Pakistan: 5 FATA journalists detained since launch of Zarbe-e-Asb military operation

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FATA journalists concerned at number of detentions without explanation

The brave journalists of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) have worked hard against the odds to continue to bring important stories from an area of conflict and instability despite many obstacles to try to prevent them from doing so.

Back in June 2014, the military launched operation Zarb -e-Asb, egged on by John Brennan, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) determined to see Pakistan eliminate as many insurgents as possible with the continued background support of US Predator drone strikes. From the start it was clear North Waziristan would become a reporting “no go zone” with reliance on ISP reports to update on military progress in the region. Locals had little choice but to move from the area becoming Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at great personal loss and suffering. Occasionally the army would escort a selected group of journalists into the area to film old Taliban headquarters complete with alleged arms stash taken over by the military. Insurgents had mostly vacated for safer areas, to other regions of Pakistan or over the border to Afghanistan having gained advance intelligence of an impending military operation.

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Nasruminallah the latest journalist to be detained in a week long “misunderstanding”

Since Zarb-e-Asb began 5 journalists of North Waziristan agency have been arrested by the Security Forces (army). First, Khyber News reporter Noor Behram was detained twice, then Mashaal radio reporter Umer Daraz Wazir was arrested in Bannu and released after one day. After that, Geo News Special Correspondent Rasool Dawar and Khyber News Reporter Yousaf Haroon were arrested in Peshawar and released after 6 hours. Then on the 31st March 2015 during IDP’s return to the area, courageous Express Tribune Reporter Nasruminallah was arrested by “Forces” and is now released after being held for one week according to this journalist’s father, Haji Pazeer Gul.

The Tribal Union Of Journalists (TUJ) held a meeting in Bannu Press Club to discuss their concerns regarding these incidents but media in Pakistan can’t release this news. Here is their statement,

Emergency Meeting

“The problems being faced by the journalists and for their solution the journalists associated with the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) and Bannu Press Club, held an emergency meeting under the leadership of TUJ’s founder Sailaab Mehsud at Bannu press club. In the meeting the arrest at the hands of security forces of North Waziristan journalist and member of Tribal Union of Journalist, Nasruminallah was strongly condemned.  It was decided in the meeting that if the journalist arrested since 31st March is not released by the concerned departments and the constant harassment of journalists is not stopped then we will raise our voice on national as well as international level. In this regard in the coming few days,  Khyber Pakhtoonkhua and the Tribal Journalists will hold a joint session in Peshawar press club.  Be clear that the arrested North Waziristan journalist, Nasruminallah along with other journalists was going for the coverage of the returning North Waziristan IDPs. Even before the coverage, the security forces arrested him at Said Gai checkpost. It was clarified in the session that no progress was made despite repeated intervention by the members of Tribal Union of Journalists and Bannu Press Club. It was decided in the session that for the release of the arrested journalist Nasruminallah and the problems being faced by other journalists they will approach the Core Commander Peshawar, DGISPR (Director General Interservices Public Relation) and Chief of Army Staff General Rahil Shareef.

Remember that after the continuing operation Zarb-e-Azab in North Waziristan, five (5) journalists from of North Waziristan have so far been arrested off and on.”

What is disturbing is that no reason has been given for detaining these journalists and no answers to their questions. This practice of taking journalists off the street is usually put down to a “misunderstanding” but appears to be a method of control and intimidation to let the press know who is in control.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report that 56 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 1992. They are not so well paid and some act as “stringers” for major foreign publications often taking the risks on the ground while others thousands of miles away take most of the credit for stories from the region. Types of death recorded include the following categories, murdered, in crossfire/combat, on dangerous assignment, all deaths. The following CPJ link highlights the dangers for journalists working in Pakistan and specifics on individual cases.

https://cpj.org/killed/asia/pakistan/

Journalists in Pakistan are in a no-win situation. They are not free to report on any subject area and are sometimes accused of bias for not covering key issues. To question or go against any official state press release can put reporters at risk. Perhaps the state fears that the stories put out by independent media may differ from official reports but journalists must be free to question and to write with accuracy and honesty.

It is essential that journalists are allowed into all areas to report. Although the state may argue its too dangerous and they can’t guarantee security, the counter-arguement is that journalists know the risks in a conflict zone, express a wish to report from these areas and may face equal or greater risks reporting in other subject areas, for example gangland killings in major cities. Where possible training on safety and security should be given by their employers if not independent journalists, though some training may still be possible,

It is very difficult to find independent reporting on the progress of military operations or the realities on the ground for returning IDPs. The people of Pakistan have a right to know what is happening in their own country and journalists must be enabled to carry out their work and be protected as far as possible in their endeavours.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Starving Yarmouk must not become another “Siege of Leningrad”

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Gathered on Yarmouk Street, residents begin hurrying to reach the distribution point, January 2014. (Photo by UNRWA)

Yvonne Ridley’s excellent article on Yarmouk highlights the hypocrisy of the west that has largely ignored the suffering of Palestinian refugees trapped inside a camp just 3 miles south of Damascus, Syria. The residents numbered around 18,000 though 2,000 are said to have been evacuated in the last 5 days according to a BBC report. Inhabitants are repeatedly barrel bombed by Bashar al Assad forces and are now living under the control of the Islamic State along with the al-Nusra Front. There are ongoing battles all around with Syrian military and Palestinian fighters making it very difficult for refugees to leave safely. Ridley writes,

“the situation for those living in the refugee camp is so bad that back in October 2013 Islamic scholars issued fatwas (legal opinions) allowing the occupants to eat dogs, cats and donkeys in order to survive. The drastic rulings were given during Eid Al-Adha as Muslims around the world were sacrificing goats and sheep to celebrate the religious festival. For the starving Palestinians in war-torn Yarmouk refugee camp, what was once haram (forbidden) for Muslims suddenly became halal (acceptable).”

(see “Links” section for full article)

The situation is now so desperate there is a very real fear Yarmouk could become another “Siege of Leningrad”. Beginning in 1941, the Russian city was surrounded by German soldiers meaning starving inhabitants were unable to access much needed food supplies and were reduced to 125 grams of bread per person. Last year 95 year old Russian writer Daniil Granin reminded the world of the horrors in the hope such scenes would never be repeated, he stated,

“the blockade was sudden and unexpected, as much as the war itself was unexpected for the country. There were no reserves of fuel, no food… Then one after another catastrophic event started to occur, power supplies were stopped, there was no water, no sewerage system operating, no central heating in place…”

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TIMEWATCH: SIEGE OF LENINGRAD

Photos of Seige of Leningrad

The siege lasted for 2 and half years with 1.5 million deaths mostly from starvation. Russia Today reported on the Siege of Leningrad for International Holocaust Memorial Day stating,

“people were forced to eat rats, cats, earth and glue. Some resorted to cannibalism, Granin told the parliament. He said he met a mother who fed her 12-year-old daughter with the remains of her dead three-year-old daughter, to save at least one child. The writer recalled how dead bodies littered the streets of Leningrad for days as the survivors were too weak to bury the dead.”

Although the numbers in Yarmouk are far less than Leningrad, the conditions are horrific and getting worse by the day. The U.N. Security Council has called for safe passage and evacuation of civilians as at present those trying to leave risk being hit by snipers, bombed and shelled. A young Palestinian speaking to the Telegraph whose identity was withheld said “there is no food, no drink, no medical care. The doctors have left the camp.”

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Yarmouk where situation is described as “beyond inhumane” Dr Basem Naeem posted photo of Farouk Mohammed who allegedly died due to lack of food

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated,

“never has the hour been more desperate in the Palestine refugee camp of Yarmouk, in Damascus. As the fighting intensifies, UNRWA strongly appeals to all armed actors to cease hostilities that place civilians in acute danger and to withdraw immediately from civilian populated areas.

We demand that all parties exercise maximum restraint and abide by their obligations under international law to protect civilians. In addition, we demand humanitarian access and the establishment of secure conditions under which we can deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance and  that enable civilians to be evacuated.”

Links

“Christopher Columbus and the history of the Palestinian struggle”

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/articles/middle-east/17913-christopher-columbus-and-the-history-of-the-palestinian-struggle

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Pakistan: IDPs returning home face exploitation, corruption, undertakings on security and will never be fully “compensated” for their losses

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BANNU: Internally displaced people dance at the Kajuri Checkpost to celebrate their return to their homes here on Tuesday.—INP (via Dawn)

Media reports are starting to document the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Pakistan back to North Waziristan. Many locals were abruptly ousted in June 2014 so that the army could begin military operation Zarb -e-Asb against militants in the region. This operation was helped to fruition by CIA chief John Brennan who flew to Pakistan back in February 2014 to meet Gen Raheel Sharif to discuss what NDTV reported as “highly sensitive issues of mutual interest”. This was at a time when the US was highlighting that any future financial aid would be more and more results based. In other words if there was no significant action targeting insurgent groups there may be restrictions on the relied upon millions of dollars received in regular cash injections.

Although IDPs are wanting to return home (albeit with reservations) any initial jubilation will no doubt soon be quashed as reality takes over on viewing the scenes of devastation. To what are they returning?

