Pak airports on alert; troops kill militants

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Pakistan, September 26, 2008 : Security was stepped up at airports across Pakistan on Thursday following a telephone threat of a bomb attack at Islamabad airport. Only people with tickets and no vehicles were allowed in to the airport. Security has deteriorated alarmingly in nuclear-armed Pakistan over recent months with the military attacking Al Qaeda and Taliban strongholds in the northwest while the militants have responded with a string of bomb attacks.

Pak not a launch pad for terror attacks: Zardari

BREAKING NEWS

United Nations, Sep 26: President Asif Ali Zardari declared Pakistan has pledged its territory will not be used by extremist elements for launching terrorist attacks against neighbours and its own people.

Mr Zardari also made it clear that his government would "make sure Islamabad's friends did not violate the nation's sovereignty.'' ''Let it be clear to the terrorists lurking in their caves, plotting their next assault on humanity. If necessary, we will confront evil with force -- our police, our army and our air force,'' the Pakistani leader, who was sworn in earlier this month, told the UN General Assembly. "We will turn the power of the state against the stateless terrorists. We will turn the power of justice against the chaos of anarchists. We will turn the power of right against the darkness of evil,'' he added.In his address on Thursday, Sep 25 to the world body, Mr Zardari spoke on ensuring better relations with his country's eastern and western neighbours.

''We will continue the composite dialogue with India so that the outstanding issues are resolved. Whether it is the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, or cooperation on water resources, India and Pakistan must accommodate each other' s concerns and interests,'' the President said.

''We must respect and work with each other to peacefully resolve our problems and build South Asia into a common market of trade and technology,'' he added.

Expanding the scope of his call, Mr Zardari said to the 192-member world body, ''Terrorists strike all nations and continents and there must be a line on their rampage. We must draw that line in Pakistan. In our stability lies the world's security.'' The Pakistani leader invoked his slain wife Benazir Bhutto and noted 'ours has been a bloody fight.' During his address, he put on the podium his wife's picture.

He referred to last week's Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad and said, ''Once again Pakistan has become a victim of terrorism.'' Thousands of Pakistani soldiers and civilians have died fighting terrorists, Mr Zardari said, adding, ''The world should stand along with us as we stand for the entire civilised world on the front lines of this struggle.''

Arjun Singh backs Jamia aid to terror suspects

BREAKING NEWS

New Delhi: Jamia University Vice Chancellor Mushir Ul Hasan is getting some support in his battle to provide legal aid to the students accused of being involved in terrorist activities.

Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh has come out in his support.

Hasan has been under fire from the BJP ever since he announced providing legal aid to Shakeel Ahmed and Zia Ul Rahman, the two students picked up by the Delhi police last week for their alleged involvement in the serial bombings in the Capital.

The Jamia Vice Chancellor went to meet the HRD minister at his residence to apprise him of all that’s been happening within the premises of Jamia University.

Incidentally, the Jamia University named its distance learning center after the HRD minister in May last year.

Also, as a gratitude for his grant of Rs 40 crore to the varsity, a road leading to the teachers residence complex was also renamed to Shahrah-i-Arjun Singh.

There are whispers in Parliament that the HRD Minister, who is involved in a tussle with the Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay over minority institutions, wants to show the world who's boss.

J&K: Army jawan killed in gunbattle with militants on LoC

JAMMU: An Army jawan was killed in a fierce gunbattle on the LoC between Indian troops and militants, who entered the country under the cover of firing from Pakistani side, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"A group of armed militants entered the Indian territory from Kabaristan post of Pakistan and were trapped by troops close to Kalash Indian Post between Zeroline and border fencing along Line of Control in Poonch district today," defence officials said.

A jawan, Sepoy Chiba of One Assam Regiment died in the gunbattle which is still on, they said, adding that infiltration by militants followed the heavy cross-border firing on Indian positions along LoC since Saturday.

The encounter is taking place in a dense forest and "as it is a heavily mined area, we cannot cross to that side, thereby making the operation very difficult," they said.

Unconfirmed reports said that one militant has also been killed and his body is lying in the mined area.

