NY Times has provided the first hints that the American Administration may be thinking twice before going ahead with Manmohan Singh’s nuclear deal made ready by compromising with Congress foes like SP and Mulayam Singh Yadav.
President George Bush, who was "eager for any foreign policy win" before the expiry of his term in January 2009, is pressing the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "hard to finally work this (nuclear deal) out," The New York Times said.
In an editorial headlined, ''No Rush, Please'', the American daily argued "there is no reason at all to rush. President Bush gave away far too much and got far too little for this deal".
According to international think tanks, Americans are getting careful about Sonia Gandhi’s and Manmohan Singh’s Government. They are worried that the unpopular Government will lose the election and never be able to come back to power leaving an un ugly legacy of voodoo diplomacy to get the nuclear done for the $100 billion dollar.
It is better to deal with a legitimate freshly elected Government of India than those who are eager to grab some possible kickbacks from $100 billion deal.
NY Times praised President Bush for building on the Clinton administration legacy to forge stronger ties with "a burgeoning power whose democratic values provide a unique basis for cooperation," the daily said: "It was a mistake to let India and industry lobbyists persuade him to make the nuclear deal the centrepiece."
In America influential new papers like NY Times or Washington Post normally sings the tune of the Administration. One thing must be pointed out that NY Times has the worst relationship ever with a sitting President in the oval office as in George Bush.
Ultimately it comes down to the politics. How legitimate is the Congress party any longer? Should America wait and converge on the deal with next elected Government given the fact that both US and India will have a new Administration in the next nine to twelve months?
The answer is yes. India is too important for America. When BJP comes back to power, the deal will be renegotiated any way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Now, a chain reaction of name-calling
With alliances breaking down and new ones emerging almost overnight, friends have turned foes with a vengeance and the invective is flying thick and fast. Some exchanging "civilities" are old enemies like BJP and Congress, but the political cauldron is boiling over with fresh animosities as well.
The UNPA meltdown following the Samajwadi Party pole-vaulting into the UPA's backyard in defence of the India-US nuclear deal has set off a chain reaction that has seen Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh at the receiving end of some strong words.
In his inimitable style, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala warned the SP against repeating "past mistakes".
"They have been insulted earlier... now for the third consecutive time, they want to be insulted. It is for them to decide if they want to be insulted again," said Chautala.
Another UNPA leader, Asom Gana Parishad's Brindaban Goswami, made it abundantly clear that he would not share the same space with SP, saying, "If SP does not leave UNPA, we will."
On his part, Amar Singh projected wounded innocence while reacting to the 'compliments' he was receiving from his former third front colleagues: "I don't know why TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and Chautala are criticizing us. Nothing has changed since the last meeting of the UNPA."
Obviously though, the SP defence that it had not given any "commitment" to the Congress had failed to wash with its wrathful partners.
Not to be left behind, the BJP plunged in, with L K Advani describing the UPA’s revolving door strategy of dumping and acquiring allies as the "theatre of the absurd".
All players took themselves seriously though, with Chautala not batting an eyelid as he said that UNPA minus Mulayam stood together like a rock and those who shared its ideology were welcome to join.
The UNPA meltdown following the Samajwadi Party pole-vaulting into the UPA's backyard in defence of the India-US nuclear deal has set off a chain reaction that has seen Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh at the receiving end of some strong words.
In his inimitable style, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala warned the SP against repeating "past mistakes".
"They have been insulted earlier... now for the third consecutive time, they want to be insulted. It is for them to decide if they want to be insulted again," said Chautala.
Another UNPA leader, Asom Gana Parishad's Brindaban Goswami, made it abundantly clear that he would not share the same space with SP, saying, "If SP does not leave UNPA, we will."
On his part, Amar Singh projected wounded innocence while reacting to the 'compliments' he was receiving from his former third front colleagues: "I don't know why TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and Chautala are criticizing us. Nothing has changed since the last meeting of the UNPA."
Obviously though, the SP defence that it had not given any "commitment" to the Congress had failed to wash with its wrathful partners.
Not to be left behind, the BJP plunged in, with L K Advani describing the UPA’s revolving door strategy of dumping and acquiring allies as the "theatre of the absurd".