This week, World Bulletin reports that a few journalists were given an army escorted tour to North Waziristan to see the damage for themselves. Resettlement of IDPs will be staggered in phases. What is in no doubt from those that have surveyed the region, is the severe impact on the infrastructure. Homes, businesses, electricity, water facilities, transport, schools, health clinics (limited though they may have been in the first place) have come under attack and much of the area lies in ruins.

What returning locals will receive as a resettlement package cannot be termed as “compensation for damages” caused by the actions of the Armed Forces. If IDPs were to receive proper compensation, it would be calculated on a number of factors. Firstly they would be compensated for loss of life, injury, mental distress during transition, loss of home (property) and destroyed land, every household or farm item lost or damaged, loss of earnings, business, child’s education and loss of animals. Let’s look at what would you normally be routine preparation for Eid ul Adha asan example. Livestock is usually fed and fattened up for sale for Qurbani. How can locals afford to restock on the goats and sheep many had to leave behind unattended and feed any new animals ready for market though they may have basic food rations for themselves?

The amount of money/income lost even in impoverished areas if calculated fairly could run into tens of thousands of dollars as each family member has been affected in some way, perhaps hundreds of thousands for any large landowners and businesses in the region. Of course this will never happen unless some brave soul tries to litigate against the state and in a conflict situation the chances of winning would no doubt be very slim.

So what help will people actually receive? World Bulletin states that according to Miranshah resident, Mujtaba Dawar, who once owned a local business,

“the government is providing merely 35,000 rupees ($350) to each family for reconstruction of their homes, this amount is not even enough for minor repairs”

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Will aid levels be sufficient for returning IDPs?

(Image, “Help the IDPs of FATA”)

Shahid Ilyas writing in the Daily Times states,

“according to reports appearing in the media from time to time, each IDP family will get Rs 200,000 ($ 2,000) for his/her partially damaged home and Rs 400,000 ($ 4,000) for homes that have been destroyed completely.”

However he also points out,

“tribesmen, despite the lack of economic opportunities and income, are used to living in spacious homes. Each family has a member living in the Middle East. Many of them have built large concrete mansions with the money sent home, mansions worth tens of millions of rupees. Imagine: $ 2,000 or $ 4,000 is just not sufficient for even small repairs to their homes. Therefore, most of the tribes from Waziristan consider this move by the government to be a slight.”

Although returning families are to be issued with a SIM card, Rs10,000 for transport expenses, Rs25,000 per household for other expenses and bank ATM cards, DAWN media states, “many families are yet to receive the promised money despite the issuance of ATM cards.” According to the Daily Times, there is some support from Gujranwala Corps who are reported to be supplying a convoy of 6 trucks to supply tents and household items to IDPs starting again. There may also be some assistance from UNICEF in the form of hygiene kits to families and the World Food Programme will provide six months of ration while some agencies will provide vaccinations.

Express Tribune reports,

“the FATA Return and Rehabilitation Strategy has divided development of the tribal areas into three phases; rehabilitation and recovery, which will take about 24 months; medium-term development, to take two to five years; and long-term development, which will take five years and more.

Official records put the current estimated damage in all seven agencies of Fata at over $44.03 million; an additional $320 million is required for reconstruction of damaged houses.”

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Soldiers stand guard at a destroyed empty bazaar during a military operation against Taliban militants in the main town of Miramshah in North Waziristan on July 9, 2014.— Photo by AFP

Another question on the cards is whether North Waziristan is about to enter a period of what Naomi Klein (social activist and author) termed “shock doctrine” US “free market” exploitation of disaster shocked people and countries? Will we now see Pakistani and foreign firms competing for lucrative construction contracts? Contracts are unlikely to be awarded to locals from Waziristan as little is left of their businesses so they will be unable to compete and benefit financially themselves from reconstruction.

We know America has agreed to assist Pakistan with financial aid to help rebuild the region. The BBC reported back in 2004 following the devastation after invasion of Iraq that, “the US Defense Department has awarded seven Iraq reconstruction contracts worth a total of about $130m (£72.3m) to consortia of US firms.” (Any countries that opposed the war in Iraq were not allowed to bid.) Although the funding to Waziristan would not be anywhere near that scale, the impact on the region would still be significant. This is going to be a challenging time. An opportunity to improve the region would need to be balanced against any negative impact that might destroy traditional culture and inflict perhaps an unwanted strong western influence while others profit.

How much say will locals have on what is built in their name? Also there is plenty of potential for corruption as has been seen in other war torn or disaster hit regions. We can see from media reports on arrests and court cases it is already happening with some projects in Pakistan. Only yesterday DAWN media reported the following,

“PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday arrested Additional Secretary Home & Tribal Affairs Department Arshad Khan and two other officials in a case of embezzlement of compensation funds designated for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Khan held the position of Director General (DG) Fata Disaster Management Authority at the time when he, in connivance with two others, allegedly embezzled Rs50 million of compensation payment meant for the affectees of the military operations against militants in Mohmand Agency.”

To add insult to injury, accusations against Khan include setting up bogus profiles of IDPs to withdraw money from banks and making fake smart cards. This case highlights the vulnerability of displaced persons that can be easily exploited.

IDPs returning to North Waziristan are also now expected to sign an agreement that will involve helping to maintain peace and security in the region as an individual and collective responsibility whilst the government for their part will initiate development activities. Quite how locals will keep their part of the agreement is unclear and there is controversy arising over this issue.

At present it is difficult to assess whether the military operation and displacement of so many has been worth it. There have been conflicting reports on numbers of insurgents killed depending on who is interviewed and the decision to withhold names of insurgents killed. Misinformation giving false reports regarding militant deaths have led to confusion and a growing lack of trust. Will militancy return? The children of insurgents that were “martyred” are already being prepared in training camps as recent videos show.Only time will tell if operations are deemed successful or not by those affected the most, the IDPs themselves.

The people of Waziristan have for decades been treated as second class citizens within Pakistan, oppressed under Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) “black law” left over from British colonialism which has affected their development and human rights. Will any of that change? The return of IDPs is now underway…. locals are going home… but at what cost?

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Afghanistan: Islamic Emirate release article commemorating 19th anniversary of the historical gathering and selection of Mullah Omar in Kandahar

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Commemorating the nineteenth anniversary of the historical gathering and selection of Ameer-ul-Momineen on 16th Aries 1375 AH (solar) i.e. 4th April 1996 in Kandahar

The biography of the leader of Islamic Emirate Ameer-ul-Momineen, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ (May Allah safeguard him).

 

الحمدلله وکفی  و الصلوة والسلام علی عباده الذین اصطفی امابعد

16th of Aries 1375 AH (solar) i.e. 4th April 1996 AD is a momentous day in the history of our Muslim people. Nearly two decades ago on this same faithful day, one thousand and five hundred scholars, dignitaries and Jihadi leaders of Afghanistan approved Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ as the leader of the Islamic Emirate, gave an oath of allegiance to him and conferred the title of ‘Amir-ul-Momineen’ on him i.e. leader of the pious believers.

In the official almanac of the Islamic Emirate, this day has its own significance due to that historical event which subsequently is being commemorated by the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Emirate by publishing special articles and essays on this auspicious occasion.

As the publication of an inclusive biography of the leader of the Islamic Emirate was the urgent demand of our numerous colleagues especially the writers and researchers, the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Emirate decided to commemorate that historical occasion by publishing a comprehensive biography of His Excellency, the Amir-ul-Momineen, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ (may Allah safeguard him).

For the prevention of false propaganda by a number of spurious writers, analysts and some biased circles and to depict a clear picture to the writers and ordinary people, we draw the life-sketch of His Excellency, the Amir-ul-Momineen, in the following lines.

  • ØHis Birth and early growth:

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, son of Moulavi Ghulam Nabi, grandson of Moulavi Mohammad Rasool and the great grandson of Moulavi Baaz Mohammad was born in 1339 AH (solar) i.e. 1960 AD in a religious and learned family of Chah-i-Himmat village of Khakrez district in Kandahar province of Afghanistan. His father, Moulavi Ghulam Nabi (late) was also born in Khakrez district and had received his early education in the traditional religious institutions and circles of this area. He was a well-known and respected erudite and social figure among the masses due to his indefatigable efforts in educating and guiding the people to the right path of Islam.

Two years after the birth of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, his father migrated from Khakrez district to Noday village of Dand district of this same province and remained there till his last in spreading religious education among the local people. He died in 1344 AH (solar) i.e. 1965 AD in that area and was laid to rest in the old famous graveyard of Taliban in Kandahar city.

After the death of his father, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ shifted at the age of five along with his family members from Dand district of Kandahar province to Deh-Rawud district of Uruzgan province where he started his early life under the supervision of his uncles Moulavi Mohammad Anwar and Moulavi Mohammad Jumma.

  • ØHis Early education:

At the age of eight, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ joined the primary madrassa of Shar-i-Kohna area in Deh-Rawud district to get religious education. This madrassa was supervised by his uncle, Moulavi Mohammad Jumma and Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ also started his early education from him.

Both of his uncles, particularly Moulavi Mohammad Anwar, played a key role in his religious teaching and training.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ successfully completed his primary and middle level education from this madrassa. While eighteen, he started acquiring the traditional higher religious studies in the region but could not complete them due to the malicious communist coup d’état in 1978 AD in Afghanistan.

