Bharat Rakshak

brihaspati wrote:Not relying on religion as determining FP is alright, but failing to understand the importance of religion in FP is the height of stupidity. Religion is still an overwhelming factor in West Asian politics, however different spins are given on it - again from hidden religious and ideological commitments.

NEW DELHI: Early this week, home minister P Chidambaram suggested that India needed to redefine cross-border terrorism since it was not just from Pakistan but "extends beyond to the Middle East". Officials in the security establishment said the home minister's reference to Middle East wasn't just an off-the-cuff remark but a reflection of recent realization about the sprawling operations of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its sympathizers in the Gulf region.

Terror operatives in the Gulf have had a far more significant role in orchestrating several of the recent terror attacks than what was known until recently, sources in the security establishment said. They funded the serial blasts in Bangalore in 2008 and assisted the escape of its mastermind Tadiyantavide Naseer to Bangladesh, and probably had a significant role in the 26/11 attacks. More noticeably, most of the intercepts of terror communications in recent times too show intricate links to the Gulf region.

Extensive details of LeT activities in Gulf region have been emerging during the interrogation of Sarfaraz Nawaz, a Keralite who played a crucial role in the serial blasts in Bangalore on July 25, 2008. Nawaz was a key link between LeT's Gulf leadership and its sympathizers in south India. Omani authorities handed over Nawaz to Indian agencies a few months ago. He arranged funds for the Bangalore blasts and helped Naseer, who executed the serial blasts, escape to Bangladesh, where he was later arrested and brought back to India.

Investigators believe, based on Nawaz's interrogation and fresh inputs received from Gulf contacts, that LeT has been using the Gulf region as a major logistics centre for recruitment, financing and movement of Indians to Pakistan. The terrorist group is also running several businesses in the region, through which it is able to move money and provide visas to its cadres.

A Pakistani, Wali alias Rehan, may be running the entire LeT operations in the Gulf region, according to investigators. He is being assisted by several others including some local people such as Omani citizen Abdul Aziz Al Hooti, who procured some of the SIM cards for the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Al Hooti is now in the custody of authorities in Oman, for planning to carry out local terror attacks. In Qatar, LeT operations are looked after by Abu Farris, whose main work is to attract Indian expatriates to jihad.

The LeT network in the Gulf has managed to recruit several dozen Indian Muslim youngsters for training in Pakistan, many of whom have come back to India to carry out strikes. Many of these men are former SIMI members who had moved to extremist views over the past two decades. Their role in assisting LeT was increasingly becoming clear, said one of the officials working on the region. These former SIMI cadres are also involved in assisting political movements such as the NDF (National Development Front) and PDP (People's Democratic Party), both based in Kerala, find funding and support.

2010-05-14 16:49:17
WAM Abu Dhabi, May 14th, 2010 (WAM)--Indian State of Kerala Interior Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has invited the General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police to take part at the International Community Policing Conference, which will be held in Kerala in September.
Abu Dhabi Police have welcomed the invitation extended by the Indian official during his recent visit to the country in a drive to boost cooperation between the police authorities in the two countries.
Earlier, the Indian minister called on the Indian community in the UAE to respect laws, culture and values of the host country, as well as continuing more efforts to sustain the ongoing prosperity in the country.
The Kerala Interior minister had visited the General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi police, where he was briefed on the work progress at the police departments, notably, functions and achievements of community policing, work mechanisms of central operations, forensic laboratories and iris scanning. He commended the Abu Dhabi police vision.
The Indian minister was accompanied by the Indian Ambassador to UAE MK Lokesh, M. A. Yusuf, managing director of EMKE group and a number of Indian Embassy officials.
At the end of the visit memento gifts were exchanged.
WAM/MN

Muscat: Oman's military and naval forces will visit India for a joint military exercise next year, according to India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

17:16 IST

Taking their defence cooperation a step higher, India and Oman have agreed to accelerate their cooperation in maritime security and regional security issues. The decisions were taken at the bilateral discussions between the visiting Defence Minister Shri AK Antony and his Oman counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi at Muscat today. This is the first ever visit of Shri Antony to West Asia. Speaking at the meeting, he said maritime security is one of the issues that are causing concern to countries around the world. Shri Antony said, after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, issues of maritime security have emerged as a major aspect of India’s security concerns. ‘Maritime security has also become a global concern due to the pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden. Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been growing over the years and has now assumed alarming proportions’, he said.

