Suicide Attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 08 Jul 2008 04:23

As many have predicted, DDM is veering towards this hackeneyed nonsense that 'jihadi elements' acting alone, in vaccum undertook this dastardly attack. Notice the absensce of any mention of official Paki complicity in the following DDM report.

Rishirishi · Post by **Rishirishi** » 08 Jul 2008 04:37

One reply to the challenge could be to allow US to recruit Indian "security Gurads" at the border.

If each Gurad costs 10 000 dollars per annum (5 lacks of rupee), to total price comes to 1 billion dollars per year. Put it in the conditions that each person killed's kin get an award of 50 lacks of rupees. If you apply for 100 000 guards , 1 million would turn up. Good for the economy, good for the people and good for the economy.

Perhaps it can be the next wave of outsourcing, with iraq as the next possible expansion place.

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 08 Jul 2008 04:37

http://livefist.blogspot.com/2008/07/in ... illed.html

http://bp3.blogger.com/_o_no4M2xEPY/SHJ ... +Mehta.jpg

Press Release from the Government today: Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta was martyred in a dastardly act of terrorism today in Kabul. Approximately at 10 O’clock in the morning a vehicle carrying explosives exploded in front of Indian Embassy in Kabul. Brigadier Datt was coincidentally present in the proximity and suffered severe injuries and succumbed later.

Brigadier Datt was a bright and very competent officer of Army who served in insurgency operations areas in North East and J&K. He was commissioned in Army in 1976 and had assumed his present post of Defence Attache in Kabul in Feb 2008. His bereaved family consists wife, son (an Indian Air Force Officer) and a daughter who were also in Kabul to visit him.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 08 Jul 2008 04:54

Second Indian diplomat to face violent death

NEW DELHI/KABUL: V. Venkateswara Rao, the Indian diplomat killed in the Kabul suicide attack, had completed his posting and was slated to return to the country. In fact, Mr. Rao, Venkat to his friends, was in India and returned to Afghanistan only on Sunday, said diplomatic sources here.

He is the second Indian diplomat to die a violent death after Ravindra Mhatre, leaving his Foreign Office colleagues in shock. Mhatre was kidnapped by Kashmiri militants in the United Kingdom in 1984 and done to death.

Mr. Rao’s wife and two minor daughters, who were awaiting his return at the end of his two-year tenure, survive the 45-year-old First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Kabul. His wife, Malathi Rao, left for Kabul in the Indian Air Force transport plane which left for Kabul on Monday evening.

Fluent in Dari, one of the main languages in Afghanistan, Mr. Rao was considered an authority on the neighbouring countries, especially Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Military Attache Brig. Ravi Datt Mehta, 53, who was in the same car and was killed along with Mr. Rao, is the senior-most Army officer to die abroad.

Considered a bright and competent officer, he had served in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. His wife Sunita, son Flt. Lt. Udit Mehta and daughter Bhavya survive Brig. Mehta. He joined the Indian mission just five months ago and his family was staying with him in Kabul.

Sigh..what can I say.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 08 Jul 2008 05:01

Tragedy of an afghan who loved India

For Venkat, Kabul was not just another posting but a mission

For Venkat, Kabul was not just another posting but a mission
K.P. NAYAR IN WASHINGTON

In statecraft that is practised in Washington under George W. Bush, the ultimate tribute to a public official is when his loss in the line of duty persuades the office of Vice-President Dick Cheney into action over the death of that official.

One of the first calls received by an Indian diplomat here this morning – even before the embassy opened for the day’s business – came from Cheney’s office to mourn to tragic death of V. Venkateswara Rao, counsellor at the Indian mission in Kabul in a terrorist attack.

Mark Webber, a key aide to Cheney, had spent many hours with Rao in Washington, drafting and fine-tuning a number of bilateral commercial agreements at a time Indo-US economic relations were taking off in the run-up to and following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the White House three years ago.

Webber phoned Raminder Singh Jassal, India’s deputy chief of mission here, to share India’s grief and to recall his association with Rao. Webber was then with the US department of commerce and Rao was first secretary and later counsellor for commerce at the Indian embassy here.

Serving in Kabul was not just another posting for Rao, who was ‘Venkat’ to Indian journalists in Washington. It was a mission. German was his language as an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, the “compulsory foreign language” (CFL) that every IFS recruit has to learn as part of his or her training.