  • ØHis Family:

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ belongs to the ‘Tomzi’ clan of ‘Hotak’ tribe which comprises a large part of Pashtuns which has delivered eminent Islamic statesmen, national and Jihadi heroes like the legendary Islamic figure of ‘Haji Mirwais Khan Hotak’.

Great Ghazi Haji Mirwais Khan Hotak (may Allah bless him), who is remembered with the venerated title of ‘Mirwais Nika’ (i.e. Mirwais, the grandfather) by Afghans, liberated Afghanistan from the tyranny of ‘Safavid’ dynasty in 1712 AD and laid down the foundation of a sovereign and independent Islamic state for Afghans.

Professionally, the family of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ comprises of scholars and teachers of religious studies. They devoted all their lives to serving the sacred religion of Allah Almighty, to promoting religious knowledge and to educating the Muslim masses ideologically. Therefore they were deeply admired in their area and spiritually, they were considered the most dignified and social figures of the society.

The birth of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ in such a spiritual and learned family and his upbringing under the direct patronage of his well-educated and ideological patrons deeply cultivated in him the ability to grow as a sincere Mujahid, a compassionate and vigilant Islamic and national figure who could emancipate the Afghan society from tyranny, corruption and injustice and preserve our beloved homeland (Afghanistan) from the imminent danger of disintegration.

His brothers, uncles and all other family members are ‘Mujahidin’ and four of his family members have already sacrificed their lives as martyrs in the path of Allah Almighty. Mullah Mohammad Hanafia, the uncle of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was the first one who was martyred on 7th October 2001, the starting date of the brutal bombardment of American invaders.

  • ØHis Jihadi struggles:

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was in his early twenties when the communists usurped control of Afghanistan through a bloody military coup d’état. It was a time when it became nearly impossible for Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ like all other heedful students to continue their studies as the starting encounter of atheist communists was against the scholars, Taliban, students and other Muslim intellectuals throughout the country. At that time, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ decided to abandon his higher studies unfinished. He left madrassa and turned towards Jihadi front to discharge his religious obligation.

He started his Jihadi struggle under a well-known Jihadi organization of ‘Harkat-i-Inqilaab-i-Islami’ (Islamic Revolutionary Movement) in Deh-Rawud district of Uruzgan province. After spending a while in this district, he earned a reputation for being a valiant Jihadi figure who played an active role in several military operations against the communists in various parts of that district. Due to his Jihadi prominence and a successful role in various Jihadi operations, he used to get the unanimous consent of all the Mujahidin of different parts and groups to be their commander in Deh-Rawud district for leading large-scale offensives against the enemy and he executed exceptionally successful operations in which he was wounded several times. He participated in many confrontations for more than three years along with his local Mujahidin against the invading Russians and their internal communist puppets.

The companions and commanders of his Jihadi front say that Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, in-spite of being young, was efficient enough to discharge any responsibility or task as he was bestowed with strong physical composition and potency.

Later in 1983 AD, he went to ‘Maiwand’ district of ‘Kandahar’ province along with his Jihadi colleagues for the better co-ordination of Jihadi activities and continued his armed struggle against the Russian invaders and their internal stooges under the leadership of famous Jihadi commander ‘Faizullah Akhunzada’ who belonged to ‘Harkat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami’ (The Islamic Revolutionary Movement), one of the seven well-known Jihadi organizations of that time. Due to his successful role as a local Jihadi commander in numerous Jihadi operations and his efficiency and distinction in military tactics, he drew the attention of the then Jihadi organizations and eventually, he was permanently given the responsibility of a Jihadi front through ‘The Islamic Revolutionary Movement’ headed by (late) Moulavi Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi.

From 1983 to 1991, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ executed very successful operations in the suburbs of ‘Maiwand’, ‘Zhari’, ‘Panjwai’ and ‘Dand’ districts of Kandahar province which were vital Jihadi centers and Mujahidin used to be involved in fighting the enemy on a daily basis. Similarly he personally and directly participated in several victorious operations against the Russian invaders on the main ‘Kabul-Kandahar’ high way in the suburbs of ‘Shahr-i-Safa’ and ‘Qalat’ cities of Zabul province. His preferred weapon of choice was the ‘RPG-7’, which was simply called ‘Rocket’ among the local Mujahidin, as he was proficient and an expert in using this weapon. It is worth mentioning that ‘Maiwand’, ‘Zhari’ and ‘Panjwai’ districts of Kandahar province were areas of intense fighting during the Jihad against communism which turned the tide and brought about Russia’s defeat and withdrawal. Such a large number of tanks and other military vehicles were destroyed on the main ‘Kandahar-Herat’ highway that the enemy had erected walls made from these wreckages on both sides of the road to protect them from Mujahidin assaults.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was wounded four times in confrontational Jihadi operations against the Russians and in one of these operations, he lost his right eye.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was known as a prominent and distinguished Jihadi commander who played a crucial and decisive role in numerous Jihadi operations against the Russian invaders and their internal communist puppets in Kandahar and its neighboring provinces. In the following lines, we will mention some events and anecdotes by his Jihadi companions against the Russian invaders.

  1. 1.The enemy had a strong post inside Kandahar province which was known as ‘Budwan’ post. A military tank was stationed by the enemy at a strategic juncture near the post which created a great hurdle for the Mujahidin as it could target any line-of-fire easily. Mujahidin tried their best to destroy this tank but failed to succeed. Eventually Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was called in for help from ‘Sang-i-Hisaar’ area. He hit and destroyed this tank of ‘Budwan’ post with his ‘RPG’ rocket launcher which was a tremendous success for the Mujahidin at that time.
  2. 2.During the Holy Jihad against Russians in ‘Mahalla-Jaat’ area of ‘Kandahar’ province, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was accompanied in a confrontation with the enemy by ‘Shaheed Mullah Ubaidulla Akhund’ who was later appointed the Defense Minister of the Islamic Emirate and the Deputy of ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen’ (i.e. the leader of the pious believers) after the American invasion. A large number of enemy tanks and other military vehicles were destroyed by them. The following day, visitors were bewildered and could not believe that the enemy was repelled. They thought that the enemy forces were still intact even though a large number of their vehicles were burnt and the remaining ones were pushed back to their previous locations.
  3. 3.A convoy of Russian military tanks was passing through ‘Sang-i-Hisaar’ area of ‘Zhari’ district on the main ‘Kandahar-Herat’ highway. Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was accompanied by ‘Mullah Biradar Akhund’ who later became the Deputy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, while they only had four RPG rounds. Unwavering they attacked the convoy and destroyed four military tanks with these rounds.
  4. 4.Mullah Biradar Akhund, a close friend of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ during the Holy Jihad era against the Russians, said that such a large number of Russian tanks were destroyed by him that his friends are unsure about its exact number.

In 1992, after the collapse of Najeeb’s communist regime and with the eruption of factional fighting throughout the country, like all other righteous Mujahidin, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ laid down his arms, set up a religious madrassa next to the mosque of ‘Haji Ibrahim’ in ‘Gishaan’ village of ‘Sang-i-Hisaar’ area in Maiwand district of Kandahar province and settled there. He restarted his unfinished religious studies along with some other Jihadi colleagues after a long and difficult fourteen year struggle.

This was a time when deadly factional fighting had engulfed the entire country including the capital city Kabul. Some factional warlords, purely for the sake of their personal interests, violated the objectives of the Holy Jihad against Russians and brought humiliation to the aspirations of one and a half million Afghan martyrs who sacrificed their lives for defending Islam and establishing an independent Islamic government in their beloved homeland.

  • ØResistance against anarchy and founding the Islamic Emirate:

Instead of establishing an Islamic system of life in order to fulfill the long awaited aspirations of the whole Mujahid nation of our country, internal factional fighting broke out. The fact was that Mujahidin were weakened and sidelined through a pre-planned conspiracy. Some of the prominent communist figures who should have been trialed were unfortunately given shelter by some former Mujahidin commanders and some other warlords began looting, violating the people and plundering the country in an organized fashion.

In this way, the whole nation and country was plunged into a state of anarchy and lawlessness which was not experienced by the Afghans throughout their past history. The life, honor and property of all pious Muslims were endangered. Self made check-posts and barriers of stubborn, ignorant and brutal warlords were found on the main roads and thoroughfares of the country. Not only a wishful amount of money was demanded by these warlords from our poor countrymen but the honor and chastity of our already oppressed people was also at stake at these barriers. The national assets of our country, the achievements of previous Holy Jihad and even the jungles and other natural and mineral resources were relentlessly exploited by those warlords who were unprecedented in our history. Not only was the fruits of fourteen year Jihad against the Russians endangered but the daily life of ordinary people was also at stake.