Terrorists planned for 20 blasts in Delhi: Police

NEW DELHI: With the arrest of three more militants of the Indian Mujahideen allegedly involved in the serial blasts here, Delhi Police on Sunday claimed that the terror module was planning to explode at least 20 bombs in several places in the national capital, including Nehru Place.
The IM militants were planning to strike terror by exploding bombs in Nehru Place, a locality which houses several multi-storeyed buildings, and other parts of the capital, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal told reportersZia-ur-Rehman, Shakir Nishar and Mohammad Shakil were arrested early on Sunday morning from Jamia Nagar, the locality where two terrorists, including the "main man" Atif were killed in a gun battle with police on Friday.Police also arrested Abdul Rehman, the caretaker of Batla House where the terrorists were residing on charges of cheating and forgery. Rehman, the father of the arrested Zia allegedly forged the signature of the owner of the house. The encounter had taken place in that house.

During the interrogation of Mohd Saif and Zeeshan who were arrested on Friday, police claimed that they told investigators that Shakeel had planted the bomb in Gaffar market in Karol Bagh.

Dhaliwal said Zia and Shakeel planted bombs in the Maninagar area in the heart of Ahmedabad during the July 26 serial blasts.

The Delhi Police had on Saturday claimed that they have uncovered the conspiracy behind the attacks in the capital and in Jaipur and Ahmedabad saying they were carried out by terrorists of Indian Mujahideen and SIMI in league with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Dhaliwal said, Shakil was a student of Jamia University where he was pursuing second year MA (Economics), while Zia was a student of third year BA in the same institution. Nishar was doing an MBA course through distant education mode from Sikkim Manipal University.

Zia provided logistics support to the group while Shakil was a ideologue who indoctrinated the other members and kept a watch on them in the absence of Atif.

"The terrorists planted bombs in the evening to cause maximum casualty," he said. They used to wrap the bombs in two polythene covers and was asked by mastermind Atif to put garbage in the polythene bags so that no body suspected them, he said.

The arrested militants had at least four years of association with Atif, who usually tells them "to do just what they are assigned to do and not ask questions about future plans", Dhaliwal said. "The module used to get restless when blasts were not happening and Atif used to tell the members that there is a drought in the newspapers and we have to do something," he said. Dhaliwal said the "general feeling" of the module was that "something should be happening continuosly" and there "should not be any vaccum" in their activities. Atif never used to provide much details about funding and from where he got the explosives for carrying out blasts, the official added. He also planned the minute details about the plan like whether the suspected bombers should shave or not, what kind of denim they should wear, Dhaliwal said, adding that they were always asked to place the bombs and depart from the location soon so that they could not be caught. The module also immediately gather at their hideout soon after planting the bombs and were glued to the news channels. "They even used to mock at each other and would compare the casualty of the blasts in localities where each of them planted bombs," Dhaliwal said.

18 killed as blast rips through Islamabad hotel

BREAKING NEWS : Blast in Pakistan

Powerful blast in Islamabad Blast outside Marriott hotel At least 17 killed 25, including foreigners, injured Blast site near President's house Police suspect explosives-laden vehicle rammed into hotel Four floors of Marriott hotel on fire

Was Alina plain unlucky?The 'Ms Goody Two Shoes' was voted out of Bigg Boss 2 this week

The Bigg Boss 2 evictions have a way of throwing up surprises. Last week, Alina Wadiwala and Raja Chaudhary were nominated for evictions. While it was expected that Raja would be nominated some time in the early episodes of the show, the nomination of Alina Wadiwala by fellow housemates came as a real surprise.

Interestingly, Alina had been in the Dumping Zone for two weeks consecutively, having been nominated the week before last along with Ketki Dave, Zulfi Syed and . Apart from payal rohtagi Alina, Rahul Mahajan had also felt the heat of the Zone for two weeks – once with Rakhi Vijan and then with monica bedi . Both times, it was the female who was evicted and Rahul romped home safely.

The Bigg Boss 2 evictions have a way of throwing up surprises. Last week, Alina Wadiwala and Raja Chaudhary were nominated for evictions. While it was expected that Raja would be nominated some time in the early episodes of the show, the nomination of Alina Wadiwala by fellow housemates came as a real surprise.

Interestingly, Alina had been in the Dumping Zone for two weeks consecutively, having been nominated the week before last along with Ketki Dave, Zulfi Syed and payal rohtagi. Apart from Alina, Rahul Mahajan had also felt the heat of the Zone for two weeks – once with Rakhi Vijan and then with monica bedi . Both times, it was the female who was evicted and Rahul romped home safely.Alina had talked with all housemates as to why some of them had nominated her, when was nice to all and had not indulged in any bitching or backbiting so far. She confronted Sambhavana Seth and also shared her thoughts with Rahul Mahajan. In the earlier week though, she had apparently said certain things about for having nominated her.