At an age when many IFS officers forget their CFL out of disuse or sheer laziness, Venkat chose to learn Dari, in addition, so that he could make the most of his posting in Kabul.

He firmly believed that there was no point in being posted in Afghanistan if he were to merely rub shoulders with fellow diplomats and UN officials in Kabul’s secure hotels instead of interacting with Afghanistan’s diverse and complex society and its politics. To do that, he was convinced that knowing Dari was essential.

Because Venkat had a way with languages, it was not tough for him to learn Dari in his early middle age. In addition to German, he had already learned French although he was never posted in any French-speaking country.

After three years in Washington, Venkat was posted to headquarters in August 2006. But instead of a comfortable three years in South Block, he volunteered to go on a hardship posting in Kabul even though it meant being away from his son and daughter and Malathi, his wife whose vivacious nature was celebrated in the Indian-American community during the couple’s three-year stay in the US.

Venkat had been in the IFS only for 18 years. But in less than two decades he packed into his service of Indian diplomacy what many officers do not chalk up in double that many years.

Venkat followed in the footsteps of some of the best in Indian diplomacy like J N Dixit and the present foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, who opted to serve in India’s neighbourhood instead of comfortable western capitals.

Other than his German language training in Berlin and three years in Washington, every one of Venkat’s postings has been in India’s neighbourhood. Colombo, Kathmandu, Kabul and, of course, New Delhi. He used to say that he wanted to complete the cycle at some stage in his career with postings to Islamabad and Dhaka.

His expertise on the biggest challenge to Indian foreign policy in the years to come, an unstable and unpredictable neighbourhood, will be missed in South Block for many years to come.

A reunion denied, another disrupted

Caught in the great game, Behind blast lies strategic highway

Brando · Post by **Brando** » 08 Jul 2008 05:08

What will India's official response be once we know or if we know who carried out the blast ??? In all probability nothing. But we cant leave it at nothing. This was a serious attack on our soverign property. We need to at least blow up the ISI headquarters in Islamabad. Or land some couple of thousands of troops in Afghanistan. Maybe even establish a base in Northern Afghanistan.

The Indian government should use this to negotiate some sort of advantage for India in Afghanistan by either asking for a base of operations or a military presence in the region to safeguard our men and material in that region.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 08 Jul 2008 06:09

India wanted to have a second front? And, perhaps even some strategic depth.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 08 Jul 2008 06:15

NRao wrote:India wanted to have a second front? And, perhaps even some strategic depth.

No,
The historical and cultural linkages between Afghanistan and India are many. It is in India's interest to have a stable prosperous Afghanistan. Indians have done nothing but offer assistance and commit money and personnel into infrastructure projects there. Taking this to mean "opening a second front" or "deserving of retaliation in the form of violence" or some "strategic" nonsense is just playing along with the RAPE mindset.

Pukis having their way with afghanistan would mean a taliban puppet government which serves as a base for jihadi training for India ops with plausible deniability. Their very own backyard for dirty projects.

It is not that the SDREs are as incompetent as they look. We supported Ahmad Shah Masood plenty, even set up a hospital and trained medics for the northern alliance. Farkhor Air Base (with rumors of Indian involvement) is in Tajikistan, Ahmad Shah Masood was ethnic Tajik, put two and two together. We did not succeed much with the Northern alliance because of full fledged Paki support to the taliban, with Saudi funding and Unkil looking the other way. Plus there was the "Gujral Doctrine" in '97 and 98 which coincided nicely with Taliban's complete domination of Afghanistan with Dostum's ouster and it brought them to striking distance of Panjshir valley (Massood's last stand). Let us not repeat the mistake again.

I hope the democrats get elected, pull out of Iraq, stop the Iranian war drums and Afghanistan turns out to be a major cooperative exercise between Unkil and desis. We help build Afghan institutions (post, election commission, railways, roads come to mind), deny space to the Jihadis and serve as a long term regional partner interested in the growth and stability of Afghanistan. For this, we need someone like Jaswant Singh to convince unkil to stop pussyfooting around paki "sensitivities". Another aspect is the Iranians. Something needs to be done there for the Delaram-Zaranj road to succeed, thereby weaning afghanistan off of our Puki brothers once and for all.

