Bomb threat, sabotage attempt in Kerala, All’s not well in God’s own country

Bomb threat, sabotage attempt: All’s not well in God’s own country

Author: Our Bureau/Agencies, Thiruvananthapuram
Economic Times, July 10, 2010

Authorities in Kerala had much to ponder on Friday, with an attempted
sabotage of a passenger train, a bomb threat to the Kerala Express and a
seizure of explosives from a private bus in Malabar. All this on a day
when Vice President Hamid Ansari was visiting the state, and the bail
petition of Bangalore blast accused Abdul Nasser Madani was rejected by the Bangalore sessions court.

Sabotage was suspected in the case of the brake pipes of a passenger
train being sawn at 20 places, on Thursday, ahead of its Friday morning
departure from Nilambur to Shoranur. The investigation was handed over to the crime branch. Officials said the twin rubber hose of the train
was sawn at 20 places, perhaps with a hack-saw blade. Adding more
suspense to the incident, the brake pipes of the train were found cut
again on Friday.

In south Kerala, the Kerala Express train was searched by a bomb squad
after the railway station master at Perinad received a letter warning of
a bomb being placed in the train.

In north Kerala, about 300 detonators and some wires were found from a private bus plying between Kozhikode and Payyannur. The bags containing the explosive material apparently belonged to none of the passengers.

Kerala government on Friday said it was in the process of investigating
whether it was sabotage or any terrorist outfit responsible for the
incident in which the braking system of a passenger train was tampered
with and explosive materials were found in another train.

Government viewed both incidents very seriously, Kerala law minister M Vijayakumar said replying to a submission on the matter in the state
assembly.

Railway and state police were investigating the cases registered in
connection with the tampering of brake system of the Nilambur-Shornur passenger train and recovering of explosive materials from a compartment in Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram Vanchinad Express at Mavellikara on Thursday, Vijayakumar said.

Preliminary report suggested that the braking system’s hose pipe was cut when the train was stationed at Nilambur station after it reached from Shornur previous night, he said.

Anti-Sabotage squad had also been deployed to probe the incidents, he
said to a submission of Aryadan Muhammed (Congress), from Nilambur
constituency.

Muhammed said people of the state were in a state of shock after the
incidents.

Both ruling LDF and Opposition UDF should face the threat posed by
fundamentalist elements unitedly, he said.

Meanwhile, state DGP Jacob Punnoose has been quoted as saying that the police have seized some CDs and highly incriminating and seditious
material during a search of the house of one of those suspected in
chopping off of the palm of a college professor who incorporated a
controversial question in a Malayalam examination in March this year.

Mr Punnoose said the attack on college professor T J Joseph was a
“well-planned” one, and that the gang that committed the act had spent
money and resources to carry out the attack. He said the suspects were
unlikely to have fled the country, but that they may have moved to other districts in the state. Some of the pamphlets seized from the houses of the suspects have been found to be critical of the state government.

Ishrat Jahan was an LeT terrrorst: Headley

Ishrat Jahan was an LeT fidayeen: Headley

Vishwa Mohan & Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN, Jul 5, 2010,

NEW DELHI: Pakistani American terrorist David Headley has said that Ishrat Jahan, the Mumbai girl who was killed along with three alleged terrorists in 2004 in a police encounter, was indeed a Lashkar-e-Taiba fidayeen.

Sources said Headley told interrogators from the National Investigation Agency that Ishrat, a resident of Mumbra in Thane, was recruited by top Lashkar commander Muzammil who was in charge of LeT’s operations in India till 2007.

The statement, while confirming that Headley is a trove of information on Lashkar’s plans against India, corroborates the version of Gujarat police as well as the Centre in what has turned into a controversial case because of doubts about the veracity of the police version.

Importantly, Headley’s statement tallies with claim of Gujarat cops and the Centre that Muzammil had sent Ishrat and her accomplices to Gujarat on a terror mission as part of Lashkar’s plan to attack the Indian hinterland and target VIPs.

Headley’s visits to India for reconaissance missions for Lashkar started in 2006, sources said, when Muzammil was Lashkar’s chief commander in India.

Lashkar had owned up Ishrat immediately after the encounter, with its Lahore-based mouthpiece ‘Ghazwa Times’ describing her as an LeT activist and taking umbrage at the action of Indian cops in removing her veil. In 2007, however, Lashkar, in its fresh incarnation as Jamaat-ud-Dawa, disowned her, by issuing an apology to Ishrat’s family for calling her an LeT cadre.

The timing of the apology was significant. It came just before Gopinath Pillai, father of Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai who was killed along with Ishrat, filed a petition in the Supreme Court, demanding a CBI probe into the encounter.