But to her disappointment, Alina was shown the door. The housemate was a favourite with viewers, labelled 'too sweet'. It has come as a shock to Alina's newfound fans. At the same time, her detractors who'd labelled her as 'shrewd' have kind of had the last word.

The game probably would've been spoilt if Raja Chaudhary was evicted, as after being appointed Sarkar, his confidence had got a boost and he's currently flirting full on with payal rohtagi in front of Rahul's (supposedly her boyfriend) eyes.

Keep watching Bigg Boss 2 on Colors, every night at 10 pm IST, to see how Alina Wadiwala's eviction affects the other housemates.

Is techie Tauqeer India's Osama bin Laden?

New Delhi: Abdul Subhan Querishi alias Tauqeer is now being described as the Indian equivalent of Osama bin Laden.

Police say he is the techie brain of a terror group which is now emerging as the key link to the multiple bombings in Delhi.

Sources said Tauqeer and four of his associates had stayed with a man named Imran in Ahmedabad a few months before the blasts, where the plans of targeting Delhi were discussed first.

Sources also said Tauqeer shifted to another location after a few days and told Imran he was in the process giving a final shape to the Delhi plan.

A team of Delhi Police sleuths are closely questioning Imran, who was arrested soon after the Ahmedabad explosions.

Though the Ahmedabad crime branch released pictures of four suspects — Alamzeb Afridi, Mujeeb Jamilbhai Shiekh, Abdul Razzak and Qayamuddin — and said they were wanted for the July 26 serial blasts, they indicated their possible link to the Delhi explosions as well.

DCP Crime Abhay Chudasama said, "The pattern of blasts in Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts are the same. People behind the blasts could be of the same group. We are passing information to the Delhi Police."

While the police refused to disclose anything, there were enough indications of a connection between Saturday's bombings with the explosions in at least four other states over the past few months.

Sources confirmed to private channels crack investigators were conducting extensive searches in Azamgarh and surrounding areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

The teams have also accessed interrogation reports of the suspects who have been arrested in previous blasts, with a central coordinating team in Delhi piecing together all the information.

Despite these specific leads, the Delhi Police, which had claimed "strong leads" on Sunday, downgraded its statement on Monday.

Delhi Police Commissioner, Yudhvir Singh Dadwal said on Monday, "The probe is on. We will not discuss anything."

Sources, however, said the investigations have so far indicated:

• The bombers used public transport to reach each of the five blast sites
• Local sleeper cells may not have been used in the Delhi operation
• An eastern Uttar Pradesh module was given the task of planting the bombs
• The eastern UP module had possible help from suspects based in adjoining districts like Faridabad and western UP
• At least one suspect picked up so far could be significant to the case

Despite the stoic silence maintained by the investigators, sources confirmed a certain degree of consolidation of information had been achieved on Monday.

With over a dozen suspects having been picked up from Delhi and its adjoining areas, about 24 teams of the special anti-terror special cell were now carrying out searches, sifting through mobile phone records and compiling patterns based on interrogation reports of blast accused arrested in at least four states.

Delhi encounter: 2 killed, 1 arrested

BREAKING NEWS

New Delhi: A team of the Special Cell of Delhi Police killed two suspected terrorists in an encounter on Friday in Jamia Nagar area of South District in New Delhi.

Five suspected terrorists, holed up inside House No L-18, Batla House in Jamia Nagar, exchanged heavy fire with the police when the team tried to storm the house, police said.

In the ensuing gunbattle two gunmen were killed while two managed to escape. Police managed to arrest one gunman, Saif. He has been taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, police officials said.

All the suspected terrorists are around 22 years old.

One of the dead has been identified as Atiq alias Basheer and is said to be an associate of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activist Tauqeer. The name of the other slain man is Fakhruddin. Police officials said the team went to the area looking for Atiq.

Tauqeer is believed to be behind the July 26 Ahmedabad serial blasts and is also wanted in connection with September 13 bomb blasts in Delhi.

Police also recovered an AK 47 rifle and two pistols along with some diaries with codes from the house. An FIR under Section 307 (attack on police party) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered in the Jamia Nagar police station.

Special Cell Joint Commissioner Karnail Singh confirmed, "There were a total of five terrorist at L-18. Two have been shot dead and one has been arrested while two managed to escape."