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 08 Jul 2008 06:30

John Snow wrote:I am amazed at the quick grasp , anaysis, assesment, conjecture, deduction, attribution, motivation,execution actors behind each terror attack on Indians, Indian assets, and Indian interests but have never seen retaliation, retribution or justice extracted.

I am 400 o/o sure we will simply wash it down the statistics. What a cowardly act!

Typical political response would be

* Hum iska muh-thod jawaab dengey
* We will not compromise
* Yada-yada-yada
* Blah-blah-blah

When the politicians are busy serving rajmaata and not keeping interests of Indian security in picture what can we expect ?

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 08 Jul 2008 06:37

I trawled through the various paki foras, and there is jubilation at the blast and the death toll.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 08 Jul 2008 07:44

Nayak wrote:I trawled through the various paki foras....

My sympathies.

Anant · Post by **Anant** » 08 Jul 2008 07:49

Nayak,

Not to sound rude but are you truly surprised by Paki reaction? You can't be surprised. They have legitimately lost every war they have fought on the battlefield. This is their strategy of a 1000 cuts to get back at India. I am more disappointed that India has not avenged a single life in a long long time. The same thing happened to Rupin Katyal, the folks at Parliament in Delhi, Jaipur and other events ad naseaum. What I am more concerned about is that the Indian government (this or even the former BJP) has become all talk and no action. They are numb to the plight of the everyman and therefore life has no value (well besides staying in power). As an Indian, it is extremely sad to see. Contrast that with Israel where every attack is met with a response, even if the response is disproportionate or even incorrect. Tomorrow dawns another day and nothing will change. We all know it and so do the terrorist vermin that kill with impunity.

ManuT · Post by **ManuT** » 08 Jul 2008 07:54

From what I have seen on the news, there was a spotter and a vehicle combined in this attack. This would indicate some level of familiarity with the diplomatic number plates.

Since military attache was targeted, I will take it as a signal from Pakistan for India.

At least 2 of the 4 Indians, and one of the senior staffers could have been saved had they been travelling in separate vehicles arriving at the embassy at different times.

arun · Post by **arun** » 08 Jul 2008 08:34

BBC Monitoring quoting Ariana TV :

Embassy Bombing is Pakistan Intelligence Threat to Indian Diplomats, Says Afghan MP

Excerpt from report by privately-owned Afghan Ariana TV on 7 July

[Presenter] Some Afghan experts believe that the Pakistani ISI has masterminded today's suicide attack in front of Indian embassy in Kabul. They believe it is a plot by Pakistani ISI to damage relations between the two countries. They say that the ISI is concerned about good relations between the two countries and India's influence in Afghanistan. Therefore, the ISI is trying to paint a horrible picture of the situation in Afghanistan in the minds of Indian diplomats. Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamed Karzai, the upper house of parliament and [the main opposition group] the National Front have called the terrorist attack a big crime and condemned it. My colleague Abdol Wakil Naibi has a report on this:

[Reporter] Afghanistan Interior Ministry says that Indian embassy in Kabul has been the main target of the suicide bomber. Some Afghan experts believe that Pakistani intelligence service masterminded today's attack on Indian embassy.

[Mir Ahmad Joyanda, the MP from Kabul] The main purpose of such attacks is to discourage the current presence of the Indian government in Afghanistan. This is in fact a threat to Indian diplomats and other Indians working in Afghanistan. Also, the ISI is not happy with the possible plans of the new government of Pakistan to boost relations with India. There is no doubt that Pakistan's ISI was involved in this. Unfortunately, the vulnerable people of Afghanistan are victims of the wars between other powers and countries.

[Reporter] Mir Ahmad Joyanda believes that the Pakistani ISI is trying to damage relations between the newly-elected government of Pakistan and India. According to him, the new government of Pakistan is willing to extend relations with India but the ISI opposes this policy.

[Passage omitted: known details]

India is one of the main donors of reconstruction in Afghanistan. Over the last few years, several Indian engineers and workers have been killed or kidnapped by anti-government elements in Afghanistan.