Social corruption, killing, looting and plunder, oppressions, barbarism and the incessant sufferings of the Muslim masses were increasing daily due to the prevailing chaos and anarchy throughout the country. This situation deeply troubled righteous Mujahidin who had fought for the freedom, dignity and prosperity of the Muslim Afghan masses.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ who was living along with Jihadi colleagues in Maiwand district of Kandahar province was also deeply anxious about the prevailing anarchy like all other true Mujahidin. He observed that numerous barriers were erected on the main ‘Kandahar-Herat’ highway and the oppressed passengers, women and white-bearded elders were looted, disgraced and even killed in the broad day light by ruthless warlords. It is worth mentioning that the number of illegal barriers and check-posts had increased to an extent that the traders, bringing their merchandise from ‘Herat’ province to the border town of ‘Boldak’ in Kandahar province, used to unload their goods in Maiwand district due to unlimited demands of these barrier-holders. Then they used to transfer their goods through unknown desert routs to their destination after suffering intolerable hardships.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ and his colleagues were fully aware about the prevailing situation in Kandahar province where the brutal warlords were dispersed in each and every corner of the city. They were incessantly usurping the public as well as private properties and selling them for huge amounts of money. They erected their private markets on government lands. Moreover, they always used to fight among themselves on minor issues which caused great distress for the ordinary people.

These endless sufferings of the helpless and oppressed people of our country compelled the true and righteous Mujahidin to bond together and find a solution for protecting the lives, honor and properties of the Muslims. Mujahidin started meetings and counseling amongst themselves.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ and his companions arranged their first meeting in ‘Zangawat’ area of Panjwai district in ‘Kandahar’ province involving the well-known and authentic local and regional Ulama (scholars). This gathering of Ulama headed by Moulavi Said Mohammad (known as Moulavi ‘Pasanai Sahib’), the arbitrator general of Mujahidin in Kandahar province during the Holy Jihad against Russians, told Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ to stand and resist against this anarchy as he would be supported by all of them. This was the initial meeting of the Islamic Movement and Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ laid down the foundation of his struggle against chaos and corruption on 15th Muharram 1415 AH (lunar) (i.e. 24th or 25th June 1994).

The Islamic Movement launched their struggle and fight against corruption and anarchy under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ which was widely welcomed by the true and righteous Mujahidin and ordinary masses. First, they liberated Kandahar province and then other vast areas of Afghanistan from the corrupt and wicked warlords. At that time, when major parts of Afghanistan came under the control of Islamic Movement of Taliban, a large number of Afghan Ulama, comprising more than 1500 religious scholars, convened a meeting in Kandahar city on 15th Dhul Qa’da 1416 AH (lunar) (i.e. 4thApril 1996). They approved the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ and conferred the title of ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen’ (the leader of the pious believers) on him. On 6th Libra 1375 AH (solar) (i.e. 27thSeptember 1996), Kabul city, the capital of Afghanistan also came under the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and subsequently, the supremacy of the Islamic Emirate prevailed in ninety five percent territory of our beloved homeland including all the central and northern parts of Afghanistan.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ established an Islamic system based on the sublime rules and principles of Sharia Law. After a long interval, the world witnessed a practical model of an Islamic government once again. He preserved the country from disintegration and disarmed the unruly warlords which resulted in the restoration of exemplary peace and stability in the country which was deemed unattainable by the whole world including the United Nations. But (and there is great ‘But’) the arrogant infidel powers of the world could not tolerate this Sharia system established by the Islamic Emirate which became a thorn of their eyes. Therefore they adopted and initiated antagonistic behaviour towards it. They tried their best either to find or create lame excuses to overthrow this system and eventually they launched a joint military invasion against it.

  • ØHis charismatic personality:

As a leading personality, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ has a unique and charismatic personality. Contrary to high ranking officials and leaders, he does not want to show off or boast. He is not eager or excited to speak if it is un-necessary to do so. And if needed, his words and sentences are keen, perceptive and logical. For instance in the early days prior to the American invasion, wide range propaganda was launched to demoralize Mujahidin and oust the Islamic Emirate. The Americans left no stone unturned and all the western media outlets, their radio stations and popular television stations were fully devoted to promoting American malicious objectives.

But contrary to all these devious efforts and propaganda, he assured his own people in his simple, reasonable but self-confidence mode and tone and delivered the following message:

“Allah is Almighty. Whether it is America or a tiny ant, it makes no difference for Him. America and her allies should listen carefully that the Islamic Emirate is not like one of the previous regimes whose Ameer (head) would flee the country; as it happened in the case of King Zahir Shah, the former monarch of Afghanistan, who sought asylum in Rome; nor will my soldiers (personnel) surrender to you. You should remember that these are well-organized Jihadi fronts. If the capital and other cities of the country fall in your hand and the Islamic government is ousted, instead of surrendering, our Mujahidin will spread to the countryside and go to the mountains. What will you do then? Inevitably, you will be caught and killed everywhere just like the Russians.

You should realize that bringing chaos is very easy but its eradication and the restoration of law and order is a huge and strenuous task. Death is inevitable and all living creatures will have to die one day. Instead of dying without faith and dignity while supporting the Americans, wouldn’t it be better to die with faith and dignity in the service of Islam?”

Some people might not have understood these expressions of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ which were fraught with firm belief, devotion and sincerity but nearly fourteen years have elapsed since this huge one-sided battle was launched and the American super power, NATO alliance and other allied forces are on the verge of defeat by the empty handed but devotional and determined Mujahidin of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’; those gentlemen might now have understood the simple but historic expressions of our leader.

Similarly at the beginning of the American invasion, he declared to the Afghan masses in a radio broadcasted speech while alluding to the foreign invaders and their internal stooges that weapons can bring death but it cannot defy it. This sentence might have been a meaningless and insignificant composition of words for some people but in the previous thirteen years, the implications of these simple words were practically observed when the brutal foreign invaders relentlessly killed a large number of innocent people with the help of their advanced technology and weapons of mass destruction but they could not turn death away from their own soldiers who are incessantly being killed, wounded and incarcerated for the last thirteen years by the heroic Mujahidin under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’.

It is an important fact that even the arrogant foreign invaders, who are fully equipped with all kinds of modern weapons and other facilities, plainly admit that thousands of their soldiers were killed and wounded inside Afghanistan in this futile war.

According to Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, it is better to speak less and do more as our religion emphasizes deeds over words or ideas. His life is totally free from ceremonies and un-necessary protocols. He has adopted a simple and plain style in all aspects of his life. Simple dress, simple food, simple talk, frankness and informality are his natural habits. He does not stand on ceremonies and dislikes ceremonial people.

He considers determination, prudence and sincerity as the basis of all progress and the more prudent, sincere and decisive one is among his colleagues the more he is admired and loved by him.

Similarly he is used to facing hardships, sufferings and ups and downs of life. Whatever the magnitude and intensity of the tragedy or trouble might be, he remains tranquil and does not lose either temper or courage. During varying conditions of jubilation and jeopardy, triumph and failure, he remains serene and self-controlled.

He deeply respects scholars and other elders. Gravity of manner, dignity, modesty, reverence, reciprocal respect, sympathy, mercy and sincerity are his natural traits. Strong determination, trusting in only One Allah the Almighty and a strong belief in what is ordained by Him are the distinguishing features of his life.

This is the reason that Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ is deeply loved and revered by his followers and Mujahidin which has nothing to do with his apparent worldly status. It has been nearly thirteen years that our beloved homeland Afghanistan is invaded and occupied by the brutal foreign invaders but his devoted and sincere Mujahidin follow his verbal and written commands and decrees as reverently as they did it in his presence and do not refrain from even sacrificing their lives to execute his orders.

  • ØHis vigilance about the international and Islamic issues:

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, as the founder of the Islamic Movement of Taliban and a leader of the Muslims, is fully cautious and takes keen interest in all the issues relating to the Muslim Umma.

He has always defended the issue of Al-Aqsa Mosque (the first Qibla or prayer direction of early Muslims) and the vindicated claim of Palestinian Muslims. He has taken a clear stance and supported all issues of Muslims in all parts of the world. He considers it the duty and obligation of every Muslim to liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the occupation of Zionist Jews.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ feels pity and shares the sufferings of all Muslim people. His sincerity, sympathy, brotherhood and co-operation with the Muslim brothers of the world are not restricted only to slogans but rather he has proved it practically and in the real sense of all these terms.

  • ØHis ideological association:

Ideologically, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ belongs to the main ‘Ahl-i-Sunna wal Jamma’a’ (the believers in Quran, traditions of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, and the consensus of Muslim Umma). He is the imitator of Hanafi school of thought.

He is severely opposed to all heresy or heterodox opinions. He never likes sectional, ideological and factional differences among the Muslims. He always recommends and insists on Islamic and ideological unity and co-operations to his followers and all other Muslims as the ideological unification among the Muslims is the utmost demand of this crucial time. Following the path of our pious predecessors and leading scholars in the light of Quran and Hadith (i.e. the traditions of our Holy Prophet, peace be upon him) is considered the only path of salvation by him for the Muslim Umma.

  • ØHis personal life:

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ who has spent most part of his life in acquiring religious studies, Jihad, invitation and guidance towards Islam, might be the poorest person who has taken no personal advantage from ‘Bait-ul-mal’ i.e. ‘the public treasury of the Muslim state’ among the contemporary leaders of Afghanistan. He has not accumulated any wealth to spend on a luxurious life in the previous Jihad era against Russians by taking disadvantage of his personal influence, nor has he lived lavishly in the seven years reign of his overall control during the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ even now does not own an ordinary residence neither has he any cash deposits in any foreign bank accounts. In 1999 when unilateral and ruthless economic sanctions were imposed by the United Nations on the oppressed people of Afghanistan and all the foreign bank accounts of Taliban leadership were frozen, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, the highest ranking official, being the head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, had no bank accounts either inside the country or outside nor anywhere else with any assumed name.

