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British police claims to have broken up a plan to release the deadly Sarin
nerve gas or cyanide on crowded areas in London on July 7 by two Bangladeshi
jihadis living among Pakistanis and Indians in East London.
A major intensive anti-terrorist drive by the police ended in the arrest of a
23 year old postal worker and his brother. But the police are yet to produce
physical evidence that the two arrested men operated a chemical bomb factory or
were building deadly chemical bombs.
Many newspapers have begun questioning British claims wondering if it Scotland
Yard has got its facts right. A year ago, British police chased down and short
a Brazilian electrician inside the London underground. Meanwhile, the police
are holding the brothers under the draconian terrorist laws, sadly a necessary
evil required to curb terrorism, and questioning the brothers.
Simultaneously, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested 17 Canadians
on charges of conspiring with the al Qaeda for “terrorist attacks” in several
locations in Ontario, the country’s major economic hub. Of the 17, five were
youth. They were formally accused with participating in terrorist group’s
activities, training and recruitment for the group, violating firearms and
explosive laws, and contributing money and property for terrorist purposes.
Supposedly, this group procured 3 tons of ammonium nitrate and other components
required to make explosives. This is the second major anti-terrorist arrest—the
first one was in March 2004 of a software developer for alleged activities in
London and Ottawa. That case is still pending.
Meanwhile, in an increased attention to India’s interest, the US imposed
sanctions on India’s most wanted man, Dawood Ibrahim. In deference to Pakistan,
the US has been waffling for the last 3 years even after calling him a global
terrorist. These sanctions will include denying him and his organization access
to US financial system. Ibrahim is being cited under the Kingpin Act legislated
in 1999 to target foreign narcotic traffickers globally. Despite strong
evidence supplied by India and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),
Pakistan continues to deny that Ibrahim lives there. Ibrahim has interests in
India, Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
India has often accused Pakistan of sponsoring terror in India. According to
Central Intelligence Directorate (CID), those shot dead while trying to storm
the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh last week were Pakistanis. The All India Muslim
Majlis-e-Mushawarat condemned the terrorist attempt and called on Muslim youth
to reject militant groups and instead participate in politics. The group also
deplored the “tendency to ascribe terrorist attempts to Islam.” The main
opposition
Bharatiya Janata Party has asked the United Progressive Alliance Government
to seek United Nations help to brand Pakistan a terrorist nation.
Contrary to developments and even
statements by US State Department Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism Henry
Crumpton, US Defense Secretary Ronald Rumsfield lavished praise on
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on his efforts to reign in terrorism.
Calling Musharraf a “courageous man,” Rumsfield said that Musharraf “has done
an excellent job in a difficult country in a difficult environment, and is
clearly dedicated to defeating terror.”
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