Originally published by Ariana TV, Kabul, in Dari 1530 7 Jul 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Newsfile. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Story from REDORBIT NEWS:

LINK

Published: 2008/07/07 18:00:08 CDT

ranganathan · Post by **ranganathan** » 08 Jul 2008 08:39

India needs to stop pussy footing ask afghan govt for an military base. Some IAF aircrafts which can help NATO in targeting pakis across the border and IA units would be a start.

arun · Post by **arun** » 08 Jul 2008 08:40

Ahem, expect recovered detonators to be destroyed in testing, samples to vanish ...

Times, UK :

July 8, 2008

Old rivalries could reignite an explosive conflict

Analysis Richard Beeston

The bomb attack in Kabul was more than just another act of violence by the Taleban in their campaign to destabilise Afghanistan and Pakistan.

For the first time in years a significant Indian target was attacked by Islamic militants. Both Afghans and Indians suspect that the bombing was carried out with the connivance of Pakistan’s notorious intelligence service, which is seeking to undermine India’s growing influence in Afghanistan and its support for the Government of President Karzai.

For the sake of security across the region, the international community had better hope that these suspicions are wrong and that investigators do not unearth evidence linking Pakistan to the bombing. Until a truce was hammered out between Islamabad and Delhi, the Indo-Pakistan conflict was regarded widely as the most explosive in the world. After several attacks in India by Islamic militants, tensions grew between the two nuclear powers, nearly triggering an all-out war in 2003. These have been kept in check with a series of measures to build confidence between the rivals and moves by Pakistan to reign in militants.

There are signs that the fragile new Government in Islamabad is either unable or unwilling to stem resurgent militant groups, who control much of the tribal areas. The situation will deteriorate sharply if a new terrorist campaign reignites the old rivalry.

LINK

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 08 Jul 2008 08:52

the message to Indians from this attack is unambiguous.

Please increase your numbers in Afghanistan as soon as possible and as much as possible.

Smash the teeth of satanic ISI and their corrupt Talibunnic sidekicks.

It is wonderful that God has given us a purpose in our lives, and that purpose is to have the privilege to fight evil and purge evil.

We are indeed blessed to thus privileged to participate in this dharmic war and to defeat evil.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 08 Jul 2008 08:59

Bodies of Kabul attack victims arrive in India Video

Ek ka dus, yahi hona chahiye Jawab!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Jul 2008 09:12

Rishirishi wrote:One reply to the challenge could be to allow US to recruit Indian "security Gurads" at the border.

If each Gurad costs 10 000 dollars per annum (5 lacks of rupee), to total price comes to 1 billion dollars per year. Put it in the conditions that each person killed's kin get an award of 50 lacks of rupees. If you apply for 100 000 guards , 1 million would turn up. Good for the economy, good for the people and good for the economy.

Perhaps it can be the next wave of outsourcing, with iraq as the next possible expansion place.

Rishi^2, This is a crass response. Can you atleast show some contrition and not post this kind of yes massa response? Bus we don't want to build anymore empires for massa. No more company soldiers. That was the message of your forefathers when they fought for the freedom movement. Is that already forgotten?

And Ananth now do you see the ISI link or do you think its still generic?

I am tired of folks wanting to shape debate an opinion on BR.

Why dont we have a poll on what India should do? Or is that not PC?

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Jul 2008 09:24

ranganathan wrote:India needs to stop pussy footing ask afghan govt for an military base. Some IAF aircrafts which can help NATO in targeting pakis across the border and IA units would be a start.

Agreed. This is a good time to build a forward base in Afghanistan now. Even if it is in Herat it is OK

sum · Post by **sum** » 08 Jul 2008 09:50

Is the poor IFS person killed by the ISI goons actually a RAW guy? The more i read about his profile and his serving in all hotspots and being fluent in Darri etc, the more i feel he was a kaccha man and was the actual target!!??

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 08 Jul 2008 09:56

In which case expect some raw justice.

Brando · Post by **Brando** » 08 Jul 2008 10:04

The problem with an impotent Singh government in Delhi is that everybody from Islamabad to Washington D.C knows that India will do nothing bold. They will at best make a few speeches and quote a few dead people . With the BJP government however they didnt know what India would do, it kept them off balance. If Sonia is half the Indira she claims to be, she should ask her secretary Manmohan Singh to ask the RAW to find who did this and make them pay. Like the assassination of the Pak ambassador in Afghanistan or an explosion at the Pakistani consulate in Sri Lanka or a few dead pak generals in Lahore. Something to make the ISI take notice that we can strike back as well.