During the reign of the Islamic Emirate, when his residence came under the deadly attack of the brutal enemy which resulted in the martyrdom of his family members along with several other innocent people, some officials of the Islamic Emirate decided to build another residence and an office for the leadership of the Islamic Emirate in the north western part of Kandahar city, near the hill of ‘Baba Sahib’ for his safety purposes as there was no residential area in the suburbs of this location. This residence was also administered by the ‘Bait-ul-mal’ as one of its general properties therefore it too was not considered the private ownership of his Excellency.

In 1996 AD, when he was conferred with the title of ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen’ (i.e. the head of the pious believers), instead of showing excitement or jubilation, he bitterly wept as his shoulder sheet was completely soaked with his tears. At the end of that historical meeting, he told the Ulama present:

“You are the inheritors of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and you have thrown a heavy responsibility upon my shoulders. In reality, you will be held responsible for my steadfastness as well as deviation from it.

O our teachers and respected scholars! If I could not discharge this huge responsibility of the Muslim masses in a proper way or deviate from it, you will have to guide me towards the right path in the light of your knowledge. If the Taliban do make mistakes in the implementation of Sharia and you do not guide them knowingly, you will have to bear the responsibility on the Day of Judgment.”

  • ØHis nature and temperament:

Besides the natural silence of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, he is affable and has a special sense of humor as he never considers himself superior to his colleagues whatever their status might have been. He treats them cheerfully, cordially, compassionately and with reciprocal reverence. In most of his meetings, he usually speaks about Jihad.

  • ØHis daily activities in the present circumstances:

In the present crucial conditions and regularly being tracked by the enemy, no major change and disruption has been observed in the routine works of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ in following and organizing the Jihadi activities as the leader of the Islamic Emirate. He begins his working day with the prayers to Allah Almighty and recitation of the Holy Quran. In free time, he studies various commentaries of the Holy Quran and traditions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He keenly follows and inspects the Jihadi activities against the brutal infidel foreign invaders. In organizing and reshuffling the Jihadi and military issues, he delivers his orders in a specific way to his Jihadi commanders. He regularly follows the Jihadi publications and other international media resources to judge his victories and likewise other issues against the foreign invaders. In this way, he remains in touch with the day to day happenings of his country as well as the outside world. These activities form his basic daily life in the present circumstances.

  • ØThe Islamic Emirate under his leadership:

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was established as an Islamic Movement under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ on 15th of Muharram 1415 AH (lunar) (i.e. 24th June 1994) which subsequently passed through several crucial stages while enjoying the support thousands of scholars, Mujahidin and the pious masses of our country. It had the honor of implementing the Islamic Sharia in ninety five percent land of our beloved homeland. It is still controlling vast areas of the country and is involved in armed resistance against the infidel western invaders as a pure and lofty Islamic Emirate.

Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ is still the leader in the present hierarchy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. His deputy, the leading council, judiciary, nine executive commissions and three other administration organs are active under his leadership which form the warp and woof of the present setup of the Islamic Emirate.

The deputy of the Islamic Emirate, besides inspecting and assessing all the subordinate organs, conveys their working reports to the ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen’ and communicates the orders and decrees of the leader to all the concerned organs and authorities. The leading council of the Islamic Emirate consists of twenty members who are appointed by the leadership and convene their meetings under the deputy of the Islamic Emirate. This council discusses and makes decisions about all political, military, social and other critical issues.

Judiciary of the Islamic Emirate has a separate and wide setup which comprises of primary courts, courts of appellation and court of cassation which are busy in discharging their own responsibilities.

To meet the needs of present circumstances, nine different commissions are set up in the present hierarchy of the Islamic Emirate. Due to ongoing Jihadi requirements, the largest one is the military commission which consists of nine sub-circles. This commission is responsible for appointing governors or military in-charges for all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, military in-charges of all districts, setting up sub-commissions which are subsequently responsible for all military and civil affairs of their respective provinces and districts.

The remaining commissions are as following:

Education and Training Commission

Commission of Political Affairs

Cultural Commission

Economic Commission

Health Commission

Invitation, Guidance and Amalgamation Commission

Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs

Commission for NGOs

 

The remaining organs of the Islamic Emirate are:

Organ for the Prevention of Civilian Casualties

Organ for Martyrs and Disabled People

Organ for Collecting and Organizing Special Revenues

 

The Islamic Emirate controls a major part of Afghanistan as a well-organized and working system for over two decades under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ which has sincerely implemented the Islamic system of life in all areas of its jurisdiction. Law and order is restored; lives, honor and properties of the Muslim masses are safeguarded.

During this whole period of time, the Islamic Emirate has faced several challenges and adversities as the only active Islamic system of governance but it has successfully survived by the grace and benevolence of Allah Almighty through all these challenges and confrontations as it has proved its determination and steadfastness to its lofty principles throughout these adversities.

May Allah Almighty protect and safeguard our leader!

End

(Guest post from Islamic Emirate with thanks)

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Garissa, Kenya: 148 reported dead as Christians are separated from Muslims in university attack

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Distraught woman is led away from scene of attack

At least 148 people died during an attack on Garissa University, Kenya claimed by Islamist militant group Al Shabab, around 70 were also injured, Five militants strapped with explosives were said to have stormed a dormitory as students slept. Witnesses claimed that during a flight for their lives, panicked students ran into the gunmen who were seeking to separate Christians from Muslims and after doing so shot Christians dead. One tweet suggested some at the site thought it might be an “April Fool” therefore may not have reacted immediately. Escaping students claimed to have seen a number of beheaded bodies.

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Alleged victims at Garissa University (image Hadji Khaleed Twitter) 

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Massacre at Garissa

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabaab’s military operations spokesman told Reuters, “we sorted people out and released the Muslims…. He also said there are many dead bodies of Christians inside the building, “we are also holding many Christians alive. Fighting still goes on inside the college.”

Live From Mogadishu tweeted the following,

“Al Shabab claims that Garissa university was a source of ‘missionary activities & to spread deviant ideologies’ among Muslims in NE Kenya”

“Al Shabab claim to have “contact” with fighters inside Garissa university, told them they are fine and fighting Kenya forces for almost 10 hrs.”

“In a new audio massage, Al Shababa spox Sheikh Ali Dhere urges attackers inside Garissa university to “cut the heads ” of all hostages.”

Journalist Rukimi Callimachi described how hostages were selected in the earlier Westgate Mall attack in 2013 and said an attack like today was predictable, see following link,

“Terrorists use new tactics to spare some Muslims”

http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2013/Terrorists-used-new-tactic-to-spare-some-Muslims

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Kenyan Security forces entered a fierce battle with the hostage takers and after a number of hours all hostages were dead. The Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre claimed on Twitter that 280 out of 815 students at the university had been accounted for with over 500 freed. The government are now on the hunt for Mohamed Kuno, a high-ranking al-Shabab official who is believed to be the mastermind behind the attack. There is now a bounty of $217,000 (£140,000) on his head.

Twitter users posted a warning which was said to have been sent to educational institutions last week alerting staff to the possibility that a university may be targeted, only two guards were believed to be on duty at Garissa University both were killed early on during the attack.

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Human Rights Watch tweeted that there was “no justification for heinous attacks on students.” Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes stated,

“we urge the Government of Kenya to act decisively and within the Constitution and the law to ensure protection for those under or at risk of attack in Garissa and other areas of the north,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes” 

“Citizens and public servants in the north have repeatedly expressed fears about their vulnerability to Al Shabaab attacks which the Kenyan government has failed to appropriately address. Learning institutions are meant to be safe places for students and their teachers. Their protection must be fully guaranteed.”

A statement was released by his excellency Hon.Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H President and Commander -In-Chief of the Defence Forces, Kenya who said,

“on behalf of my Government, I extend condolences to the families of those who have perished in this attack. I continue to pray for the quick recovery of the injured, and the safe rescue of those held hostage.”

He urged people to stay calm, calling for vigilance and went on to say,

“I further direct the Inspector General of Police to take urgent steps and ensure that the 10,000 recruits whose enrolment is pending, promptly report for training at the Kenya Police College, Kiganjo. I take full responsibility for this directive. We have suffered unnecessarily due to shortage of security personnel. Kenya badly needs additional officers, and I will not keep the nation waiting”

There is now a daen to dusk curfew in place in the region.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Afghanistan: Taliban have denied attack outside Governor’s house, Khost

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Clearing up in the aftermath of attack on Governor’s compound.

Islamic Emirate (Afghan Taliban) have denied an attack on Khost province which left at least 17 people dead and 50 wounded.

A suicide bomber is thought to have hit near Governor’s house where several hundred demonstrators had gathered to protest in recent days demanding Governor Abduljabar Naeemi’s removal amid allegations of corruption. One of those injured was alleged to be Humayoun Humayoun, an Afghan MP and head of the Defense Committee of Parliament.

Asadullah Ludin from Azadi Radio tweeted, “breaking, explosion on a part of demonstration in Khost province, injured and even killed a gang of disabled who tried to join the demonstration” though this could not be independently verified.

