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Sri Lanka: Easter bombings

Posted on April 23, 2019April 23, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

Sri Lanka: Easter bombings

Just when Sri Lankans thought we had left all this violence behind them after the civil war.

Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of bombings that killed more than 300 people and injured over 500 people, at churches and big hotels. Most of the victims are believed to be Sri Lankans, but at least 31 foreigners are among the dead too.

Attack Time Line:

The first reports came in at about 8:45 am local time on Sunday morning. Six simultaneous explosions at luxury hotels and churches holding Easter mass. Three were at churches – in Colombo’s Kochchikade district, Negombo north of the capital, and Batticaloa in the east. The other three blasts rocked the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels in Colombo.

Two further explosions were reported later: seventh in Dehiwala in southern Colombo, And the eighth explosion happened near the Colombo district of Dematagoda during a police raid, killing three officers.

Hundreds of Sri Lankan families are in mourning. The confirmed international casualties are from the UK, Denmark, Portugal, India, Turkey, Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, the US and China. Among the dead are three children of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, owner of the Bestseller clothing chain and the largest stakeholder in clothing giant Asos.

The alleged bombers:

National Thowheed Jamath with some international help being suspected behind the little known Islamic group. The group has no history of large-scale attacks but came to prominence last year when it was blamed for damaging Buddhist statues.

Image result for National Thowheed Jamath

Sri Lanka’s history and religion:

Buddhism is Sri Lanka’s biggest religious group, about 70% of the population. Christians form up to 7% of the 21 million population. Sunday’s attacks were the worst ever against Sri Lanka’s small Christian minority. Hindus and Muslims make up around 12% and 10% of the population respectively. The attacks are Sri Lanka’s deadliest act of violence since the end of the country’s 26-year civil war in 2009. The war is thought to have killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people and ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, who had fought for independence for the Tamil minority.

This attack sends a message to everyone around the world that how we are not safe in probably the quietest places in the world. Though I believe terror has no religion, this brings up the issue of Islamic terror to the forefront.

The teardrop-shaped country of Sri Lanka, for now, symbolizes the pain and sorrow of a bloody Easter Sunday. One day, though, it will symbolize the happiness of an island that has rebuilt and come out that much stronger.

What’s not so Nice about French Terror Attack

Posted on July 16, 2016July 17, 2016 by Sarath Warrier

“The city of Nice has been hit by terrorism on the day of our national holiday. Immense pain, the country is in mourning. The French will face it.” – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls tweeted after the brutal terrorist attack.

On Thursday night, when France was celebrating Bastille Day, a lone driver rammed his truck into a march and killed 84 people in the name of religion. As a nation, this is trying on the morale but the French stand tall.

What Happened?

A fireworks display on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France was attacked when a tractor trailer truck rammed into the crowd watching the event. The terrorist ran the truck in a zig zag way killing all the people he could.

For over two kilometres he speeded the truck and killed dozens of people until finally the Armed Police Officers stopped him. He retaliated to this by firing at the police. The Police Shot him dead.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said that “a lorry driver appears to have killed dozens of people”.

French President Francois Hollande said he would return from a trip to Paris to hold emergency meetings in response to the attack.

An eyewitness told BFM TV: “Everyone was calling run, run, run there’s an attack run, run, run. We heard some shots. We thought they were fireworks because it’s the 14th of July.”

People began using the hashtag #PrayForNice to document the attack, share information, and post photos

Image source : theborneopost.com

“Everyone was calling run, run, run there’s an attack run, run, run. We heard some shots. We thought they were fireworks because it’s the 14th of July.”

Death Toll

There were an estimated crowd of more than 30,000 who had gathered for the celebrations when the truck was rammed into them. French officials said that about 84 people died in the attack. More than 200 people are injured and about 50 of them are in a critical condition.

Image source : mirror.co.uk

Who was the Terrorist?

Lahouaiej Bouhlel was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian delivery driver who is also a husband and father of three. He is known to the Police as a violent person and many cases have been filed against him, the recent one as close as March 2016. He has no known terrorist linkages. His neighbours describe him as a rude and lonely person who behaved very weird. His relationship with his wife had broken down recently. Before the attack, he was reportedly selling ice creams.

Image source : s-nbcnews.com

Response To Nice Attack

Response from President Barack Obama to the attack in Nice: “On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded. I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.

On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the “is an attack against innocent people on a day that celebrates Liberty, Equality & Fraternity.”

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton phoned in for an interview to CNN about the attack. She said “this is a horrific attack” and said, “I think it’s clear we are at war with these terrorist groups and what they represent.” While Republican candidate Donald Trump stated that “Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse.”

Image source : indianexpress.com

Let us all Pray for Nice.

Article Source: Telegraph.co.uk, bt.com

Feature Image source : npr.org

Terrorist Attack in Istanbul. When will they stop?

Posted on June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 by Soheib Ahsan

Imagine if you’re travelling to your home country from a foreign place. Your mother would be waiting for you, craving to see you again, to hold you in her arms and hear from you about how your life is going. Now imagine what if you don’t make it. The last thing she hears about you is maybe a phone call from the authorities that tells her that you were killed in an attack, or maybe worse she sees you on television dead. Just think as to what would happen to her if that ever happened to her. Despite your good fortune there are many people around the world today who are going through this.