Three police officials were also injured in the encounter. Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who led the team, a head constable and one constable were injured in the heavy exchange of fire. Sharma, who was hit but a bullet in his abdomen and is in a critical condition, has been admitted at Holy Family Hospital along with constable Rajkumar.

Head Constable Balwant has admitted at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

Police official also said they got the lead on Thursday after interrogating Ahmedabad serial bomb blast suspect Abu Bashar.

Bashar identified the house in Jamia Nagar where he along with Delhi serial blasts mastermind Mohammad Subhan Qureshi had taken shelter.

Muslims condemn Delhi blasts, ask not to antagonise whole community

Soon after the Delhi serial blasts, an umbrella body of Indian Muslim organisations had come out with condemnation to the act, but simultaneously appealed not to antagonise the entire community. In a press statement, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat (AIMMM) termed the incident of explosions in crowded places as the handiwork of 'coward beasts who do not believe in any human value or ethics of any kind'.

Mentionable that, the Indian capital city witnessed five explosions within an hour on September 13 evening, which killed more than 20 people and injured hundred others. The blasts took place in the crowded localities of Connaught Place, Karol Bagh and Greater Kailash areas. The injured were rushed to the hospitals. Meanwhile the Delhi police had successfully defused three bombs planted in different parts of the capital city. The Delhi people memorised same kind of misdeeds by terrorists three years back, when explosions in Sarojini Nagar market snatched away the lives of 66 people before the festival of Deepawali in 2005.

Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, head of AIMMM, commented that ‘police and intelligence agencies should meticulously probe these blasts and nab the real culprits and bring them to quick and exemplary justice’. His advocacy received momentum after a Muslim organisation named Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the explosions in Delhi. The outfit has now warned that Mumbai would face similar attacks in the coming days.

In an e-mail to media houses, Indian Mujahideen had accused the Mumbai Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad of harassing Muslims saying that they were closely keeping an eye on the squad and waiting for the proper time to execute bloodshed.

"We are aware of your recent night raids at Ansarnagar, Mograpada in Andheri and the harassment and trouble you created there for the Muslims," said the outfit. Also added in the mail, endorsed by GuruAlhindi and Al-Arbi, "You are already on our hit-list and this time very very seriously."

The Delhi police claimed to track the e-mail, as sent from Mumbai, where the Indian Mujahideen also re-claimed their responsibility for the serial explosions in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Jaipur.

Mentionable that India becomes a target of terrorists in the last few years. If it started in Mumbai in 2003 killing 11 and 60 people in two major acts of terrorism, the next location was Assam, where a bomb exploded during the celebration of India's Independence Day in 2004 killing 16 schoolchildren and others. Then Delhi was targeted in 2005 and 66 people lost their lives. Next year, 15 people died because of three blasts in Varanasi. Once again Mumbai witnessed the terror acts in July 2006, where nearly180 people were killed in another series of explosions there.

Later Malegaon town was targeted and 32 people were killed in another series of blasts. During 2007, explosions killed more than 66 passengers of a train heading from India to Pakistan; similarly Hyderabad blasts killed 11 and 40 people in two separate incidents.

This year, the terror act started its devastation from Jaipur (casualties 63) and moved to Bangalore (casualty 1). Later Ahmedabad experienced a series of explosions that killed 45 people and wounded more than 150. And for the first time, the Indian Mujahideen came to surface, claiming the responsibility for the attack.

A day after deadly blasts, police detain 8 people

Sunday, September 14, 2008, (New Delhi)

Investigations are in full swing into the Delhi blasts that killed 30 people on Saturday evening and injured at least 90. Eight people have been detained so far.

This is India's fourth major terror attack this year.

Investigators are looking at the similarities in all the strikes for example the locally procured material used in the blasts and the use of timer devices.

Similarities in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, jaipur blasts:

Ahmedabad blast suspect Tauqir back in focus

Several detained in Delhi, raids through the night

Delhi Police say they have definite leads

E-mail sent from office of Kamran Power Limited

'Kamran' owners being questioned

Another common thread is the Indian Mujahideen and a missing suspect Tauqeer, an ace bomb maker and a techie e-mail too was sent not before but a few minutes after the first blast.

At least 8 people have been detained in Delhi, raids and searches were conducted through the night.

The police say they are working on some leads and have been able to decipher the devices used.

The mumbai police are questioning the owners of Kamran Power Pvt Ltd, from where the email was sent. They are likely to be questioned again.

The company's office in Eric House has been sealed.