The Taliban via spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahidin stated,

“Mujahidin of Islamic Emirate have no connection with the blast today in Khost province”

They also tweeted that,

“Call & Guidance Commission :: 271 Kabul regime workers quit & joined Islamic Emirate in month of March 2015”

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the terrorist attack on protesters in Khost calling it “an unforgivable crime against innocent civilians.”

Khaama Press reported, that “the The NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission strongly condemned the deadly suicide attack in eastern Khost province of Afghanistan” stating,

“indiscriminate attacks are a common tactic used by Anti-Government Elements. This willful disregard for human life is the leading cause of civilian casualties in Afghanistan — nearly 72% , according to U.N. research”

“we maintain our commitment to the people of Afghanistan who value progress and growth and reject violence, as we work to our shared goal of a prosperous Afghanistan”

Recent UNAMA and Human Rights Watch reports from Afghanistan paint a grim picture of US supporting “notorious human rights abusers”, torture in custody and “out of control” warlords and militia. The Guardian reports that, “opiate production has climbed steadily over recent years to reach record-high levels last year” whilst Academi (former Blackwater) “reaped over half a billion dollars from the futile Defense Department push to eradicate Afghan narcotics”. The Taliban continue to highlight human rights abuses including the alleged demolition of around 1,500 homes in Sangin by enemy forces claiming local elders tried to highlight their concerns to BBC in Kandahar but it appears BBC are being prevented from reporting this issue. With regard to an extension period for withdrawal of US troops, the Taliban recently stated,

“the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns America’s announcement of the prolongation of occupation and vows to continue its blessed salvatory Jihad against all forms of occupation. America which failed to attain its open and hidden objectives during the course of 13 years of occupation with over a hundred thousand troops and billions of dollars of expenditure will never be able to achieve them with a few thousand troops.”

Links

“Afghanistan:Remarks of spokesman of Islamic Emirate regarding the destruction of around 1,500 homes by enemy in Sangin”

“Afghanistan: Statement of Islamic Emirate concerning US announcement of maintaining troops”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/afghanistan-statement-of-islamic-emirate-concerning-us-announcement-of-maintaining-troops/

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Release Gitmo force-feeding videos, media outlets tell Obama (Reprieve statement)

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Sixteen major media organizations and human rights organization Reprieve have today asked a US federal court to dismiss a White House attempt to suppress classified videos of force-feeding at Guantanamo Bay.

In a series of filings today at the DC Court of Appeals, lawyers for Reprieve and the media outlets – which include the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press and Reuters – asked the court to dismiss an appeal by the Obama Administration against a landmark ruling last year ordering the videotapes to be made public.

The October 2014 ruling in Dhiab v Obama was the first of its kind, and came after the media organizations asked for the tapes to be made public under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Objecting, the Obama Administration has insisted that the tapes – in their entirety – should remain classified due to ‘national security’ concerns.

The videotapes show the force-feeding and ‘forced cell extraction’ (FCE) of Abu Wa’el Dhiab, who was repeatedly force-fed and ‘FCEed’ until his release in December 2014. Mr Dhiab, who was cleared for release in 2009, was one of several detainees who took up a peaceful hunger strike in early 2013 to protest their ongoing detention without charge. The existence of the footage emerged in the course of litigation in which he sought to challenge the abusive methods used to force-feed him. In a key ruling in that litigation, the judge, Gladys Kessler, condemned those methods as “painful, humiliating and degrading.”

Mr Dhiab’s Reprieve lawyers are the only people outside the US government to have seen the footage and have described it as ‘highly disturbing’, but are forbidden under classification rules from revealing its contents.

Several detainees at Guantanamo continue to be subjected to daily force-feedings and FCEs.

Commenting, Alka Pradhan, Reprieve US counsel and one of Mr Dhiab’s lawyers, said:

“It is a national scandal that the Obama Administration, which continuously proclaims itself transparent, is once again crying ‘national security’ in a ham-fisted attempt to hide the brutal force-feedings and other abuses taking place at Guantanamo as we speak. President Obama says he wants to close Guantanamo – but his administration is continuing its abuse of prisoners there, who have never been charged or tried. The American people deserve to see these tapes, and judge for themselves what is being done in their name.”

Link

Reprieve website

http://www.reprieve.org.uk/

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

 

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Islamic State claim Bardo museum attack and Saana “two temples” assault in latest Dabiq publication

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Islamic State (IS) has published its latest magazine Dabiq no 8 (March 2015). There is further verification that Islamic State were likely responsible for the attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunisia and the attack on “two temples” in Saana, Yemen. They state,

“this month, the soldiers of the Khilāfah sent a forceful message to the camp of kufr and riddah, striking and terrorizing them in multiple lands, and with no visas, borders, and passports to stand in the way. Strikes were carried out in Yemen and Tunisia by men whose allegiance lies, not with a false citizenship, but with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. They readily sacrificed themselves for the cause of Allah in their own lands, bringing massacre to the disbelievers and murtaddīn, not differentiating between them on grounds of nationalism.”

Tunisia Bardo Attack

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 Special forces respond to attack on Bardo Museum, Tunisia

Islamic State writes, alleging,

“in the city of Tunis, two soldiers of the Islamic State carried out an assault on kāfir tourists in the Bardo National Museum. The two mujāhidīn, Abū Zakariyyā at-Tūnusī and Abū Anas at-Tūnusī, were sent on their mission after having trained with their brothers in Libya and having declared their bay’ah to the Khalīfah (hafidhahullāh). They returned to Tunisia, bravely advanced towards the security quarter in Tunis, entered the museum – located across from the Tunisian parliament – and poured terror on the kuffār inside, killing more than 20 of them and injuring a dozen others. They then faced off against the local murtadd security forces with their AK assault rifles, hand grenades, and explosive belts, and were killed fī sabīlillāh.

The operation succeeded in bringing anguish to a number of the nations involved in the crusader coalition (Italy, France, Britain, Japan, Poland, Australia, Spain, and Belgium), after some of their own citizens became prey for the soldiers”

France 24 states that Tunisian authorities allege fighters from Okba Ibn Nafaa were involved in the assault and have killed nine men accused of belonging to the group saying,

“Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid confirmed later Sunday that one of the leaders of the group, Lokmane Abou Sakhr – an Algerian who was singled out as the organiser of the museum attack was among the dead.”

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Protesters against terrorism take to the streets in Tunisia (Huffington Post)

Yesterday thousands of Tunisians marched through the streets of Tunis to the Bardo Museum protesting against terrorism. The demonstration was organized by the Tunisian government. A ceremony was also held to remember the 21 foreign tourists and one policeman who were killed in the attack and was attended by French President Francois Hollande and other world leaders. In a tightening up security, Demanjo reported, “Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid fired six police commanders, including the head of tourist security.”

Yemen Mosques Attack  (Saana)

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Attack on mosques in Saana which killed 140 people

Islamic State gave further details alleging responsibility for attacks on the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques which killed 140 people, injuring many more. The mosques were used by Shia Muslim Houthi group, backed by Iran which had taken control of the government in January 2015 with the President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi regime quitting in protest. He later fled to Aden. In Dabiq publication no 8 IS write, alleging,

“just two days later (referring to Bardo attack) in Wilāyat Sanaa, four soldiers of the Islamic State carried out coordinated istishhādī attacks against the Houthi murtaddīn in the city of Sanaa. They infiltrated two temples where the Houthis had gathered and detonated their explosives, leading to a massacre that killed over a hundred, including the top Rāfidī cleric Murtadā al-Mahatwarī and a number of Houthi leaders, and also injured hundreds more. At around the same time, a fifth mujāhid carried out an operation in Sa’dah, targeting a Houthi government building and detonating his explosives. Only days after the operations, the Americans announced that they had pulled the last of their special forces out of Yemen. These operations brought back memories of the blessed attacks ordered by Shaykh Abū Mus’ab az-Zarqāwī (rahimahullāh), targeting the Iraqi Rāfidah and killing their cleric Muhammad Bāqir al-Hakīm.”

They also launch a verbal attack on al Qaeda alleging,

“on the heels of this blessed operation in Sanaa and Sa’dah, the Yemenī branch of al-Qā’idah came out and exposed its two-faced nature by denouncing the attack and reaffirming their adherence to Dhawāhiri’s guidelines, as if to imply that the Islamic State’s operation was carried out against Sunnis in a public place of gathering not specific to the Houthis, when in reality the opposite was true. When one contrasts this blessed operation with al-Qā’idah’s attack on a Houthi rally in Tahrir Square in Sanaa last fall, the blatant hypocrisy becomes evident: Is it permissible for Al-Qa’idah – according to Dhawāhiri’s feeble guidelines – to bomb a Houthi rally in a public square, but forbidden for the Islamic State to bomb a Houthi gathering in a Houthi temple? Or is this distinction based on blind partisanship? May Allah accept all those mujāhidīn who fight, massacre, and terrorize the kuffār while not differentiating between them under the influence of irjā’ or on the grounds of nationalism.”

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In the latest Dabiq publication there is also a further article from journalist John Cantlie who is currently held hostage by Islamic State. It his writing entitled “Paradigm Shift” he warns of more attacks to come, saying

THE ONLY QUESTION IS,

HOW MANY MORE WESTERNERS WILL DIE BETWEEN THEN AND NOW?