Its a sad day when one of the world leading powers has to face this kind of attack and is forced to remain silent. I wonder what the Chinese would do if their embassy was attacked similarly!?

As for the Paki jubilation, most of the dead were their fellow Muslim brothers while only 4 diplomats were killed and not to mention there were serial bomb blasts in Karachi as well!

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 08 Jul 2008 10:09

sum wrote:Is the poor IFS person killed by the ISI goons actually a RAW guy? The more i read about his profile and his serving in all hotspots and being fluent in Darri etc, the more i feel he was a kaccha man and was the actual target!!??

May not be RAW. Seems to be the quintessential diplomat, sensitive to the local culture and language. Most diplomats do send their home country political and economic briefs and analysis, which is not typically considered hardcore "intelligence" or "espionage".

For Venkat, Kabul was not just another posting but a mission
One of the first calls received by an Indian diplomat here this morning – even before the embassy opened for the day’s business – came from Cheney’s office to mourn to tragic death of V. Venkateswara Rao, counsellor at the Indian mission in Kabul in a terrorist attack.

Mark Webber, a key aide to Cheney, had spent many hours with Rao in Washington, drafting and fine-tuning a number of bilateral commercial agreements at a time Indo-US economic relations were taking off in the run-up to and following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the White House three years ago.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 08 Jul 2008 11:28

From the details emerging,it is quite obvious now that Mr.Venkat Rao and the Brigadier were the specific targets and it was not another attack against Indian "premises".Venkat Rao appears to have been an "expert" on not just Afghan affairs,but also other subcontinental matters too.He could've very well been a future Mani Dixit had fate in the form of this dastardly act not taken place.These two victims in particular would've been two of the key individuals in the embassy responsible for executing India's support for the Karzai govt.

From the details in Ahmed Rashid's recent book on Pak,"Descent into Chaos",the tremendous gains by India in Afghanistan,efforts across the board in helping in the reconstruction of that country by a variety of Indian agencies,have deeply alarmed the ISI,which along with its partners in crime,the Talibs and AlQ,who are determined to kick out of Afghanistan the US/NATO forces and their allies/friends supporting the Karzai govt.Pres.Karzai and his team have made numerous visits to India seeking our support (given).Knowing the true evil nature of the forces ranged against him/us in the region,we should've been more concious about security,perhaps never imagining that the ungodly would stoop to such a barbaric level by attacking Indian interests in another country.

The fate of Afghanistan is in the balance,with several western commentators saying that the US has almost "lost" the war,or that it is "unwinnable" thanks to the neglect by Dubya.Losing Afghanistan would be a devastating steback for the US/west,as it would allow once again AlQ ,the Taliban and the anti-western forces in Pak (ISI),to regroup there in a vast landscape offering a safe haven to global Islamist terror. Consequently, the US has even approached Russia of all countries to allow it to use its land route and influence with the Central Asian states, for logistic help for Karzai and to provide as much support for his regime as is possible.Russia has agreed in principle but wants the US/NATO to stop its eastward expansion in Europe.We must find out who the plotters of this act are and then deliver to them justice in kind,no matter where on the globe they might be.This act of terror against India is the last straw.We have to see how the current dispensation deals with this crisis.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 08 Jul 2008 11:34

Here is the "Descent into Chaos" book review by C.R.Garekhan,with special reference to the ISI's anti-Indian gameplan.

http://www.hindu.com/br/2008/07/08/stor ... 021400.htm

VikramS · Post by **VikramS** » 08 Jul 2008 11:34

More boots on the ground is the only solution. Putting a few planes on the ground to assist BRO personnel is also not a bad idea. Does IAF have the standoff capability to target Punjabi Taleban conventions from the right side of the LOC?

amit · Post by **amit** » 08 Jul 2008 11:46

Tragic as the whole episode is there's something that's playing on my mind.

We are thinking in terms of action-->reaction. With action by the ISI (the blast) and a reaction from RAW (that is need for a just response).

However, given what's happening in Pakistan could it be the other way around? That is this is a reaction from ISI to action from RAW?