Headley’s statement that Ishrat was recruited to be a fidayeen undercuts Lashkar’s attempt to disown her, though it may not settle doubts about the genuineness of the encounter in which she was killed.

Ishrat and Javed were killed along with two Pakistani nationals — Amjad Ali and Jishan Johar Abdul Ghani — both alleged LeT terrorists, on June 15, 2004. According to the police version, they were intercepted on the outskirts of Ahmedabad when they were about to enter the city in a blue Indica on a mission to eliminate chief minister Narendra Modi.

In her petition to the Gujarat High Court, Ishrat’s mother Shamima Kausar had disputed the version of the Gujarat police as well as the Centre, claiming that her daughter was a saleswoman working for Javed Sheikh who dealt in perfumes. Javed’s father told the SC that his son was innocent and sought a central probe.

Both Gujarat police and Centre pointed to infirmities in their version. Centre told Gujarat HC that Javed had been recruited by LeT when he was in Dubai. Gopinath Pillai had not disclosed criminal cases pending against his son, or the fact that he had obtained a different passport using his original name even though the one issued to him was still valid.

The Centre also disputed the claim of Gopinath Pillai, supported by Ishrat’s mother, that he was in the business of perfumes and that this required him and Ishrat to travel across the country.

The Gujarat HC had set Monday as the deadline for all parties concerned to submit their replies to the petitions from the parents of Ishrat and Javed, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged encounter.

The case has taken on significance after a CBI probe established that Sohrabuddin, an alleged gangster, was killed by Gujarat cops in a fake encounter. It has also established that Tulsidas Prajapati, a small-time criminal who helped Gujarat cops nab Sohrabuddin, was also eliminated by the police to wipe out evidence.

Headley’s account underlines his importance as a repository of crucial information on Lashkar and its plans on India. His statement to the NIA team that LeT founder Hafiz Saeed was engaged with the 26/11 attackers all through the plot has reinforced India’s demand that Pakistan take action against the Lashkar chief. Sources described the information given by the Pakistani American terrorist as “vital inputs”.

There is no Hindu terror, It’s counter-Islamic terrorism

‘It’s counter-Islamic terrorism, not Hindu terror’ – Ram Madhav
June 21

On May 3, Suresh Joshi, a joint secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, issued a statement condemning the attempt to link the arrests of suspects in the bomb blasts in Ajmer and Hyderabad by the Special Investigation Team with his organisation.

Joshi’s statement claimed that the RSS only believed in the Constitutional path. It said the RSS would not support or protect anyone indulging in violent activities. The crucial fact that emerged from the short statement was that the accused have been removed from any posts of responsibility in the RSS.

Joshi also demanded that accused be investigated, but innocent people should not be harassed. The RSS is obviously worried. The organisation supported by millions and hated by millions has never been above controversy. But the arrests and investigation of some RSS office-bearers and activists is a matter too serious to be forgotten after a media statement.

After all, Devender Gupta, who was arrested by the Rajasthan police in April in connection with the 2007 Ajmer blasts, is now also an accused in the Mecca Masjid blasts in Hyderabad that same year.

Gupta was an RSS office-bearer from Bihar. According to the police he is linked to Sunil Joshi, an RSS pracharak in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, who was murdered in December 2007.

Sunil Joshi was connected to Sadhvi Pragya Singh and Lieutenant Colonel Srikant Purohit, who were arrested in the Malegaon blasts case.

Sunil Joshi, who had been sacked from the RSS for his radical views, was associated with Abhinav Bharat, an outfit accused of inspiring the radical group who have resorted to terrorism.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is on the look out for Sandeep Dange and Ramachandra Kalasangar, who are allegedly part of the terrorist group.

Ram Madhav, the RSS’s media savvy and sober face and member of its national executive, vehemently denies the organisation’s direct or indirect involvement with these cases of terrorism and claims that his organisation is not infected by such radical elements.

He spoke to Rediff.com’s Sheela Bhatt.

It is reported that the RSS is quite worried by the investigation against its members in three states — Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. This investigation is against an RSS office-bearer and the allegation is that he indulged in terrorism. Is the RSS worried?

Absolutely not. We only said that there are certain agencies investigating certain incidents. One of the functionaries (of the RSS) Devender Gupta was arrested by the Anti Terrorism Squad from Bihar. He was working as a Vibhag Pracharak there.

We said we want an impartial investigation and we don’t want innocents to be troubled. We told them that if necessary, we will co-operate. If there is any evidence against any individual, then take necessary action, we told them.

Don’t you think it’s a telling story that someone from your organisation is being investigated for such a heinous crime?

This is the first of its kind that someone working with the RSS is accused of involvement. But this is only the charge. The agency will have to establish the evidence in court. The RSS doesn’t support nor protect anybody involved in such activities.