“The way things are going at the moment, the answer is many. France, Belgium, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, have all been the targets of mujāhidīn attacks over the last three months alone, and as more Islamic fighters from different groups in different countries pledge allegiance to the Islamic State, such attacks will surely only become more numerous and better-executed.”

See link,

“John Cantlie, ‘Paradigm Shift’ written from Islamic State, Dabiq publication”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/john-cantlie-paradigm-shift-written-from-islamic-state-dabiq-publication/

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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John Cantlie: Paradigm shift (written from Islamic State, Dabiq publication)

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After all the gnashing of teeth in September, there appears now a grudging acceptance by many Western politicians that the Islamic State is different to anything they’ve seen before. Their response, by necessity, has to be different too.

Firstly, a caveat. There is always a danger that I am well behind the curve in terms of recent developments and that some of the things I observe from news reports provided are outdated from the outset. But has anyone noticed a crucially telling shift in the way some American leaders and their allies are discussing the affairs of the Islamic State recently?

From the toothless roaring of Obama’s address to the nation on 10th September, in which he declared that the Islamic State “is a terrorist organization, pure and simple,” it would seem that some of his closest advisors, many figures in the rest of the NATO world and the media in general are not convinced by such a simplistic description, although “terrorism” is undoubtedly one of the tactics, amongst many, adeptly employed and advanced by the Islamic State in its jihād.

Obama’s own former defense secretary Chuck described the situation as “one of the most challenging periods in history for American leadership.”

In an interview with CBS, Hagel went on to say, “We’ve never seen an organization like ISIL that is so well-organized, so well-trained, so well-funded, so strategic, so brutal, so completely ruthless. We’ve never seen anything quite like that in one institution. Then they blend in ideology … and social media. The sophistication of their social media program is something that we’ve never seen before. You blend all of that together, that is an incredibly powerful new threat.”

For the former defense secretary to be using such relatively complimentary language when discussing an adversary is a clear sign that Washington isn’t so sure they’re up against a mere “organization” at all. And Hagel is not alone in his use of respectful parlance. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confessed on television that “firstly, there’s no military-only solution to ISIL. And secondly, there’s no airpower alone solution either in Iraq or Syria.”

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“The two crusaders Hagel and Dempsey” (Dabiq)

There’s no point including quotations from the world’s journalists because so many of them wax lyrical about the gains and exploits of the Islamic State – we’d be here all day paraphrasing other peoples’ words.

But such admissions were impossible to even imagine back in the days when American leaders were busy laying the groundwork for this very environment today. Back then, it was all about crushing the unruly “terrorists” in Iraq and Afghanistan with “shock and awe” and the might of the American war machine. But today the men in charge are being forced to concede that maybe, just perhaps, they were a little too quick off the mark to dismiss the Islamic State as merely “a terrorist organization, pure and simple.” And that’s just three months into their campaign.

I am certainly no expert on such matters and my views are those of a layman, but generally one doesn’t expect a mere “organization” to lay siege to cities or have their own police force. You certainly don’t expect a mere “organization” to have tanks and artillery pieces, an army of soldiers tens of thousands strong, and their own spy drones. And one certainly doesn’t expect a mere “organization” to have a mint with plans to produce their own currency, primary schools for the young, and a functioning court system.

These, surely, are all hallmarks of (whisper it if you dare) a country.

Ah, the C-word. It’s being used sporadically by the media, slowly at first but its use is gathering pace. Could the Islamic State, the Caliphate that was only announced in June, really be a country?

“ISIS will have taken more towns, more territory, consolidated more gains and really become, unfortunately, the kind of country we don’t want to see over there,” declared retired Lieutenant Colonel Bill Cowan on Fox News in October 2014.

As uncomfortable as it may be for many in the West, there’s little reason why the State shouldn’t be considered a country. Countries can be born in days, in hours during a coup, or in minutes at the signing of a paper, they have been for centuries. So there’s no reason this one shouldn’t have been born the way it was. And if it’s not the Islamic State’s country, then just whose is it?

Certainly, it no longer belongs to Bashar al-Asad, holed up in Damascus as his soldiers recuperate after four years of massacring the Muslims of Syria. There was never any legitimacy to his tyrannical rule and what control he had has long passed and can never return.

Does it then belong to the newly instated and incompetent puppet Iraqi government, tucked away in Baghdad while its army licks its wounds from the murderous thrashing it received from the mujāhidīn back in the summer? Clearly not. And it definitely doesn’t belong to the Free Syrian Army, who had years to do something decisive or cohesive but chose instead to smoke Gauloises cigarettes, drink tea, and complain that nothing could be done without NATO jets flying overhead. Well they are now, and they’ve still achieved zero.

No indeed. If anyone has an actual claim to the lands stretching across Iraq and Syria (or any of the other regions the Islamic State has reached), has the motivation to run them, and the military to defend them, then it’s hard to argue against the leaders and soldiers of the Islamic State.

Although the West might never admit such a thing, there are Western politicians who are beginning to realize this fact and thus, little by little, we’re seeing a changing of vernacular, a paradigm shift in how those leaders talk about the State, because if it is a country – whether recognized by anyone or not (and the Islamic State doesn’t care either way) – then that changes things, dramatically.

You can’t just conveniently write it off as merely “a terrorist organization,” because it doesn’t wash with the public. You can’t drop a few bombs on it and hope it goes away, because it won’t. And you can’t expect a feckless collection of poorly trained and even more badly-disciplined ground troops to do a job you don’t want to touch, because they will fail.

At some stage, you’re going to have to face the Islamic State as a country, and even consider a truce. If there’s no military only solution to the Islamic State, and that’s already on the record as being the case, then after you’ve tried getting the other Sahwah tribes to turn against it and finished mucking around trying to find ways to cut their funding or shut down their media message (which has already cost the US well in excess of $1.3 billion and completely failed) at some point the only option left will be an offer of a truce…

And that’s going to take some swallowing of pride. But with the black flag of the Caliphate now seen on the skylines of Africa, Arabia, and Asia, a complete departure in how the West addresses this State is needed.

What’s the alternative, launch airstrikes in half-adozen countries at once? They’ll have to destroy half the region if that’s the case. I was in Kobani in October last year and more than 170 US airstrikes – “the heaviest barrage since the air campaign began” according to CBS correspondent Holly Williams – had merely finished what Islamic State artillery had begun and reduced large portions of the city to rubble. In the end, it was over 600 sorties, and now there is nothing left of the place.

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American airstrikes in Ayn -Al-Islam

Incidentally, there was a heavy airstrike some time ago in the dead of night and I promise that you don’t sit there thinking, “Hurray, it’s the United States Air Force.” As the doors shake on their hinges and the walls bulge momentarily inward from the shockwaves, you become incandescent with fury. For 20 minutes afterwards there are the sounds of babies crying in fear, mothers trying to soothe their children, and sirens as casualties are taken to hospital. It’s a side to “precision” bombing that you never see back in the West.

Is a truce even realistic? Right now, it’s too early. The scene is just being set for a big operation against the Islamic State to be executed by Iranian militias (AKA the Iraqi army) backed by the US. But when that fails because Shiite militiamen are afraid of being burnt alive, when special forces operations skyrocket in an effort to make up for what the Iraqi army cannot achieve, and when the mujāhidīn start beheading Western troops, then every option is going to be on the table, and fast. A truce will be one of those options.

THE ONLY QUESTION IS,

HOW MANY MORE WESTERNERS WILL DIE BETWEEN THEN AND NOW?

The way things are going at the moment, the answer is many. France, Belgium, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, have all been the targets of mujāhidīn attacks over the last three months alone, and as more Islamic fighters from different groups in different countries pledge allegiance to the Islamic State, such attacks will surely only become more numerous and better-executed.

“Foreign fighters travelled everywhere, from Europe, to the United States, to Australia, to other parts of the Muslim world, converging on Syria,” said Obama on an interview aired on 60 Minutes. “And so this became ground zero for jihadists around the world. And this is one of the challenges that we’re going to have generally. Where you’ve got states that are failing or in the midst of civil war, these kinds of organizations thrive.”

However long it takes for those options to be placed on the table, the language change in the West is undeniably there. Just eight months into their campaign and already some of the most senior political figures in the US are admitting the Islamic State is unlike any opponent they have faced before and that a military solution by itself is impossible. That speaks volumes by itself.

Finally, I may have an overly-simplistic way of looking at things that perhaps does not reflect the immense complexities of modern warfare and nation-building. Any truce between the West and the Islamic State would ultimately have to address the end of support for Arab and nonArab tyrannical puppets in the Muslim world as well as an end of support for Israel. That’s just for openers, but the impossible can and does happen.

War is entirely predictable in that it can only lead to one of two outcomes. Either one side emerges victorious while the other is vanquished, or some kind of truce is reached. It is the only way wars end1 , and America and its allies will never win this war. They know it and everyone else knows it as well.

At some stage the only option that can prevail for America and the West is the sensible one.