All players took themselves seriously though, with Chautala not batting an eyelid as he said that UNPA minus Mulayam stood together like a rock and those who shared its ideology were welcome to join.
Abdul Kalam, Amar Singh and N-meltdown
AMAR SINGH, general secretary of Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to replace Sonia Gandhi. But not as Congress president or chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA). While widespread outrage in the country at a foreign citizen becoming prime minister kept her out of the government, Amar Singh is made of indigenous stuff. He is only interested in the madam’s position as the back seat driver of a loyal and compliant PM! It should matter little whether the PM is Manmohan or Mulayam!
After announcing SP’s recent ’discovery’ that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a bigger enemy of Indians than the US, Amar Singh had called a Press conference at his residence. He wanted to share with the media another ‘discovery’ that former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who was an NDA nominee in the face of bitter opposition from Congress, was an impeccable scientist! Also, Amar wanted to break the news about the BJP having offered the Prime Minister’s office to his boss, Mulayam Singh in 2007.
At the very outset, the champion of democracy had shown the door to a reporter and cameraperson representing a news channel. He was furious that, instead of being objective, the channel was repeatedly showing old clippings of him. In the not-so-old clippings, the master deal maker was shown indulging in a virulent, nay below-the-belt, vitriol against Congress and its president, Sonia Gandhi!
As mouth-watering eats and goodies were being readied for the assembled journalists, Amar Singh explained his logic matter-of-factly: “Those who say I have changed my position (about the Congress) should remember what Sharad Pawar had said about Sonia Gandhi, what Karunnanidhi and TR Baalu (DMK bigwigs) have said earlier.” Of course, the one-man brain trust of SP was right. Current agriculture minister Pawar broke away from Congress to found his own splinter party on the specific issue of Sonia’s leadership. The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) was accused of treason after Sonia’s husband Rajiv Gandhi was killed by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bombers attack. The Congress even got the legitimately elected Tamil Nadu chief minister dismissed through a ‘loyal’ governor and jailed.
Not just that, finance minister Chidambaram is a typical come-back boy, after running away from home and running his own party ’business’ that flopped! Textiles minister Shankarsinh Waghela is a saffronite of 30 years’ standing, who had criticised the Nehru dynasty mercilessly before being booted out of BJP for too much greed. After all, only senile crawlies like Arjun Singh and Pranab Mukherjee will pack the cabinet if only ’pure’ Congressmen were to be in the loot gang!
The BJP was foxed by the ’PM offer to Mulayam’ googly. Its chief and prime ministerial candidate LK Advani called a press conference, but limited himself to the usually hollow political rhetoric on why the government should resign. His trusted deputy, Jaswant Singh, could only beat around the bush, saying Amar Singh’s claim was not ’entirely’ true! The offer of the prime minister’s post was indeed made, but not by BJP.
It was by NDA and it was not to Mulayam Singh, but to the third circus of the country, United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), of which SP was the main constituent! He said he had been authorised by NDA to make the offer to the UNPA that the alliance would extend outside support to a UNPA-led government.
The condition was that UNPA as a block must support NDA candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post of President of India. The offer was conveyed through none other than All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary, Jayalalithaa. He went with the offer to a five-star hotel in Delhi, from where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief and the SP directors were serving their people in TN and UP!
Meanwhile, cozying up to the Congress has cost SP its key ally in UNPA. Om Prakash Chautala of the Haryana-based ’Aya Ram Gaya Ram’ outfit Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has swiftly distanced himself from the claim that it was he who suggested that APJ Abdul Kalam’s views on the nuclear deal be sought. He discounted the ’rumour’ saying: “Look here, everyone knows what Kalam’s views on the deal are, what’s the point of going to him? The UNPA will not support the pact.” Mulayam Singh Yadav and his strategist Amar Singh have touted the advice of Kalam that the US-India nuclear deal was for the benefit of India for taking the U-turn. They, however, had no answers when asked what prevented them from accessing his ‘expert scientific advice’ earlier.