Giving details of the measures taken by New Delhi, Shri Antony said, to protect Indian flag ships and Indian citizens employed in sea- faring duties, Indian Navy had commenced anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden from October 2008. A total of 16 Indian navy ships have been deployed in the Gulf of Aden since. In addition to escorting Indian flag ships, ships of other flags have also been escorted. ‘ We are cooperating with other navies deployed in this area by way of information sharing and have been participating in the Shared Awareness and De-Cofliction (SHADE) Meetings since April 2009’, he said.

The two sides also discussed a number of issues- bilateral and regional. Referring to Afghanistan, Shri Antony said, ‘ we have a common aim in Afghanistan and that is to ensure that it does not become a base of safe haven for terrorists again. We want a stable, moderate, unified and democratic Afghanistan’. He said New delhis’ efforts in Afghanistan are focussed on economic and social development activities. ‘ We intend to continue such activities even though we have lost personnel and have suffered attacks on our embassy in Kabul’.

Shri Antony expressed satisfaction at the existing defence cooperation between the two countries which is characterised by high level visit exchanges, training, regular bilateral exercises between the two navies and ship visits. In this connection, he recalled the first ever air exercise ‘Eastern Bridge’ in October 2009. Royal Air Force of Oman pilots have attended the Jaguar Simulator training in India in the past and similar training is planned this year also. ‘We have laid the foundation and should now work towards adding more content to our defence cooperation’, he said.



Shri Antony invited his counterpart to attend Aero-India in February 2011.



The delegation of Shri Antony included the defence secretary Shri Pradeep Kumar, Indian Ambassador to Oman Shri Anil Wadhwa, CISC Air Marshal SC Mukul, DGMF Lt Gen Dalip Bhardwaj, Air Marshal A Raha and Rear Admiral LVS Babu.



Shri Antony also called on the Sultan of Oman who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and the Prime Minister of the country, Qaboos bin Said bin Thaimour Al Said.



Last evening, shortly after his arrival in Muscat, Shri Antony attended a dinner hosted for prominent members of Indian Community by the Ambassador. Oman is now home to nearly half a million expatriate Indians. Speaking at the function, Shri Antony said his visit will consolidate further the existing ties between India and Oman. He said India will expand its cooperation with Oman in all fields.



Answering a query from the audience, Shri Antony said the desire of the Indian Army to induct 124 more MBT Arjun in its armoury was its own after the comparative trials. He expressed happiness that after many years MBT has become a reality and said ‘it has come of age’. DGMF Lt Gen Dalip Bhardwaj, who was also at the reception, endorsed the views of Shri Antony.

Sitanshu Kar in Muscat

Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs received in his office today A.K. Antony, Defence Minister of the friendly Republic of India and his accompanying delegation currently visiting the Sultanate.

An official talk session between the two countries was held in the presence of Lt. Gen. Ahmed bin Harith al Nabhani, Chief of Staff of the Sultan's Armed Forces and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence from the Omani side while fromm the Indian side it was attended by the Minister of Defence's accompanying delegation and the Indian ambassador to the Sultanate.

The meeting reviewed the good relations, exchanged views and discussed cooperation between the ministries of defence in both friendly countries and means of enhancing it to serve the joint interests of both parties.

The JMCC between the two sides has finished its meetings yesterday . The defence ministers reviewed and approved the recommendations of the committee.

The Indian Defence minister also met Gen. Ali bin Majid al Ma'amari, Royal Office Minister today.

Acharya wrote:

brihaspati wrote:Not relying on religion as determining FP is alright, but failing to understand the importance of religion in FP is the height of stupidity. Religion is still an overwhelming factor in West Asian politics, however different spins are given on it - again from hidden religious and ideological commitments.

Differences in the religions of different nations in teh rest of the world should be a factor in India's policies.

11 May 2010, MANAMA - A Bahraini fisherman sustained a gunshot injury when Qatari security guards opened fire at seven boats that strayed into Qatari territorial waters.
According to preliminary details, a Qatari patrol vessel spotted seven boats in Qatari waters and asked them to stop. All boats except one turned around to leave the Qatari waters.