1 Editor’s Note: A halt of war between the Muslims and the kuffār can never be permanent, as war against the kuffār is the default obligation upon the Muslims only to be temporarily halted by truce for a greater shar’ī interest, as in the offer of truce from the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to the mushrikīn of Makkah in Hudaybiyah. The term of the Hudaybiyah treaty was ten years. Once a truce is reached, if it is broken by the kuffār, they will be punished by both the shar’ (jihād) and qadar of Allah. The betrayal of the mushrikīn of Makkah towards the Hudaybiyah treaty signed by the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) led directly to the Muslims assembling to successfully conquer Makkah (as described in the Sīrah), just as the betrayal of the crusader Romans towards the future treaty with the Muslims will lead directly to the Muslims assembling to successfully conquer Rome (as described in the Sunnah).

——————–

Olive-Tree

‘Abdullāh Ibn Hawālah said, “Allah’s Messenger (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘You will be granted conquest over Shām, Rome, and Persia, until one of you will possess such-and-such number of camels, such-and-such number of cows, and such-and-such number of sheep, to the extent if one were to be given a hundred dīnārs, he would be discontent with it.’ He then placed his hand on my head and said, ‘O Ibn Hawālah, if you see that the Khilāfah has come to the Holy Land [Shām], then the earthquakes, tribulations, and great matters have approached. The Hour will be closer that day to the people than this hand of mine from your head.’” [Sahīh: Reported by Imām Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Hākim]

End

NOTE The above was first published in Dabiq Issue No 8 (March 2015)

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Pakistan government shames itself over Israeli drone connection… no friend to Gazans

KAREM

“Abraham Karem (trained at Israeli Aircraft Industries) built his Albatross drone in the early 1980s. From that modest creation would evolve today’s Predator drone.” (Earth Imaging Journal)

Last year July 2014, Mansoor Jaffar a  senior journalist for Al Arabiya wrote a scathing article critcizing Pakistan for its “zombie-like response to the Gaza killings” he wrote,

“while Israeli jets pounded Gaza with sophisticated bombs over the last two weeks, indiscriminately killing unarmed men, women and children before an unresponsive world conscience, the lukewarm reaction to this bloodshed from the Pakistanis seems out of place” 

“the Pakistani “silence” is all the more disturbing for Pakistani people, especially after they have been watching video clips on social media over the last couple of months showing the besieged people of Gaza calling the Pakistan army to come for their rescue against the Israeli aggression.”

This nonchalant approach by a so called Islamic country to fellow Muslims in distress appears very strange given the wide-spread global condemnation regarding the brutal slaughter of so many Palestinian civilians trapped on a small area of land unable to escape the terrible bombardment. Look a little closer though and there is an apparent “conflict of interest” scenario which shows Pakistan hand in hand with those driving the machinery of war.

Although Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did come around to announcing a day of mourning (flag at half-mast) and said he would contribute $1 million to the UN for the victims of Israeli aggression in Gaza (according to the Express Tribune) this act seems only to highlight the hypocrisy and double standards over Israel. For years now Pakistan has in fact been complicit in supporting Israelis over drones .

For over a decade, drone missiles including Predator have been repeatedly launched over Waziristan killing “suspected militants” and civilians alike in the US War on Terror. Earth Imaging Journal quoted Gen. Tommy Franks who wrote in an Air Force background paper way back in 2003,

“the Predator is my most capable sensor in hunting down and killing al-Qaida and Taliban leadership and is proving absolutely critical to our fight” 

It must be remembered (as detailed in Air and Space) that the inventor of this killing machine, Abraham Karem, who comes from an Iraqi background, grew up in Israel and was trained at none other than IAI (Israeli Aircraft Industries).

IAI was founded in 1953 by Shimon Peres and Al Schwimmer. It is “Israel’s prime aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial systems for both military and civilian usage” and “is wholly owned by the government of Israel.” The current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joseph Weiss served in the Israeli Navy for 25 years.

Peres was President of Israel from 2007 to 2014 and controversially appointed the highest honour from the British government, the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George named after two saints. According to Haaretz Schwimmer was “approached by representatives of the Haganah, the pre-independence underground army, to help the Jewish community in British Mandatory Palestine, which would become Israel in 1948.” The article stated that Schwimmer was,

” a founding resident of the town of Savyon in central Israel, Schwimmer spent his final years in Tel Aviv. He won the Israel Prize in 2006 for his lifetime of achievements and contribution to the society and state. Schwimmer “dedicated his life to the Zionist enterprise, to Israel and to the aerospace industry. Thanks to him, Israel is a member of the prestigious club of countries producing civil and military aircraft and pilotless planes, while launching satellites,”

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Nek Muhammad killed in first drone strike on Pakistan, 2004

(image Afghanforum)

In 2004, the first known US drone strike hit Pakistan killing militant Nek Muhammad Wazir and 8 others including two children near Wana, South Waziristan, Since then Pakistan has quietly colluded with the US (thus endorsing Predator’s developer) by allowing drones to enter its airspace, breach sovereignty and target kill on its land. The Predator was designed by Karem utilizing his background training at Israeli Aircraft Industries. He moved to the US where his brainchild was developed to assist the CIA with its task of target killing “suspected militants”. The unmanned aerial vehicle became a weapon of choice equipped with cameras and hellfire missiles as part of “offensive” missions over Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Serbia, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Somalia.

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Nabila one of the many child victims of drones in Pakistan, grandmother killed and brother and herself injured (image Popular Resistance)

It has been long argued that drones were primarily designed to kill Muslims as they are never used on “home grown” white Christian terrorists in the US and Israel concentrates home drone use towards Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Imran Khan, Chairman of political party Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf (PTI) campaigned long and hard against the use of US, (Israeli designed) drones though he has been noticeably silent since the start of military operation Zarb-e-Asb to clear militants from North Waziristan which began in June 2014. He and other campaigners claimed that their use spawned more violence, assisted radicalization of Pakistan’s youth and resulted in retaliation attacks. Ironically many of those attacking Khan in past times for having a Jewish wife Jemima Khan (formerly Goldsmith) were actively supporting the use of a weapon that grew out of an industry developed by Zionists. A recent survey in DAWN media showed that the majority of people in Pakistan support drones … It appears they will shout about the atrocities perpetrated by Israel on Gazans whilst at the same time cheering on its UAV industry.

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Musharraf admitted complicity in Predator drone strikes (CNBC Pakistan)

Ex-Pakistan President Musharraf went a step further admitting to CNN that he had a secret deal with the US on drones and had actually “signed off” on some drone strikes. CNN also stated that,

“in a cable sent in August 2008 and later posted online by Wikileaks, then- US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Pattison mentioned a discussion about drones during a meeting that also involved Malik and then-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“Malik suggested we hold off alleged Predator attacks until after the Bajaur operation,” Patterson wrote. “The PM brushed aside Rehman’s remarks and said, ‘I don’t care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it.’ “

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Burraq, an unIslamic killing machine designed to target Muslims

Pakistan has now developed its own drone having tried unsuccessfully to purchase from the US. Ironically, the Muslim killer is given an Islamic name “Burraq” after the steed in the Qur’an that carried Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and back during the “Night Journey” (al-Isra (sura) in the Quran).

A reference to the NESCOM Burraq on Wikipedia cites a Daily Motion video, stating,

“the NESCOM Burraq is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) built and developed by the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), a civil scientific research and development organization of Pakistan, along with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).”

However the US continues to fire US Predator missiles (virtually unchallenged by Pakistan) incinerating suspects on the Pakistan, Afghanistan border, ten years after the first drone strike in South Waziristan.

Pakistan may have proudly designed its own UAV in addition to allowing US drones in its airspace but its hard to conceive that engineers would not have read up on and used some of the vast technology which originated from Israel. Popular Science noted,

“with the Burraq, Pakistan can now do drone strikes on their own, without the United States. However Jane’s claims that the origin of the UAV and missile is questionable.”

An article in Draganfly highlight the importance of Israel in modern UAV development stating,

“the attitude towards UAVs changed with the Israeli Air Force’s stunning victory over the Syrian Air Force in 1982. Israel’s coordinated use of manned and unmanned aircraft allowed them to destroy 86 Syrian aircraft in a short time over the Bekaa Valley with minimal losses. Israeli drones were used as electronic decoys, electronic jammers and provided real-time surveillance. It could be argued that this campaign ushered in the modern era of the UAV. These expensive and unreliable “toys” had come of age.”

Whichever way you look at it Pakistan is tied in to Israel drone development, design and use in Pakistan. The government has always been full of hot air, condemning on the one hand but as Musharraf admitted secretly collaborating with US and Israel on the other hand supporting drone strikes in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

So if journalist Mansoor Jaffar gets to read this, he will see he was right to question the lukewarm response to the bombing and droning of the Gaza Strip last summer. How can Palestinians rely on help from a country so closely tied into the use of US, Israeli drone technology where the majority of the population are in favour of drones strikes. To leave the last words with Jaffar,

“alas, the unwise and power hungry rulers have badly spoiled the resilient Islamic character of a nuclear Pakistan to the extent of leading the courageous and loving people of the country into ideological trauma where they are silently watching the helpless Palestinian women and children being killed.”

Links

“Pakistan’s zombie like response to the Gaza killings”

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/world/2014/07/15/Pakistan-s-zombie-like-response-to-the-Gaza-killings.html

“The Man who invented the Predator”

http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/the-man-who-invented-the-predator-3970502/?page=1

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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