Delhi hit-and-run victim succumbs to injuries

BREAKING NEWS :

New Delhi: BMW hit-and-run case accused Utsav Bhasin will now be charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304 (A), for causing death to a victim due to rash and negligent driving. The offence is bailable and can get him a maximum punishment up to two years.

One of the two victims — Anuj Singh who was hit by a BMW car in south Delhi — died on Saturday morning at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where they were undergoing treatment.

A relative of Singh, Tejas Singh said the accused is planning to go abroad.

"One of our well wishers told us Bhasin is going abroad as he's been given bail. Such rich people should be punished and not let off the hook," He said.

Twenty five-year-old Singh was a BPO employee. He suffered injuries on

his cervical spine and slipped into a coma on Friday.

Singh was accompanied by the other victim, TV journalist Mrigank Srivastav, 29, were on their motorcycle when the BMW, driven by a man and a woman sitting next to them, hit them near Moolchand flyover in south Delhi around 2.30 am on Thursday.

A family member of one of the victims, Rahul Gupta, said, "We will fight tooth and nail till the last to get justice for our boy, come what may... Police should do everything to get culprit the maximum punishment, that is available in the IPC."

Delhi Police arrested Bhasin on Friday on suspicion of being behind the wheel of the BMW that ran over two people on Thursday morning.

A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered against him.

He was later released on bail after giving two sureties of Rs 20,000 each. A case under sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 337 (causing hurt and endangering life) of the IPC was registered against him.

After the death of the victim, police have pressed more charges on Utsav which included Section 304(a) - causing death due to rash driving.

Bhasin, who fled the scene along with one of his friends who was in the car at the time of accident, was arrested from Kashmere Gate, said the police. He has been taken to the AIIMS for tests.

After hitting the victims, Bhasin panicked and broke open the windowpanes of the car to escape as the vehicle got locked from inside, said an eyewitness.

They abandoned the BMW — bearing a VIP number plate — at a petrol station 300 m from the accident spot and fled in another car.

Twenty-year-old Bhasin is a resident of Punjabi Bagh and an alumnus of a prominent Delhi school, while the girl travelling with him is a class XII student at the same school.

Bhasin's father is an industrialist based out of Bahadurgarh in Haryana and is presently in China on a business tour.

The car bears a VIP registration number from Haryana, said a police official.

Raj Thackeray bans Bachchans, cops ban him

In a fresh round of attack on Amitabh Bachchan's family, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has announced a “ban” on films in Maharashtra which features the superstar and his family members.

The apparent affront was Jaya Bachchan's remark which the MNS perceives to be insulting to Maharashtrians.

“We are from Uttar Pradesh and we will speak in Hindi—Maharashtrians will forgive us,” Jaya, also a Rajya Sabha MP, said at an event in Mumbai to launch her son Abhishek’s movie Drona two days ago.

“All Bachchan family movies and advertisements in Mumbai and Maharashtra are banned from today (Monday),” said Thackeray at a press conference.

“This is an affront to the Marathi Manoos (Marathi-speaking people). All parties should unite and condemn what she said,” said Thackeray.

“Jaya Bachchan has to apologise or else no film of any member of the Bachchan family will be allowed to release in Mumbai and Maharshtra.”

The party’s diktat applies to films starring Bachchan, Jaya, son Abhishek and his daughter-in-law wife Aishwarya.

“Jaya Bachchan’s comment is a direct affront to Maharshtra. Unless she apologises, no film by the Bachchan family will be allowed. If you are from Uttar Pradesh, go and release your movies there.”

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, a friend of the Bachchan family, criticised Thackeray’s statement and said the country had a legal system and “jungle raj” would not be permitted.

Immediately after Thackeray’s statement, police banned from him making public appearances, giving speeches or press conferences.

MNS workers tore up Bachchan’s posters and hoardings in Dadar, Mumbai.

On Sunday, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had said: "People of Maharashtra will not tolerate such language. The Bachchans have been living here for so many years and saying that they do not know the local language is an insult to Marathi people."

The Congress condemned the MNS for 'politicising' the issue.

"Leaders whose children study in elite English schools like Bombay Scottish have no business targeting others," said Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam.

Thackeray in February 2008 had accused Bachchan of not doing enough for Maharashtra and favouring his home state of Uttar Pradesh.

The party has targeted North Indians in Maharashtra, accusing them of disrespecting the state’s culture and putting a strain on its resources.