I am asking again, are you not worried that the people arrested are your office-bearers? So far, you were blaming Islamic terrorism. What is this if not Hindu terrorism?

Number one, it is not a matter for us to worry about for these are charges against one person. He is arrested now. Let the charges be proved. We do not believe in such activities, so don’t assume that the RSS is involved in it.

If some individual is found to be involved in some manner, maybe he is not directly involved or maybe he is, let the investigation get completed.

We don’t know the charges yet. When we know about it, then we will certainly think about it. But beyond that there is nothing.

Let me talk about the other part of your question. This vicarious satisfaction of people like you is amazing. The event (arrests of Hindus) doesn’t mitigate the fact that there exists something called Islamic terrorism in this world, not just in India.

There is something called global terrorism that is inspired by the ideology of jihad. It exists.

Just because someone associated with the RSS or Bajrang Dal or any organisation gets arrested, it doesn’t mean there is no Islamic terrorism. How can you say that?

I am saying that there is no Hindu terrorism. For a simple reason — at the most some Hindus have indulged in such acts which have to be condemned by everyone.

At the most you can call these people’s action as counter-Islamic terrorism. It is not at all Hindu terrorism.

Nobody is indulging in terrorism in the name of Hinduism as Hinduism doesn’t support or encourage such things.

How can you say it is counter-Islamic terrorism when Hinduism doesn’t permit even counter-terrorism?

I am saying the same thing. I am saying Hinduism doesn’t sanction any such things.

Hinduism and terrorism cannot go together.

At least three major bomb blasts are being investigated for Hindu radical links. There are many people being investigated. All of them are linked with either the RSS or its ideology.

Remember one thing you are insisting that there are many people arrested or investigated. The police arrested 11 people for the Malegaon blasts and three for the Ajmer blasts. Only one, Devender Gupta, happened to be our Vibhag Pracharak, who is normally in charge of three districts.

Is it not true that Ramanarayan Kalsangra is an RSS member. He is absconding.

No way! If you go by technical facts, we don’t have membership. Nobody is a member of the RSS. I am admitting that one functionary of the RSS was arrested. We want the facts to come out and until then we don’t want to commit either way.

All other arrested people are linked to the RSS ideology.

What do you mean by that? They could be participating in other political activities too.

As a responsible organisation and as responsible citizens, we say that we don’t defend any acts of terrorism nor we are going to protect anybody.

Are you not shocked by Gupta’s arrest? He was one of you.

It is true that someone who was our Vibhag Pracharak is being charged. It is an unfortunate thing.

Mere investigation against one individual cannot make us disturbed or worried.

You are asking me repeatedly, but please tell me what is the charge against him? Is it proved?

The charge against him is that Gupta helped a person called Sunil Joshi, who is dead. The entire allegation is indirect. The police claim Gupta helped somebody who was supposed to be behind the violence.

What do you have to say about Abhinav Bharat? Most of those who have been arrested are directly involved with it.

We have nothing to do with Abhinav Bharat.

Was Sunil Joshi a member of the RSS?

Yes, he was our pracharak. He was removed from the RSS in 2003.

Has the core group of the RSS debated about these so-called Hindu terrorists getting arrested?

There is no Hindu terrorism.

There is nothing going on to sit and discuss. Since you are asking so seriously, I will give you the perspective. All this began sometime in 2008 in and around Indore, you can say Madhya Pradesh.

There were some arrests after the Malegaon blasts in 2008. Till 2008 there was nothing.

What does it suggest? If there is any involvement of any group, that might be a small group somewhere. The police are investigating that group, they will find out. But it is not a pan-Indian phenomenon. There is nothing to worry.

There were some incidents in which allegedly some group is involved. The group is being investigated and interrogated by the agencies.

Nowhere else are any other such incidents taking place.

I am saying that none of our functionaries will be allowed to get involved in such activities. If anybody is found involved, he will be immediately removed.

The RSS is a cadre-based party which inculcates certain views and ideology of India and its future. Then how come this kind of thing has happened — what you called an ‘aberration’? So far you were known for your training and discipline.

If the charges are taken to be true — and they are levelled against one individual of the RSS, then I can say it is an aberration.

The RSS has half a million people who have some responsibility or role in the organisation. At least 6 million, 7 million people are formally associated with it. It is a huge organisation. Anybody can walk in and join our activities.

Most people will not be charitable about this ‘aberration’. They would say the RSS has a certain ideology that is isolating Muslims and creates a kind of ‘us versus them’ divide.

In reality, even if the RSS is not involved behind the group who indulged in terrorism, your ideology was responsible for leading them to this violence.