The uncomfortable fact is that Dr Kalam, who uses the prefix to represent his unearned honorary doctorates, had taken a somersault from the NDA stance to UPA position just two months back. Kalam is hailed as a nuclear scientist, but had never worked for Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) or Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) during his bureaucratic career with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). But has enjoyed all top offices, including that of father of Indian missiles, only in recognition of his loyalty to masters of the day! He did not mind being a poster boy of the saffronites for enjoying the goodies after retirement. How was it that the defence and scientific advisor to AB Vajpayee in 1998, who advised him to defy global opinion on non-proliferation, was ignorant of the uranium reserves position then? The Shakti tests ended 24 years of restraint and made the world help Pakistan to become nuclear powered as well.
Yet another fact is that none of these politicians, including the comrades, are genuinely against cooperation with the US, IAEA and NSG. They are only concerned about their vote-bank consequences. After all, deal or no deal, India dare not defy world opinion once again and test a nuke device. Everyone with a little grey matter is aware of the fate of North Korea and Iran. How many of the fiery nationalist patriots, who only enjoy talking, are prepared for sanctions?
Only the nuke officialdom wants to keep the sector under its Other Articles by Natteri Adigal
by hook or crook as long as possible. They understandably want to avoid accountability that will result from opening the sector to competition. After all, the establishment has always squandered monstrous sums, sponged off from the masses who are kept energy starved. And, that is fine with wheeler dealers like Amar or Karat, who have lots of grey matter! However, taking the name of such a character like Kalam will only weaken the real arguments in favour of the deal.
Now, is there any Pakistani who dares to claim that the circus in Islamabad is more entertaining and damaging than the one at New Delhi?
After announcing SP’s recent ’discovery’ that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a bigger enemy of Indians than the US, Amar Singh had called a Press conference at his residence. He wanted to share with the media another ‘discovery’ that former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who was an NDA nominee in the face of bitter opposition from Congress, was an impeccable scientist! Also, Amar wanted to break the news about the BJP having offered the Prime Minister’s office to his boss, Mulayam Singh in 2007.
At the very outset, the champion of democracy had shown the door to a reporter and cameraperson representing a news channel. He was furious that, instead of being objective, the channel was repeatedly showing old clippings of him. In the not-so-old clippings, the master deal maker was shown indulging in a virulent, nay below-the-belt, vitriol against Congress and its president, Sonia Gandhi!
As mouth-watering eats and goodies were being readied for the assembled journalists, Amar Singh explained his logic matter-of-factly: “Those who say I have changed my position (about the Congress) should remember what Sharad Pawar had said about Sonia Gandhi, what Karunnanidhi and TR Baalu (DMK bigwigs) have said earlier.” Of course, the one-man brain trust of SP was right. Current agriculture minister Pawar broke away from Congress to found his own splinter party on the specific issue of Sonia’s leadership. The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) was accused of treason after Sonia’s husband Rajiv Gandhi was killed by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bombers attack. The Congress even got the legitimately elected Tamil Nadu chief minister dismissed through a ‘loyal’ governor and jailed.
Not just that, finance minister Chidambaram is a typical come-back boy, after running away from home and running his own party ’business’ that flopped! Textiles minister Shankarsinh Waghela is a saffronite of 30 years’ standing, who had criticised the Nehru dynasty mercilessly before being booted out of BJP for too much greed. After all, only senile crawlies like Arjun Singh and Pranab Mukherjee will pack the cabinet if only ’pure’ Congressmen were to be in the loot gang!
The BJP was foxed by the ’PM offer to Mulayam’ googly. Its chief and prime ministerial candidate LK Advani called a press conference, but limited himself to the usually hollow political rhetoric on why the government should resign. His trusted deputy, Jaswant Singh, could only beat around the bush, saying Amar Singh’s claim was not ’entirely’ true! The offer of the prime minister’s post was indeed made, but not by BJP.
It was by NDA and it was not to Mulayam Singh, but to the third circus of the country, United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), of which SP was the main constituent! He said he had been authorised by NDA to make the offer to the UNPA that the alliance would extend outside support to a UNPA-led government.
The condition was that UNPA as a block must support NDA candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post of President of India. The offer was conveyed through none other than All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary, Jayalalithaa. He went with the offer to a five-star hotel in Delhi, from where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief and the SP directors were serving their people in TN and UP!