Image source : thanhniennews.com

Istanbul has been the location of three attacks in 2016, including two suicide attacks in January and in March that were both linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and a car bombing in early June claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons. The most recent attack in Istanbul was seen at Atatürk Airport. It is known to be Europe’s third busiest airport in passenger traffic. It was started in 1924 and renamed in 1980. The airport has two passenger terminals, one domestic and one international. The airport will be closed after the massive Istanbul New Airport – planned to be the largest in the world – opens in the Arnavutkoy district. Its first phase is due to be operational in 2017. There are X-ray scanners at the entrance to the terminal but security checks for cars are limited. The first bomb went off on the ground floor at the arrivals terminal, the second one went off on the first floor at the entrance to the departure terminal and the final one went off at the car park terminal.

The three suicide bombers claimed the life of 41 people and 239 were injured. At least 13 of those killed were of foreign nationality. 109 of those hurt have now been discharged from hospital. One Iranian and one Ukrainian were confirmed dead. British counter-terrorism officials claimed the pattern and signs of the attack point towards IS being the culprits. The lack of any immediate claim for this attack by so-called Islamic State is not surprising. IS rarely claims responsibility for attacks against the Turkish state yet it is quick to advertise its assassinations of Syrian activists inside Turkey.

Image source : dw.com

IS has been targeting Turkey because it sees its government as being un-Islamic. Their attempt at taking the law and work of gods into their own hands has again led to massacre of innocents. Not only have they been spreading incorrect values in the name of Islam but they have even massacred innocents in the name of a religion that forbids murder. US and the rest of the world has been steadfast in its support for Turkey. Our hearts go out for the families of the victims of the attack.

May God have peace on the souls of the lost ones and may he ease the pain of the victim’s families.

Shocking! On 26/11! Indian Security Officials were in Pakistan

Posted on June 15, 2016June 29, 2016 by Nabhaneel

After a long seven and a half year, long after even Kasab is hanged, this revelation about the Mumbai Terror attacks of 26/11 is shocking to the core.

On November 26, 2008, around 9 pm, ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists attacked Mumbai and terrorized the city for next four days. This terrorist attack killed 160 and injured at least 300 men, women, and children. After seven and a half years, it has come to light that on the same day, top officers of the Internal Security at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were in Pakistan for the home secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan.

The meeting was scheduled on November 25, 2008, but it was extended to November 26, 2008, by Pakistan and just after the meeting, senior officials were convinced by the hosts to extend their stay by a day at the hillside resort of Murree. Murree is a hill station near Islamabad and an eminent Tourist Destination.

The officials who went for the retreat included the then Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, Additional Secretary (Border Management) Anwar Ahsan Ahmad, joint secretary (internal security) Diptivilasa, along with three other officials of internal security. These officials were responsible for taking counterterrorism action.

“The meeting was scheduled on November 25, 2008, but it was extended to November 26, 2008, by Pakistan and just after the meeting, senior officials were convinced by the hosts to extend their stay by a day at the hillside resort of Murree.The officials who went for the retreat included the then Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta.”

It has also been reported that Murree being on a hill is a no or less signal zone and therefore, the suspicious extension of MHA official’s stay in Pakistan by a day is seen as a strategy or ploy of Pakistan to delay the counterterrorism action against the 26/11 terror attacks.

The then under-secretary (internal security) R V S Mani in an interview with news agency ANI told, “Those days, talks were taking place alternately in India and Pakistan. In 2006, it took place in Pakistan; in 2007, it took place in India at Le Meridien hotel in Delhi; while in 2008, it was to be held in Pakistan. November 25 was decided for the talks, following which an approach paper was prepared and cleared. Our delegation left on November 24. I was in Lucknow on November 25 for some court case. I remember that when I returned on November 26th, I came to know that their visit was extended by a day, and then what happened in the night of 26th we all know,” said Mani.

“Holding them back in Islamabad for a day was a ploy of Pakistan. Pakistan knew the terrorists’ design, despite that it insisted them to stay there for a day (by delaying talks). Thus, there was no negligence on the part of officers. The decision about their visit and the approach paper were cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The RTI reply shown by some channels that there was ‘negligence’ is not true. As when the delegation reached there, the date for talk was extended from November 25 to 26. I was not part of that delegation, hence only a delegation member could say what had happened there (in Islamabad),” he said.

When asked if MHA officials tried to contact them in Pakistan after the attack, Mani said, “Deputy commandant-level officers of paramilitary such as BSF, ITBP and CRPF were in the control room. They kept on trying to contact the Indian counterterrorism officers in Islamabad but were unable to reach them. It could be a Pakistan’s ploy to make them stay at a place where there is mobile network issue. When they finally succeeded, I can’t say. Later JS (police) [Joint Secretary-police] decided to deploy National Security Guards (NSG). Other JSes also extended their support.”

When asked about the then Home Minister and the delay in the decision-making in the absence of top Internal Security officers, Mani said, “Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s role was limited, though he flew to Mumbai. There are standard operative procedures in place at the MHA, which the officers have to ensure. A very solid system is in place, but implementation of the system was required a leadership, which was missing (officers were stuck in Pakistan).”

However, the Former Home Secretary denied the reports on top MHA officials partying in Pakistan’s Murree and said it’s nothing but a mere speculation. In an interview with news agency ANI, he said, “It is inaccurate that there was no signal in Murree. I got a call from India, who informed me about the attacks and told me to switch on the television, As soon as we saw the terror strike, we spoke to all concerned persons, who were supposed to be spoken. Nobody knew that 26/11 would happen,” he added.

He asked,

“I was in touch with everyone when the disaster struck; what are we trying to prove going into speculation eight years later? I don’t know what purpose it will serve to ask eight years later if we were deliberately sent to Murree,”

Gupta also pointed out,

“All kind of things were said, like NSG’s late arrival but how would that have changed with my physical presence?”

Source : ANI, DNA and TOI.

Image Source: http.blogs.wsj.com, PTI