Since these matters never come to light, we sometimes give less credit to our folks than is due. Nevetheless a tragic loss for India that should be avenged.

JMT and all disclaimers.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 08 Jul 2008 12:06

While it is a fact that our Govt has been less than forthcoming of late of its role in Afghanistan. We should not see the event in action-reaction terms alone. Attack against Indians or Indian interests does not go unchallenged whatever be the govt policy.

It is keeping this in mind that a poll proposal had been posted on the poll thread on what the ordinary Indian represented by the BRFite would be prepared to do to avenge this act. Still awaiting response to it.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 08 Jul 2008 12:26

Does anyone see any info from local press/tv about how anyone can contribute financially (either a GoI account or a local press ka fund) to these unsung heroes of India? If so, please prove the details here. TIA.

amit · Post by **amit** » 08 Jul 2008 13:00

Raju wrote:While it is a fact that our Govt has been less than forthcoming of late of its role in Afghanistan. We should not see the event in action-reaction terms alone. Attack against Indians or Indian interests does not go unchallenged whatever be the govt policy.

Raju saar,

The bolded part in your comment is indeed a very important point. This is something that the hand wringing brigade fail to understand.

Government leaders just can't turn the tap on and off on covert operations. After some time these operations acquire a dynamic of their own.

If indeed the ISI was responsible for the blast, rest assured that the field operatives of Indian covert services will be demanding revenge - these brave men and women put their lives on risk on a daily basis and they are not going to stay quiet when they see their friends and comrades dying.

Off course they won't hold a press conference before taking "revenge". We'll probably read about some vacuum blub blast in some place where it hurts the most for ISI a few weeks down the line.

No government can afford to annoy these folks by wringing hands and saying we are peace loving folks who don't believe in violence etc.

So it doesn't matter if "Sonia's secreatry" Manmohan Singh is in power or "Loha Purush" L K Advani is in power. It will be "business as usual" in the murky world of covert operations.

JMT

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Jul 2008 13:02

Raju wrote:the message to Indians from this attack is unambiguous.

Please increase your numbers in Afghanistan as soon as possible and as much as possible.

We are indeed blessed to thus privileged to participate in this dharmic war and to defeat evil.

Only last week met a lady from Kabul who introduced herself. She recalled her visit and stay in India and delhi.
She was talking about the situation in Kabul and about her family in Afg.

sum · Post by **sum** » 08 Jul 2008 13:04

The bolded part in your comment is indeed a very important point. This is something that the hand wringing brigade fail to understand.

Government leaders just can't turn the tap on and off on covert operations. After some time these operations acquire a dynamic of their own.

If indeed the ISI was responsible for the blast, rest assured that the field operatives of Indian covert services will be demanding revenge - these brave men and women put their lives on risk on a daily basis and they are not going to stay quiet when they see their friends and comrades dying.

Off course they won't hold a press conference before taking "revenge". We'll probably read about some vacuum blub blast in some place where it hurts the most for ISI a few weeks down the line.

No government can afford to annoy these folks by wringing hands and saying we are peace loving folks who don't believe in violence etc.

So it doesn't matter if "Sonia's secreatry" Manmohan Singh is in power or "Loha Purush" L K Advani is in power. It will be "business as usual" in the murky world of covert operations.

JMT

Hope and pray that this is true....

sum · Post by **sum** » 08 Jul 2008 13:05

Only last week met a lady from Kabul who introduced herself. She recalled her visit and stay in India and delhi.
She was talking about the situation in Kabul and about her family in Afg.

RayC · Post by **RayC** » 08 Jul 2008 13:09

Brig Datt was from the military Intelligence.

sum · Post by **sum** » 08 Jul 2008 13:18

Brig Datt was from the military Intelligence.

This somehow convinces me that Late Shri.Rao was from RAW and ISI has achieved a masterstroke by eliminating two biggies of Indian intel in A'tan with a single attack........

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Jul 2008 13:29

sum wrote:
Only last week met a lady from Kabul who introduced herself. She recalled her visit and stay in India and delhi.
She was talking about the situation in Kabul and about her family in Afg.

Lady's name is Sabrina. She has married a Irani - speaks Farsi.
Unable to visit Kabul

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Jul 2008 13:48

If the resurgent Taliban-ISI nexus in Afghanistan wanted to target some key Indian officials in Kabul, defence attache, Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta, was certainly one of them.