Meanwhile, cozying up to the Congress has cost SP its key ally in UNPA. Om Prakash Chautala of the Haryana-based ’Aya Ram Gaya Ram’ outfit Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has swiftly distanced himself from the claim that it was he who suggested that APJ Abdul Kalam’s views on the nuclear deal be sought. He discounted the ’rumour’ saying: “Look here, everyone knows what Kalam’s views on the deal are, what’s the point of going to him? The UNPA will not support the pact.” Mulayam Singh Yadav and his strategist Amar Singh have touted the advice of Kalam that the US-India nuclear deal was for the benefit of India for taking the U-turn. They, however, had no answers when asked what prevented them from accessing his ‘expert scientific advice’ earlier.
The uncomfortable fact is that Dr Kalam, who uses the prefix to represent his unearned honorary doctorates, had taken a somersault from the NDA stance to UPA position just two months back. Kalam is hailed as a nuclear scientist, but had never worked for Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) or Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) during his bureaucratic career with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). But has enjoyed all top offices, including that of father of Indian missiles, only in recognition of his loyalty to masters of the day! He did not mind being a poster boy of the saffronites for enjoying the goodies after retirement. How was it that the defence and scientific advisor to AB Vajpayee in 1998, who advised him to defy global opinion on non-proliferation, was ignorant of the uranium reserves position then? The Shakti tests ended 24 years of restraint and made the world help Pakistan to become nuclear powered as well.
Yet another fact is that none of these politicians, including the comrades, are genuinely against cooperation with the US, IAEA and NSG. They are only concerned about their vote-bank consequences. After all, deal or no deal, India dare not defy world opinion once again and test a nuke device. Everyone with a little grey matter is aware of the fate of North Korea and Iran. How many of the fiery nationalist patriots, who only enjoy talking, are prepared for sanctions?
Only the nuke officialdom wants to keep the sector under its Other Articles by Natteri Adigal
by hook or crook as long as possible. They understandably want to avoid accountability that will result from opening the sector to competition. After all, the establishment has always squandered monstrous sums, sponged off from the masses who are kept energy starved. And, that is fine with wheeler dealers like Amar or Karat, who have lots of grey matter! However, taking the name of such a character like Kalam will only weaken the real arguments in favour of the deal.
Now, is there any Pakistani who dares to claim that the circus in Islamabad is more entertaining and damaging than the one at New Delhi?
Bush and Fukuda to Attend Olympic Opening
U.S. President George Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda say they will both attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing, despite calls from human rights activists to stay away in protest of restrictions on religious freedoms. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, President Bush says such a protest would insult the Chinese people.
US President George W. Bush, left, meets with Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda at the G-8 summit in Toyako, Japan, 06 Jul 2008
President Bush says he is going to the Olympics to cheer on American athletes. But he told reporters in Japan that he will also bring up human rights concerns as he says he has done with both Chinese leaders who have served during his administration.
"Every time I have visited with them, I have talked about religious freedom and human rights. And so therefore my decision to go, I guess, I don't need the Olympics to express my concerns," he said. "I've been doing so."
Human rights activists as well as some Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress have urged Mr. Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies in protest of restrictions on religious freedoms and Chinese policy in Sudan, Tibet, and Burma.
These were the president's first public comments on his decision to attend the opening ceremonies since the White House announced the move Friday. They came following talks with the Japanese Prime Minister, who used a joint session with reporters to announce his intention to attend as well.
Prime Minister Fukuda says the Olympics are a sporting event that need not be linked to politics. He says China is on the way to improving things, and it is good for Japan if its neighbor is in a sound state.
Several world leaders have announced they will not attend the games, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. French President Nicholas Sarkozy says his decision will be based on the outcome of talks between Chinese officials and representatives of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will attend the closing ceremony to accept the symbolic torch as the leader of the nation to host the next Summer Games in 2012.
President Bush will meet with the German, French, and British leaders at the annual meeting of the world's leading industrial nations in Japan. He says staying away from the games could make encouraging change in China more difficult.
"I also believe that the Chinese people are watching very carefully about the decisions by world leaders," said Mr. Bush. "I happen to believe not going to the opening ceremony for the games would be an affront to the Chinese people which may make it more difficult to be able to speak frankly with the Chinese leadership. It's why I'm doing what I'm doing."
The president will attend the August 8 opening ceremonies in Beijing as part of a trip that includes stops in South Korea and Thailand.