This argument is as old as the RSS. It is weird logic. Now you are saying ideology is responsible, not you.

I am saying that what you understand is not our ideology.

Our ideology is unity and strengthening of Indians. We want a strong India and a united India.

Do you teach young minds not to be violent? Do you ensure that?

We teach them the great principles of Hinduism.

Kerala Muslim Extremists Cut off Lecturer’s hand

Taliban justice in Kerala: Lecturer’s hand cut off
Tue, 2010-07
From R. Vasudevan—Reporting from New Delhi
New Delhi, 06 July (Asiantribune.com)

In a sign of growing Islamic fundamentalism in Kerala, Muslim fanatics in Kerala on Sunday chopped off the right hand of a college lecturer, accusing him of setting a question paper with a derogatory reference to the Prophet.

In this horrific instance of Talibanism, Lecturer T J Joseph who was returning home from church with his mother and sister in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district, was accosted by the attackers. The family had just got into their car when a van pulled up in front. Around eight people armed with swords and knives emerged and pulled out Joseph after smashing the windscreen. They then chopped off his right hand and stabbed him in the left thigh,” said Joseph’s sister, Mary Stella, a nun. “When we tried to prevent them, they attacked me and and our mother before exploding bombs and fleeing.”

A police team recovered the severed hand from the compound of a house about 200m away. The 52-year-old lecturer was rushed to a private hospital where his condition was serious. Police recovered the van in which the fanatics reached the scene. Two men, said to be activists of the Popular Front, a new incarnation of the hardline National Democratic Front, have also been taken into custody. Special police squads are searching sensitive areas in and around the town.

“Personnel from this district and neighbouring places are working as a team and we’ll nab the assailants soon,” said IG B Sandhya. In March this year, Islamic outfits had carried out protests against Joseph, who was a lecturer in the church-run Newman college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district over a portion in the Malayalam question paper for an internal examination for BCom students. They claimed that the question paper insulted the Prophet. The college later suspended Joseph who had set the questions and a criminal case was registered against him. The case is pending trial.

Reacting to the incident, State home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters in New Delhi that the police would probe if any communal or terrorist outfit was involved. The BJP alleged that the home department could not evade responsibility for the growth of terror outfits in Kerala. “This is a direct consequence of the soft attitude adopted by the Left and Congress towards terrorist outfits,” said BJP state chief V Muraleedharan.

-Asian Tribune-

LeT surveyed 100 targets, Islamic terrorist Headley covered almost one-third

LeT surveyed 100 targets, I covered almost one-third: Headley to Indian investigators

Jun 20 2010

Sketchy details are emerging from the seven-day access that a team from the National Investigating Agency (NIA) got to Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley last week. 

While non-disclosure of precise details of the almost 40 hours of interrogation conducted at an unspecified location in Chicago was a precondition for the access, the NIA team has returned to the Capital and has briefed top government officials. A formal report on the revelations made by the LeT’s globetrotting operative who conducted surveillance of the 26/11targets is expected to be prepared by the NIA shortly. 

Headley is understood to have emphasised that around 100 targets in India have been identified, listed, surveyed and photographed by different agents, including himself. He said he did not know the identities and nationalities of other agents enlisted for reconnaissance since his “handlers” in Pakistan were careful not to reveal the details. 

Headley has reportedly confessed to having done videography and photography of around 30 of these targets in several Indian cities during his nine visits to the country between 2006-2009. These include the 26/11 targets for which he said he had done a detailed survey, along with the identification of landing points and escape routes to be used by the 10 trained terrorists. 

Officials in the Home Ministry said that while members of the NIA team did not either tape or videograph the interrogation sessions (they only took notes), this may have been done by US authorities in Chicago and that if required, the tapes could be requested for at a later stage. 

During his interrogation, Headley is believed to have revealed more LeT targets than those already shared by the American agencies with their Indian counterparts. These targets include the residence of the Vice President as well as North Block, South Block and the Defence Headquarters in New Delhi. 

Besides these targets, sources said, Headley has confirmed his reconnaissance of Chabad houses in Pune, Pushkar, Goa and Mumbai though he said he was not aware of the German Bakery in Pune being a target. 

Headley’s interrogation sessions resulted in reconfirmation of some aspects of the probe the NIA had earlier conducted including the identities of his friends in Mumbai. He admitted to have dated a woman who runs a bakery in South Mumbai (The Indian Express, January 27, 2010) and that he had used his friends such as Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Varak, trainers in the gym he frequented in Mumbai, as useful “covers” to roam around freely in hotels and malls in the city. They were among the 200 persons the NIA questioned prior to travelling to Chicago and according to Headley himself, none of them were aware of the sinister design of his visits to India.