said the morale of fighters in Afghanistan is very high and they are putting up a tough fight against US troops. He said the resistance is gathering momentum and has become unstoppable. Listing the attacks launched by Al-Qaeda, he took credit for the attacks on US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya . He said the Karzai government would meet the same fate as other 'traitors'. There is no government that supports Al-Qaeda as the rulers have sold their faith and by doing so they have put themselves beyond the pale of Islam. He claimed that it was because of the sacrifices of the Mujahedin that Russia was unable to enter Pakistan . Musharraf's men arrested and subjected them to violence and handed them over to the Americans. What is a bigger example of collaboration with the infidels than this? This is a crime that can never be forgotten, he said.

            He said many eminent Islamic scholars have justified the practice of suicide bombing. The official Maulvis parrot those Fatwa that they are told to. He said the aim is to engage in direct combat but in many places it is not possible to reach the enemy. He maintained that it is not legitimate to target mosques in this way. He denied Al-Qaeda's hand in the attack on Aftab Sherpao in a mosque, saying his supporters never target mosques. A statement to this effect was issued to the Pakistani press soon after the attack. He condemned violence near or inside mosques and said defending the sanctity of such places of worship is every Muslim's duty. He paid tributes to Khalid Sheikh and termed him a fearless person who the Muslim Ummah is proud of. He prayed that God's curse fall on the government that handed him over to the US . Two very strong messages come out of this interview. First it lays to rest the speculation by the west that the Al-Qaeda is located in Pakistan . The interview was conducted in the Afghan province of Khost . If al-Yazid is comfortably giving interviews to private Pakistani TV channels sitting in Khost, then we can imagine where else the other Al-Qaeda leaders must be located, enjoying Afghan hospitality. The second aspect is of the allegation of Pakistan 's complicity with the militants. Mustafa Abu al-Yazid has claimed in the exclusive interview that Pakistan has damaged the terrorist organization more than any other country. This statement should put to rest any further snide comments and finger pointing regarding Pakistan 's commitment to the global war on terror.

Islamic Group Claims Indian Blasts That Killed 45

Source: AP, 28 July

An obscure Islamic militant group warning of "the terror of Death" claimed responsibility for bombings that killed at least 45 people and authorities stepped up security Sunday after India 's second series of blasts in two days. 

The city's police commissioner, O.P. Mathur, said that 30 people had been detained for questioning, but there was scant information about the Indian Mujahideen, the little known group that took credit for the bombings in western India .  "In the name of Allah the Indian Mujahideen strike again! Do whatever you can, within 5 minutes from now, feel the terror of Death!" said an e-mail from the group sent to several Indian television stations minutes before the blasts began.  The e-mail's subject line said "Await 5 minutes for the revenge of Gujarat ," an apparent reference to 2002 riots in the western state which left 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead. The historic city of Ahmadabad was the scene of much of the 2002 violence.           

Saturday's e-mail, sent from a Yahoo account and written in English, was made available to AP by CNN-IBN, one of the TV stations that received the warning.

            State government spokesman Jaynarayan Vyas said 45 people were killed and 161 wounded when at least 16 bombs went off Saturday evening in several crowded neighborhoods.  The attack came a day after seven smaller blasts killed two people in the southern technology hub of Bangalore .  Investigators in Surat, a city about 160 miles south of Ahmadabad, found a car carrying detonators and a liquid that police suspect may be ammonium nitrate, a chemical often used in explosive devices, city police Chief R.M.S. Brar told reporters.  The e-mail was sent by a group calling itself Indian Mujahideen that was unknown before May, when it said it was behind a series of bombings in Jaipur, also in western India , that killed 61 people.  In its e-mail, the group did not mention the bombings in Bangalore and it was not clear if the attacks were connected. But both Ahmadabad and Bangalore are in states ruled by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as is Jaipur, raising suspicions that whoever was behind the attacks may have wanted to make a political statement.

            There were reports the e-mail may have been sent from a suburb of Mumbai , India 's financial capital. But the city's police chief, A.N. Roy, said, "We are inquiring into that. We haven't traced it yet."  The Saturday bombs went off in two separate spates. The first, near a busy market, left some of the dead sprawled beside stands piled high with fruit, next to twisted bicycles. The second group of blasts went off near a hospital.  The side of a bus was blown off and its windows shattered, while another vehicle was engulfed in flames. Most of the blasts took place in the narrow lanes of the older part of Ahmadabad , which is tightly packed with homes and small businesses. Bomb-sniffing dogs scoured the areas.

            Distraught relatives of the victims crowded the city's hospitals. One of the wounded was a 6-year-old boy whose father was killed in the blasts. He lay in a hospital bed with his arms covered in bandages and wounds on his face.  Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat state where Ahmadabad is located, said the bombings appeared to have been masterminded by a group or groups who "are using a similar modus operandi all over the country."  India has been hit repeatedly by bombings in recent years. Nearly all have been blamed on Islamic militants who allegedly want to provoke violence between India 's Hindu majority and Muslim minority, although officials rarely offer hard evidence implicating a specific group.

            The perpetrators also rarely claim responsibility — a fact that raised doubts about the Indian Mujahedeen when it took credit in May for attacking Jaipur.  But fears that an attack could spark religious riots are real in India , which has seen sporadic violence between Hindus and Muslims since independence from Britain in 1947.  Those fears were amplified by the recent history of the 2002 religious riots. The violence was triggered by a fire that killed 60 passengers on a train packed with Hindu pilgrims. Hindu extremists blamed the deaths on Muslims and rampaged through Muslim neighborhoods, although the cause of the blaze remains unclear.

            Ahmadabad is also known for the elegant architecture of its mosques and mausoleums, a rich blend of Muslim and Hindu styles. It was founded in the 15th century and served as a sultanate, fortified in 1487 with a wall six miles in circumference.

Estonia Urges EU To Tackle Somali Pirates

Source: EU Business, 25 Jul 08

Estonia urged the European Union Friday to take stronger action against Somali pirates attacking cargo ships bound for Europe, after an Estonian sailor was held hostage for 41 days.

            "The EU needs more cooperation and stronger efforts to end the growing cynical business of Somali pirates who hijack dozens of cargo ships sailing between the Indian Ocean and Europe each year," Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet told reporters here. He said EU foreign ministers would discuss the issue at a meeting in September, and also urged the NATO Western defence alliance to address the rising rate of maritime crime. Paet suggested the EU set up a dedicated center to help member states tackle pirates, adding that "another step could be to offer military guard to cargo ships sailing between the Indian Ocean and Europe in that dangerous area." Estonian sailor Ardo Kalle, the first mate aboard the German-owned Lehmann Timber, was held for 41 days by Somali pirates before being released July 9 with the rest of the crew. The pirates reportedly received a 750,000-dollar (480,000-euro) ransom.

            Paet said Somali pirates, who prey on cargo ships sailing between the Indian Ocean and Europe via the Suez Canal , were encouraged by the success of their missions, namely that they usually get the ransom they demand. "It is no secret -- we already even have some international firms that deal with mediating the ransom talks between pirates and ship owners," he said. The waters off Somalia , which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years, are considered among the most dangerous in the world. On Sunday pirates seized a 52,000-tonne Japanese vessel and its 21 crew members off the coast of the east African nation. The EU's Slovenian presidency called in April for "a strong international effort" against Somali pirates after Spanish and French vessels were attacked, saying such incidents "are a major hindrance to the European efforts towards the political stability of Somalia ." According to the International Maritime Bureau, more than 25 ships were seized off Somalia 's 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) of coastline last year despite patrols by an international force based in Djibouti .