US President George W. Bush, left, meets with Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda at the G-8 summit in Toyako, Japan, 06 Jul 2008
President Bush says he is going to the Olympics to cheer on American athletes. But he told reporters in Japan that he will also bring up human rights concerns as he says he has done with both Chinese leaders who have served during his administration.
"Every time I have visited with them, I have talked about religious freedom and human rights. And so therefore my decision to go, I guess, I don't need the Olympics to express my concerns," he said. "I've been doing so."
Human rights activists as well as some Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress have urged Mr. Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies in protest of restrictions on religious freedoms and Chinese policy in Sudan, Tibet, and Burma.
These were the president's first public comments on his decision to attend the opening ceremonies since the White House announced the move Friday. They came following talks with the Japanese Prime Minister, who used a joint session with reporters to announce his intention to attend as well.
Prime Minister Fukuda says the Olympics are a sporting event that need not be linked to politics. He says China is on the way to improving things, and it is good for Japan if its neighbor is in a sound state.
Several world leaders have announced they will not attend the games, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. French President Nicholas Sarkozy says his decision will be based on the outcome of talks between Chinese officials and representatives of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will attend the closing ceremony to accept the symbolic torch as the leader of the nation to host the next Summer Games in 2012.
President Bush will meet with the German, French, and British leaders at the annual meeting of the world's leading industrial nations in Japan. He says staying away from the games could make encouraging change in China more difficult.
"I also believe that the Chinese people are watching very carefully about the decisions by world leaders," said Mr. Bush. "I happen to believe not going to the opening ceremony for the games would be an affront to the Chinese people which may make it more difficult to be able to speak frankly with the Chinese leadership. It's why I'm doing what I'm doing."
The president will attend the August 8 opening ceremonies in Beijing as part of a trip that includes stops in South Korea and Thailand.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
UPDATE 2-India party backs government over nuclear deal
NEW DELHI, July 5 (Reuters) - A key regional party in India said on Saturday that a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States was in the interest of the nation, easing concerns the pact could trigger early elections.
Support from the Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to help the Congress Party-led government secure a parliamentary majority if communist parties carry out their threat to withdraw support in protest at the nuclear deal.
"We will not vote against the government, even if the communists and other parties do," Amar Singh, the SP general secretary, told reporters in New Delhi.
"The deal is in the interest of the nation, we should have come out in support of the deal a year ago," he added.
The Samajwadi Party has 39 seats in parliament, compared with 59 for the communist parties. The Congress-led ruling coalition needs the support of 44 lawmakers to reach a majority. It would try to win the other five seats from smaller parties.
The left parties object to the nuclear deal, saying the nuclear pact will make India a pawn of Washington.
The pact will give India access to U.S. nuclear fuel and technology, and is potentially worth billions of dollars to U.S. and European nuclear supplier companies. It will also give India more energy alternatives to drive its development, shifting trade and diplomatic ties towards the West. Continued...
Support from the Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to help the Congress Party-led government secure a parliamentary majority if communist parties carry out their threat to withdraw support in protest at the nuclear deal.
"We will not vote against the government, even if the communists and other parties do," Amar Singh, the SP general secretary, told reporters in New Delhi.
"The deal is in the interest of the nation, we should have come out in support of the deal a year ago," he added.
The Samajwadi Party has 39 seats in parliament, compared with 59 for the communist parties. The Congress-led ruling coalition needs the support of 44 lawmakers to reach a majority. It would try to win the other five seats from smaller parties.
The left parties object to the nuclear deal, saying the nuclear pact will make India a pawn of Washington.
The pact will give India access to U.S. nuclear fuel and technology, and is potentially worth billions of dollars to U.S. and European nuclear supplier companies. It will also give India more energy alternatives to drive its development, shifting trade and diplomatic ties towards the West. Continued...
we will not vote against UPA
The Samajwadi Party today clearly indicated that it would not vote against the UPA government in parliament but stopped short of formally announcing that it has wrapped up a deal with the Congress. "Communalism is a bigger threat than imperialism today...Today the Left parties, BSP, BJP and Chautala may vote together. If our friends from the Left want to defeat the government with BSP and BJP, we don't want to say anything. But we can't do this work," SP General Secretary Amar Singh told reporters, a day after wrapping up a deal with the Congress.
