Call for Transnational Jihad – LeT 1985-2014

I recently completed my reading of this encyclopedia on Islamic Jihad and Terrorism as they are manifested in South Asia and the rest of the world. I can say confidently that those scholars, journalists, analysts and strategists that believe that the War on Terror is against Al Qaeda are severely mistaken. Today, Al Qaeda has been reduced to an almost irrelevant status and the splinter group that the late Abu Musab Al Zarqawi formed has gone on to become what we know as ISIS (which is currently led by Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi). But many may not know that there is a more menacing threat to world peace. That threat is the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is based in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The truth is that the poisonous jihadi ideology of members of Juhayman’s Ikhwan has proliferated all over the Islamic world from North Africa, the Middle East and to South Asia. That ideology has created a two-headed monster where ISIS is the formidable jihadi group in the Middle East, and the LeT in South Asia.

Arif Jamal’s book goes in to depth in discussing the genesis of the LeT, the role it played in the Mumbai 28/11 attacks, its plans to encircle India in tandem with nuclear armed Pakistan, and its global ambition to re-establish the “Caliphate”. Even today, the world is not paying enough attention to the LeT menace. To give you an idea of the scale of the LeT’s operation, it has provided military, guerrilla and terrorist training to over 500, 000 mujaahids (holy warriors) according to 2008 estimates. There are signs in Indian Kashmir and South India of ISIS recruitment and the LeT has already been working there. In the coming weeks, months, and years, we may see a formal merger between ISIS and the LeT. Such a possibility should be mitigated as soon as possible for world peace.

Balochistan – Hindus under constant attack

On an alarming note, we have heard from sources that ISIS in Balochistan has issued a threat to Balochi Hindus to convert to Islam or die. In addition, they say they will destroy the Mata Hinglaj Shaktipeeth (Nani Mandir). This development may be an indicator of a merger between ISIS and LeT. We can expect zero protection of the Balochi Hindus and their places of worship by the Pakistani establishment as it too is working hand-in-glove with these evil forces.

Reading this book will explain to the reader why he/she must revise his/her knowledge of the terror outfits in the world, how they operate, and what drives them. The War on Terror is far from over and this book explains exactly why that is so. I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned with world peace and fighting terrorism.

Thanks,
A.Dube

Love Jihad – A tool used by islamic extremists to target non-muslim girls by romance

By Thomas Cherian

In a single week there have been two high profile cases where girls were brutally raped, stabbed as even set on fire. The first case occurred in Uttar Pradesh (UP) where a college student of a specific religion was invited over by a Muslim boy named Irfan where him and his friends brutally raped her. When the girl notified her rapists of going to authorities, she was then doused her with kerosene and set her on fire where she later died from her injuries. Many critics have complained that Hindu girls being raped by Muslim boys is way to common and many times fueled by islamic extremists that propagate to younger muslim boys that they are fighting a jihad on infidels by converting or raping non-muslim (eg.Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist) girls. More about this rape case can be read here:  http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/20-yr-old-gangraped-burnt-alive-in-akhilesh-uttar-pradesh/1/290940.html.

The 2nd major incident that has taken Mumbai by storm is where a  22 year old women was kidnapped, tortured and slashed with a razor blade over 100 times over 9 days.  The girl has been given an alias ‘Sarita Sharma’ to protect her identity. The accused is a 23 year old Muslim man named  Uzaman Akbar. Media reports have indicated that Uzaman met ‘Sarita’ on the internet and lied to her about various things around his school and work status. It has come to light that Uzaman Akbar may have close connections to Islamic extremist since based on various media reports his father was one of the accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. The 1993 Bombay bombings were a series of 13 bomb explosions that took place in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India on Friday, 12 March 1993 where over 250 people (mostly Hindus) were killed and hundreds injured. The accused were Islamic terrorists targeting Hindus. More about this atrocity can be read here: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/mumbai-man-kidnaps-tortures-and-slashes-ex-wife-with-razor-blade-100-times-391186?pfrom=home-topstories.

Love Jihad also called Romeo Jihad, is an alleged activity under which some young Muslim boys and men reportedly target college girls belonging to non-Muslim communities for conversion to Islam by feigning love or abuse by rape. While similar activities and intent have been reported in places like United Kingdom, the term has been used to describe the activity in India. The allegations have raised concerns in various Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Christian organizations.