A "bright and dynamic" officer who had developed "deep linkages" with the leadership of the fledgling Afghan army in the six months he had been posted in Kabul, Brig Mehta even had a "good relationship" with Afghan defence minister Abdul Rahim Wardak.

Brig Mehta, in fact, had accompanied Wardak when he came to New Delhi in April to hold discussions with his Indian counterpart A K Antony and visit Jammu and Kashmir for a first-hand look at the way Indian army conducted counter-insurgency operations.

"Brig Mehta was on the ball in Afghanistan. He was a confident, well-informed officer, who kept his ear to the ground and closely tracked the re-emerging strong links between Taliban and Pakistan's ISI, among other things," said a top defence official.

"The defence attache's post in Kabul is, after all, one of the top three or four Indian military postings abroad. Brig Mehta was selected for the posting after a deep selection process," he added.

Brig Mehta, who was commissioned into the army in June 1976, had varied operational experience, including stints in counter-insurgency operations in both J&K and North-East.

Apart from his Kabul posting, another indicator that he was headed for at least a "two-star rank" (Major-General) was that he had done the prestigious National Defence College course around three years ago.

The tragic incident on Monday came at a time when Brig Mehta's wife Sunita and two children, Flight Lieutenant Udit Mehta, a 24-year-old MiG fighter pilot posted at Jodhpur, and Bhavya Mehta, a 19-year-old MBBS student, were all at Kabul. "Sunita was staying in Kabul, a non-family station, for the last three months due to a special Afghan government request. She was teaching Afghan girls for higher studies at an institute run by the Afghan education ministry. The children were there to visit their parents on a short holiday," said an official.

Brig Mehta, on his part, was playing a key role in India's military training and logistical help to Afghanistan. Though India does not actually have soldiers deployed in Afghanistan, it has built bridges with the Afghan armed forces to counter any prospect of Pakistan regaining influence in the war-ravaged country through a resurgent Taliban-al Qaida-ISI nexus.

India has been regularly training Afghan officers and other ranks at its military training institutions, ranging from the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla to the School of Artillery at Devlali, ever since the Karzai government came to office.

Apart from developmental projects like the construction of the 218-km Zaranj-Delaram road, India has also posted some army officers in Afghanistan to teach basic military fieldcraft and English skills to the Afghan army, apart from sending several military doctors to help at hospitals in Kandahar and elsewhere.

Afghanistan wants to build its own national armed forces, which has only around 50,000 troops at present, to
gradually replace US-led Nato's International Security Assistance Force operating in the country.

It has sought India's help in "capacity-building" of its armed forces, which even includes training of its pilots
and technicians in operating Russian-origin Mi-35 helicopter gunships, as well as sourcing supplies for its Soviet-era tanks and aircraft.

"Kabul is also interested in sending more officers for specialised training at the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Mizoram and High-Altitude Warfare School in J&K as well as the different commando and counter-terrorism courses run at Belgaum and Bareilly," said a senior official.

"The Afghan government says this is necessary since the Taliban is increasingly resorting to IED blasts and suicide bombings instead of direct face-to-face confrontations," he added.

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 08 Jul 2008 14:01

They must have planned this for a long time.

This aint no pull a lever and see what comes through the hole.

The embassy must have been under considerable surveillance by the pukes.

TOI mentions that certain cars with diplomatic #'s were parked in adjacent Indonesian embassy because it was feared they would come under a attack.

Was there a lapse in security ? The pukes didnt mind the collateral damage but wanted to complete the job at any cost.

Why would the pukes raise the bar so high suddenly ?

They know that RAW will get back to them, what makes it so worthwhile to blatantly assasinate senior cadre of the embassy ?

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 08 Jul 2008 15:01

It is heart-breaking, when Indians representing India abroad, have fallen to terrorism directed at us.

My most humble sympathies to the family of the deceased.

The ISI and the Taliban will pay for this one day. Indians have often have had the mentality of forgive and forget, but times are changing. There will come a time, when the backbone of India and Indians would be strong enough to hunt down this ISI piece of $hit, who caused this. Those who live by the gun, will die by the gun. There will be no more forgiving and no more forgetting.

India is not there today, but the hope remains! someday!