He also refused to say what his party would do on the floor of the house in case of a trial of strength. "Let the confidence motion come then we will decide," he added.
At the press conference, Singh maintained there was no formal talk of any alliance with Congress so far during the discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Neither have they asked for our support nor have we committed ours. We are outsiders till now. Karat and Sonia Gandhi are insiders. They have formed the government and are running it. There is no divorce as yet. They (Left) have only given a warning. This warning has been going on for a year," he said
He also refused to say what his party would do on the floor of the house in case of a trial of strength. "Let the confidence motion come then we will decide," he added.
At the press conference, Singh maintained there was no formal talk of any alliance with Congress so far during the discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Neither have they asked for our support nor have we committed ours. We are outsiders till now. Karat and Sonia Gandhi are insiders. They have formed the government and are running it. There is no divorce as yet. They (Left) have only given a warning. This warning has been going on for a year," he said
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
More Terror on the Tracks
Investigators say twojihadist groups, including a homegrown terroristorganization, are behind the Mumbai bombings.
By By Sudip Mazumdar, Zahid Hussain and Ron Moreau | NEWSWEEK
Jul 24, 2006 Issue
Recommended (6) Mail Call: Free the Burmese
Mail Call: A Crisis of Faith
Back to Square One?
Perspectives
Opinion: A Cause for Comfort
Terror on The Tracks
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They seem to have drawn little notice as they squeezed aboard the packed first-class carriages. Most passengers were concentrating on getting home from a long, rainy Tuesday at the office in India's financial center, Mumbai. The men placed their duffel bags and metal lunchboxes on the overhead luggage racks, and then, apparently, pushed their way off again, unnoticed--until 6:24 p.m., when the explosions began. Within 11 minutes, bombs had ripped through seven suburb-bound commuter trains on the same rail line. The blasts left 197 passengers and crew dead or dying and 800 others injured.
Police investigators are convinced they know who was behind the Madrid-style bombings. Only two terrorist organizations in the region have the skills and resources for such a massive, coordinated attack--and this, police believe, was a joint operation by both networks. One alleged partner is Lashkar-i-Taiba, a Kashmiri separatist group that has been outlawed since 2002 in Pakistan, the country where it began 16 years ago. The other group is the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a homegrown jihadist outfit that is spreading rapidly among disaffected young Muslims across much of India. Both groups are denying any involvement, but police say evidence against them is piling up.
The authorities released photos of three bearded young men in connection with the attacks. Police said one of the men was the fugitive ringleader of a dozen alleged SIMI operatives who were arrested two months ago in Aurangabad, some 350 kilometers east of Mumbai. In the course of that sweep, police seized dozens of AK-47 automatic rifles, crates of ammunition and more than 45 kilograms of RDX, a military-grade explosive. The arrests had resulted from an investigation that began earlier this year after cops apprehended a pair of suspected Lashkar operatives getting off a train in downtown Mumbai. Police said the two men were found with one kilogram of RDX.
The two organizations are united by the same wild-eyed cause: bringing the entire Subcontinent back under Muslim rule for the first time since the 19th century. As followers of a harshly intolerant strain of Saudi-style Wahhabi Islam, they reject any notion of majority rule in a land where "polytheist infidel" Hindus outnumber Muslims. The Lashkar-SIMI partnership has been growing for several years, and in the past year or so Indian police believe that the two groups have collaborated on a series of attacks, including the bombing of a temple this March in Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi, and the October bombing of two New Delhi markets, killing more than 60. After the Varanasi blast, Indian police arrested a rabid anti-Hindu mullah, named Waliullah, who led investigators to several other militants belonging to extremist groups linked to Lashkar and SIMI.
The Indian government banned SIMI in 2001, but it continues to operate and grow, according to investigators. Indian police think SIMI may have 500 hard-core members and as many as 20,000 sympathizers who can be relied on for assistance and shelter. The group is said to have a sizable following in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, as well as in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, which have significant Muslim populations. With SIMI's support, Lashkar's fighters can now operate deep inside India without a lifeline to Pakistan's side of the border.