However, one boat, which was slow in responding to the warnings, was fired at injuring the sailor.

The injured fisherman was admitted to a Doha hospital and others on the board were arrested.

Bahrain Coast Guard authority confirmed the firing and said in a statement that a security delegation will leave for Qatar to negotiate the release of the arrested fishermen.

This incident is not first of its kind as last year a Bahraini man died when his boat was chased by the Qatari security forces.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos gave an audience at Bait al Baraka yesterday to Indian Defence Minister A K Antony. His Majesty and Antony reviewed bilateral relations and co-operation between the Sultanate and India in various fields. The audience was attended by Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidy, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate, and the delegation.

Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, met the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, in Muscat, and discussed all aspects of bilateral relations, including defence cooperation between the two countries.

He said his discussion with the Sultan and other top functionaries of Oman during the just concluded two-day visit had given us 'new hints' (on piracy) which India must pursue, seriously.

"Not only this ship, piracy along the coast of Somali is a matter of serious concern. Yesterday and day before yesterday, when I was in Oman, this was one of the major issues discussed with them. There are other nations (navies) there (in Gulf of Aden). They are sharing their own experience and information. We hope in future we will be able to more effectively tackle the situation," he said.

HH Sayyid Fahd reviewed the growing deep-rooted bilateral relations with India which has flourished further during the Omani renaissance.
They also discussed bilateral co-operation and current regional and global developments, besides efforts of the Omani-Indian Joint Committee in reaching the set goals to enhance relations.
The guest expressed his utmost happiness to visit the Sultanate and the honour he felt to have an audience with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
He also affirmed that India appreciates the Sultanate and its wise leadership for its achievements accomplished on the domestic level and its constructive role in cementing relations and understanding with the outside world.
He also praised the talks he held with senior Omani officials and expressed his satisfaction with the good results reached.

Jindal steel to buy Oman’ Shadeed Iron for $464 mlnLatest News in Companies

India’s major steel producer, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd., said it has agreed to buy Oman-based Shadeed Iron and Steel Co. for $464 million to help expand into the Middle East and north African countries.
There is a strong demand for steel in the Middle East and north African countries, with an estimated supply shortfall of over 15 million tonnes, the company said.The deal, which is the third biggest overseas by an Indian steel maker, will be funded through $400 million in debt financing from international banks, and the rest through internal accruals, the Delhi-based company said.
UAE’s Al Ghaith Holdings owns Shadeed Iron and Steel Co and has an iron plant with a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum in Oman. The plant is expected to be functional by year end.The company said it was able to resolve several of their outstanding issues in relation to the title and contracts with the Oman government to proceed with the transaction

According to Shaikh Abdul Mohsin Al Abaican, a consultant at Saudi Arabia's royal court, a man who often entered a house and came in contact with the womenfolk there should be made symbolically related to the women by drinking milk from one of the women.

Under the fatwa, the act would preclude any sexual relations between the man and the donor woman and her relatives.

However, Al Abaican said that the donor woman should not breastfeed the man directly.

On the 16th June another hearing will be made; Judge Yunis Al-Reda will now hear the appeal once all court proceedings and reports of the case against the accused have been formally translated into Punjabi. In police custody, the men have been subjected to torture methods and other human rights violations. According to the LFHRI (Lawyers for Human Rights International) ‘The Sikh religion has been mocked and slandered. The lawyers who spoke to the tortured men heard how the officials in Sharjah jail made the prisoners stamp on religious bracelets and necklaces until they broke into pieces, then torment the men about ‘what their God is doing for them.’The Indian embassy has assured that they will supply a translation of the documents within a week. Up until now, none of the young boys held in custody have been given information about the case against them in the language they understand. The Emirati lawyer who originally represented the seventeen, did not mention to the court anything about the torture they boys were subjected to. In the original court case where the death penalty was given to all men, the trial proceedings were translated from Arabic into Hindi, which the men did not understand.Sikhs around the world have been pushing for a fair trial, to implement basic human rights. Over 10,000 Sikhs gathered opposite Downing Street on the 16th May to support these Sikhs and to urge the British Government to ensure that these boys have a fair trial, and all evidence against the accused is made available. The young men aged between 21 and 25 are migrant workers from India. They moved to Dubai in search of work to send money back to their loved ones in Punjab. Dubai, a luxury paradise has been built by the hands of men such as these. The families of the seventeen men contest their innocence and have appealed to the Indian Government to step in and repatriate the men back to India. Judge Yunis Al-Reda has ruled the appeal proceedings in Court will continue on the 16th June, once the seventeen young men have been given access to hear the evidence and understand the case against them in a language they understand, Punjabi. This gives the Sikh community and human rights activists time to put pressure on the judicial, to ensure these young boys are freed and sent back to their loving families in India.