Ajmal Kasab Confessed to the 26 11 Mumbai Terrorist Attacks

This century, the word ‘K’ has dominated India in the arenas of Business, Government and especially Television. But only one ‘K’ shook India within hours – “Kasab”, the only surviving terrorist of 26/11. On the night of November 26, 2008 a war against India was waged which went on till the afternoon of November 29. Only Kasab was captured alive while the other nine terrorists were killed by the security forces. The Kasab trial went on for two years before a death sentence was passed to him on five counts of murder, conspiracy to murder, waging war against the country, abetting murder and indulging in terrorist activities, on the 6th of May, 2010. Kasab was also awarded life imprisonment on five other counts, which included attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and violation of the Explosive Substances Act. Under the law, death sentence awarded to an accused by trial court comes up before the high court for confirmation. The High Court confirmed the order passed by the trial court on 21st February 2011.

Until the verdict was passed, during the two years, there was a huge uproar among the Indians which was justified. A national newspaper reported that “The cash-strapped Congress-led Democratic Front government in Maharashtra has been spending well over Rs 2 lakh a day on India’s priciest prisoner”. (http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-05-05/news/27590949_1_arthur-road-jail-ajmal-kasab-jail-premises)

The Government of India gets money in the form of taxes paid by the citizens of India. The people were infuriated as to why their money was being spent for the protection and treatment of a perpetrator when there was enough evidence against him in the form of CCTV camera footage. The world witnessed the worst form of fear during 9/11. Osama did not go unpunished. He was brutally killed by the American Security Forces in Abbotabad, Pakistan. Don’t we wonder why Osama wasn’t given a chance to be tried by the American Jury? Then why is the Indian Government treating the Kasab issue so lightly? Shouldn’t he be dealt with in the same way the Americans dealt with their terrorist? But our Government claims that they are happy that Kasab was tried in a normal court of law and then given the death sentence. In a way, our democratic spirit is being enshrined.

Even though there was a sense of relief amongst the country and the families of those who were killed in the attack, when the death sentence was passed, there is another thought that confronts us. Do suicide bombers and terrorists really fear death? Kasab knew what he had come for and also knew his fate. Then will the death sentence create a sense of fear in his followers or will it make him a martyr? Surely such a subversive act must be punished in the most severe way. Special Public Prosecutor in the case, Ujjwal Nikam, opinionated that “Kasab is a killing machine and the manufacturing factory of such killing machines are still in Pakistan”. We all know that Kasab’s family was promised Rs 1.5 lakh for his sacrifice by the LeT. If such atrocious acts are awarded and such fanatics are treated as martyrs, then is a death penalty the right approach?

The passing of the death sentence opens up the following avenues for Kasab:

1. Appeal to the Supreme Court.

2. If the Supreme Court upholds the judgment of the High Court and the Lower Court, Kasab can file for a clemency plea to the President of India.

If Kasab files for a plea in the Supreme Court, and if the Supreme Court grants a life sentence, then will the Government spend some more money for the terrorist?

Capital Punishment in India is given in the rarest of rare cases. Currently, there are more than 100 people who have been awarded the death sentence but are in the queue to be executed.

Article 72 of the Indian Constitution gives the President the powers to reduce the sentence or grant a pardon to a convict, especially those involving capital punishment. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, between 1995-2006, the President has rejected seven mercy petitions and commuted two, while between 1985 to 1994 it rejected 41 mercy petitions and commuted four. As many as 173 such petitions were received between 1975 to 1984 of which 121 were rejected and 52 commuted. However, a maximum of 543 mercy petitions were commuted between 1965 to 1974 during which 491 such petitions were rejected. According to Amnesty International figures at least 100 people in 2007, 40 in 2006, 77 in 2005, 23 in 2002, and 33 in 2001 were sentenced to death (but not yet executed). Looking at these figures, if Kasab is given an option to ask for mercy, how long will it be before he recompensates for his doings? The procedure for a clemecy plea (mercy petition) is long before final justice actually takes place. The clemency plea could lead to:

1. Grant of Pardon

2. Rejection of Plea

This again would put Kasab in the queue before the other convicts are executed. This is now a political issue as we have to wait and watch if the Government of India executes this sentence expeditiously or will allow the queue system to continue.

The question to raise here is, is a death penalty or a life sentence enough for Kasab or should he be treated as mercilessly as he acted? Is this act of leniency on part of the Government of India assuring terrorists such as Kasab that they will be treated ordinarily and hence lead to recurring attacks? These issues are yet to be dealt with and answers awaited for. But the real issue which needs to be highlighted is that, is the death penalty really a deterrant for any terrorist?

(Mehak Budhrani is a Lawyer and Human Rights Activist)