That development has raised new fears of international terrorism on Indian soil. B. Raman, a former senior Indian intelligence official, says analysts this year have detected a Qaeda interest in disaffected Indian Muslims. "Al Qaeda is now trying to take advantage of Muslim anger for its Pan-Islamic and anti-U.S. objectives," he warns. Lashkar has always denied any ties to Al Qaeda, but their common agenda of Islamic supremacy has brought them closer together. Both Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, have lambasted Hindu India for its growing ties with America. Last week a man purporting to be a spokesman for Al Qaeda expressed "gratitude" for the bombings and said the terrorist group had established a unit in India-controlled Kashmir. If true, that is an ominous portent.
© 2006
By By Sudip Mazumdar, Zahid Hussain and Ron Moreau | NEWSWEEK
Jul 24, 2006 Issue
Recommended (6) Mail Call: Free the Burmese
Mail Call: A Crisis of Faith
Back to Square One?
Perspectives
Opinion: A Cause for Comfort
Terror on The Tracks
See All Topics (3) Mumbai
India
Al Qaeda
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They seem to have drawn little notice as they squeezed aboard the packed first-class carriages. Most passengers were concentrating on getting home from a long, rainy Tuesday at the office in India's financial center, Mumbai. The men placed their duffel bags and metal lunchboxes on the overhead luggage racks, and then, apparently, pushed their way off again, unnoticed--until 6:24 p.m., when the explosions began. Within 11 minutes, bombs had ripped through seven suburb-bound commuter trains on the same rail line. The blasts left 197 passengers and crew dead or dying and 800 others injured.
Police investigators are convinced they know who was behind the Madrid-style bombings. Only two terrorist organizations in the region have the skills and resources for such a massive, coordinated attack--and this, police believe, was a joint operation by both networks. One alleged partner is Lashkar-i-Taiba, a Kashmiri separatist group that has been outlawed since 2002 in Pakistan, the country where it began 16 years ago. The other group is the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a homegrown jihadist outfit that is spreading rapidly among disaffected young Muslims across much of India. Both groups are denying any involvement, but police say evidence against them is piling up.
The authorities released photos of three bearded young men in connection with the attacks. Police said one of the men was the fugitive ringleader of a dozen alleged SIMI operatives who were arrested two months ago in Aurangabad, some 350 kilometers east of Mumbai. In the course of that sweep, police seized dozens of AK-47 automatic rifles, crates of ammunition and more than 45 kilograms of RDX, a military-grade explosive. The arrests had resulted from an investigation that began earlier this year after cops apprehended a pair of suspected Lashkar operatives getting off a train in downtown Mumbai. Police said the two men were found with one kilogram of RDX.
The two organizations are united by the same wild-eyed cause: bringing the entire Subcontinent back under Muslim rule for the first time since the 19th century. As followers of a harshly intolerant strain of Saudi-style Wahhabi Islam, they reject any notion of majority rule in a land where "polytheist infidel" Hindus outnumber Muslims. The Lashkar-SIMI partnership has been growing for several years, and in the past year or so Indian police believe that the two groups have collaborated on a series of attacks, including the bombing of a temple this March in Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi, and the October bombing of two New Delhi markets, killing more than 60. After the Varanasi blast, Indian police arrested a rabid anti-Hindu mullah, named Waliullah, who led investigators to several other militants belonging to extremist groups linked to Lashkar and SIMI.
The Indian government banned SIMI in 2001, but it continues to operate and grow, according to investigators. Indian police think SIMI may have 500 hard-core members and as many as 20,000 sympathizers who can be relied on for assistance and shelter. The group is said to have a sizable following in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, as well as in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, which have significant Muslim populations. With SIMI's support, Lashkar's fighters can now operate deep inside India without a lifeline to Pakistan's side of the border.
That development has raised new fears of international terrorism on Indian soil. B. Raman, a former senior Indian intelligence official, says analysts this year have detected a Qaeda interest in disaffected Indian Muslims. "Al Qaeda is now trying to take advantage of Muslim anger for its Pan-Islamic and anti-U.S. objectives," he warns. Lashkar has always denied any ties to Al Qaeda, but their common agenda of Islamic supremacy has brought them closer together. Both Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, have lambasted Hindu India for its growing ties with America. Last week a man purporting to be a spokesman for Al Qaeda expressed "gratitude" for the bombings and said the terrorist group had established a unit in India-controlled Kashmir. If true, that is an ominous portent.
© 2006
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