The discovery in Kuwait earlier this month of an alleged spy cell working for Iran's Revolutionary Guards has sent tremors throughout the Gulf, raising fears of Iranian meddling in the region's domestic affairs to near hysteria ...

sum wrote:Pune bombing suspect held

NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra anti-terrorism police are questioning a Karnataka resident they say may have been involved in February's bombing of a café in Pune, and in jihadist networks which have executed a series of urban bombings across India bombings since 2005.

Mangalore resident Abdul Samad Bawa was held by the Maharashtra police soon after his return from the United Arab Emirates, and flown to Mumbai for questioning. Government sources said India's intelligence services had worked closely with their counterparts in the UAE to secure Mr. Samad's return to India.

Police have been seeking Samad's brother, Mohammad Zarar Siddi Bawa, on suspicion that he may have played a central role in executing the German Bakery bombing.

Investigation sources say informants identified an individual filmed by the café's closed-circuit camera as Bawa. Bawa, also known as ‘Yasin Bhatkal', has been named as fugitive by authorities involved in the prosecution of members of a jihadist network called the Indian Mujahideen (IM), which carried out multiple urban bombings nationwide.

WOW, big catch if Yasin Bhatkal is in the net.

Another gharwapsi. Am thinking that the clock is ticking for the other Bhatkal brothers also...

Iranian special forces carried out a bold cross-border operation to rescue their diplomat held by militants in Pakistan since November 2008.

sum wrote: Omani Abdul Al-Hooti may be crucial 26/11 link

Sources point out that Abdul Al-Hooti, an alleged Lashkar-e-Tayibba activist arrested in Oman in another case, could have done more than just providing SIM cards which were used during the Mumbai attacks. With evidence against Al-Hooti in the Mumbai attack increasing, the Indian agencies say that apart from interrogating Headley in the US, they would also be building a case to seek Al-Hooti's extradition from Oman.
..........
The IB said that they had contacted the Omani authorities and had sought their help to extradite Al-Hooti to India. "We need to know about the logistic support that Al-Hooti provided and also would like to check if he is the same man who had provided the SIM cards to the Mumbai gunmen. Currently he is being interrogated in Oman for his role in a terror plot and talks are on between the two countries," an IB source said.

The housemaid, Saifya Moideen Kunju, was also not being paid her salary by her sponsor
By Sunil K. Vaidya, Oman Bureau ChiefPublished: 17:41 May 24, 2010

Muscat: The Indian Embassy in Muscat has rescued a housemaid from her sponsor who has allegedly been ill-treating her.
The housemaid, Saifya Moideen Kunju, was also not being paid her salary by her sponsor, who works as a teacher in a government school.
The issue came to light when Saifya’s husband Moideen Kunju called social worker P.M. Jabir from his hometown in Kerala, India, complaining about the ill-treatment meted out to his wife.
“After repeated calls, I took up the matter with A. Banerjee, second secretary at the Indian embassy,” Jabir told Gulf News.
A. Girish, Indian Embassy lawyer, contacted Saifya’s sponsor on the phone and urged him to allow her to return home.
“The sponsor refused to relent and continued to beat her,” Jabir said.
Later, Ravi, embassy’s honorary counsellor agent in Ibri, visited Saifya’s sponsor’s house, which is located some 90km off Ibri town, with the help of the Royal Oman Police.
"The maid was taken to a hospital where the authorities confirmed that Saifya was beaten up,” Jabir said.
According to Jabir, the sponsor initially refused to pay the ticket or dues to the maid. However, he relented when threatened that the matter would be taken to the Human Rights Commission in the country.
“The maid is now at a ‘safe house and will be repatriated soon,” said Jabir, who is a Welfare Secretary with the Indian Social Club.
The sponsor was not available for his comments

Israeli troops attack ship carrying aid to Gaza killing 16
Israeli commandoes have stormed a flotilla of ships carrying activists and aid supplies to the blockaded Palestinian enclave of Gaza, killing as many as 16 of those on board.

By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent and Matthew Kalman in Jerusalem
31 May 2010

Link to this video
Fighting broke out between the activists and the masked Israeli troops, who rappelled on to deck from helicopters before dawn.

A spokeswoman for the flotilla, Greta Berlin, said she had been told ten people had been killed and dozens wounded, accusing Israeli troops of indiscriminately shooting at "unarmed civilians". But an Israeli radio station said that between 14 and 16 were dead in a continuing operation.


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"We have two other boats. This is not going to stop us."

The Israeli government's handling of the confrontation was under intense international pressure even as it continued. The Israeli ambassador to Turkey, the base of one of the human rights organisation which organised the flotilla, was summoned by the foreign ministry in Anakara, as the Israeli consulate in Istanbul came under attack.

One Israeli minister issued immediate words of regret. "The images are certainly not pleasant. I can only voice regret at all the fatalities," Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, the trade and industry minister, told army radio.

But he added that the commandoes had been attacked with batons and activists had sought to take their weapons off them.

Israeli military sources said four of its men had been injured, one stabbed, and that they had been shot at.

"The flotilla's participants were not innocent and used violence against the soldiers. They were waiting for the forces' arrival," they were quoted by a news website as saying.

The flotilla had set sail on Sunday from northern, or Turkish, Cyprus. Six boats were led by the Mavi Marmara, which carried 600 activists from around the world, including Mairead Corrigan Maguire, the Northern Ireland peace protester who won a Nobel Prize in 1976.

It came under almost immediate monitoring from Israeli drones and the navy, with two vessels flanking it in international waters. The flotilla, which had been warned that it would not be allowed to reach Gaza, attempted to slow and change course, hoping to prevent a confrontation until daylight, when the Israeli military action could be better filmed.

But in the early hours of this morning local time commandoes boarded from helicopters.

The activists were not carrying guns, but television footage shown by al-Jazeera and Turkish television channels show hand-to-hand fighting, with activists wearing life-jackets striking commandoes with sticks.

The Israeli army said its troops were assaulted with axes and knives.

The television footage did not show firing but shots could be heard in the background. One man was shown lying unconscious on the deck, while another man was helped away.

Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza after the strip was taken over by the militant group Hamas in 2007. It has allowed some food and medical supplies through, but has prevented large-scale rebuilding following the bombardment and invasion of 2008-9.

The flotilla is the latest in a series of attempts by activists to break through the blockade. The boats were carrying food and building supplies.

Activists said at least two of the other boats, one Greek and one Turkish, had been boarded from Israeli naval vessels. Activists said two of the other boats in the flotilla were American-flagged.

The confrontation took place in international waters 80 miles off the Gaza coast.
Turkish television meanwhile showed hundreds of protesters trying to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. The incident will be particularly damaging for Israel's relations with what had been seen as its closest ally in the Muslim world.

"By targeting civilians, Israel has once again shown its disregard for human life and peaceful initiatives," a Turkish foreign ministry statement said. "We strongly condemn these inhumane practices of Israel.

"This deplorable incident, which took place in open seas and constitutes a fragrant breach of international law, may lead to irreparable consequences in our bilateral relations."

Philip wrote:Israel has attacked the Gaza relief flotilla killing at least 16 aboard,in an act that can't be comprehended.It is a huge own goal as it is an acknowledged fact that the population of Gaza are enduring immense suffering due to the Israeli blockade.Treating the Gaza citizens like dirt only drives them into the hands of Hamas and other extremists.If the Palestinians are able to be employed in lawful undertakings and vastly improve their standard of living,the chances of them taking to the gun will be lessened considerably.There are many Israelis who are equally upset by the way in which the Palestinians are suffering and want another way out of the quagmire.This latest incident is bound to inflame public opinion in the Arab street,especially the Turks,once Israel's best friend in the Muslim world and only give hardliners who want the total destruction of Israel another handle to wage war against the Israeli state.

The so-called western peacemakers like Tony Blair have been an unmitigated disaster and even Obama for all his talk about a new initiative in the Middle East has been found to have policies which melt at the first sign of heat.