Posts

Showing posts from May 3, 2009

Terrorism suspect nabbed in Malaysia after fleeing Singapore

Last Updated: Friday, May 8, 2009 | 1:45 AM ET The Associated Press A top terrorism suspect who escaped from a high-security jail in Singapore last year has been arrested in Malaysia, an official said Friday, ending a massive manhunt for the man accused of plotting to crash a hijacked plane into Singapore. Mas Selamat Kastari, suspected commander of the Singapore arm of the al-Qaeda-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah, escaped from the jail on Feb. 27, 2008, by wriggling out a toilet window in a surprising security breach that sparked a massive manhunt. The search had largely focused on Singapore and neighbouring Indonesia, where the Indonesian branch of Jemaah Islamiyah was thought likely to find him shelter. The group is accused of carrying out the 2002 bombings in Bali, Indonesia. However, he was arrested in Malaysia's southern Johor state bordering Singapore and is being interrogated by authorities there, said Walter Chia, a spokesman for Singapore's embassy in Kuala L

Terrorism threat not over

Image
May 9, 2009 Capture of Mas Selamat Mas Selamat fled Singapore by swimming across the Johor Strait with the help of an 'improvised flotation device,' said DPM Wong Kan Seng at a media briefing on Friday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS    SINGAPOREAN must continue to keep their guard up without getting fatigued or complacent, even as wanted terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari has been arrested in Malaysia, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday. 'The terrorism situation in Southeast Asia is under control, but the threat is far from over,' he said in his first remarks on the re-capture of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiah (J) terror leader by Malaysian Special Branch in Skudai, Johor Baru, on April 1, after being on the run for over a year. RELATED LINKS   COMMENTS BY PM LEE PM Lee said for every attack reported in the newspapers there are ma

Combating global terrorism: The role of citizen

Terrorism is spreading wings everywhere. No state is free from terrorist attacks. Terrorism is an ideological battle. Therefore, besides having the police and the army control terrorism, even us citizens of India should take up the duty to fight it.   TODAY, INDIA is under a virtual siege from within. Global terrorism is rising at an alarming speed and cross border terrorism on the one hand and state sponsored heinous terrorist operations on the other are causing havoc and having a devastating effect on India’s security. The various dimensions of how to combat terrorism and its implications, which pose a serious threat to India’s security, are a big question for security experts. At present, India is the worst affected country to witness terrorist attacks. With time, the concept of terrorism has changed. Earlier, it was only a means to terrorise people through violence but today it is more than just violent behavior

Why suicide bombers are back in Iraq ?

By Steve Niva Suicide bombings are back in Iraq, signaling that the war is far from over. After a significant downturn, with only six suicide attacks between December 2008 and March 2009, there have been 25 suicide bombings in Iraq in the last two months, contributing to the worst spate of violence in Iraq in nearly a year. The bombers have revealed a new audacity and sophistication, striking in all parts of the country and against many seemingly highly secured targets. The new wave of suicide bombings culminated in a coordinated series of four bomb blasts across Iraq on March 23, three of them suicide bombings. The bombings spiked in April, with attacks on Iraqi army bases and police stations in Shi'ite enclaves and holy sites. Attacks also targeted US-backed Sunni militia leaders an

It was all about 'boarders, not bombs

Image
Mount Shasta, Calif. - By Steve Gerace Bob Buker, one of two trained bomb unit experts in Siskiyou County, is dressed in protective gear as he sets up equipment that will jostle the sales racks that were placed by unknown sources in the center of the north parking lot at Mt. Shasta Area Newspapers Thursday morning. The test shake found the racks to be harmless, and it is now thought that they were merely being used by skateboarders who failed to put them back where they got them. After they’d been jostled by the Siskiyou County bomb unit’s water cannon and found to be harmless, the purpose of the three metal containers found in the Mt. Shasta Area Newspapers parking lot Thursday morning seemed a lot clearer. They had probably been used the night before by skateboarders who failed to put their play things away, Mount Shasta Police Chief Parish Cross said. Little did the joyriders know what would follow from their untidiness. Businesses in the a

Bomb attack at ex-cop’s house

The Imphal Free Press Imphal, May 5: A bomb was disposed off and another blasted at the residence of an ex-police officer. The incident took place this morning around 7.30 am when the patrolling team of 4/8 GR found a bomb at a place of Upokpi and Taupokpi suspected to be plant by unidentified UGs. Later the bomb was disposed off by the team at the place itself. In another incident a bomb was hurled by two unidentified armed persons who came on a Pulsar bike at the residence of Nongthongbam Sudhir, ex DSP of CID in Manipur Police of Khagempalli Pankha under Imphal west police station. The blast caused some damages to the house and a Maruti car bearing registration no MN1K/2758 but there were no human casualties. Regarding the incident N Sudhir expressed that he had no quarrel with anyone and there was no demand, but he suspected the bomb was hurled at his brother’s house who is Dr. N Dhananjoy, Deputy Director Veterinary Department as in the past there was firing at the

Pakistani military claims Taliban casualties climbing

Image
 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani security forces battling Taliban militants in the volatile Swat Valley killed between 45 and 55 of the fighters over the last 24 hours, the military said Saturday. Pakistan has launched a massive military operation against the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Pakistan has launched a massive military operation against the Taliban in the Swat Valley. 1 of 2 An unknown number of civilian casualties also occurred as Pakistan's military continues its offensive against Taliban militants in the country's North West Frontier Province. The fighting is taking its toll across the province, where the U.N. refugee agency reports "massive displacement" of civilians fleeing the warfare. In its daily war round-up, the military said Saturday that the latest fighting occurred in Swat dist

Bangladesh: Operation clean-up of militant camps

Bangladesh: Operation clean-up of militant camps Thu, 2009-05-07 00:05 By Vinod Vedi - Syndicate Features India will be terribly remiss, once again, if it loses the opportunity presented by Bangladesh’s current campaign of cleaning up militant camps on its territory which it believes are involved in the mutiny by the Bangladesh Rifles against Army personnel. India needs to bolster the security along the Indo-Bangladesh border so that the militants who have been harassing it over the past several decades are caught in a hammer-and-anvil situation between the security forces of the two countries. They are not wanted in Bangladesh and they should not be allowed to re-enter India. The last time such a fortuitous turn of events happened was when Bhutan decided to rid itself of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) training camps and sanctuaries in its southern districts bordering India. Indian security forces were informed in advance and had deployed personnel to apprehend the fleein

Terror threat still exists in Bangladesh

Monday, May 4, 2009 Staff Correspondent US Ambassador James Moriarty said there is still a terrorist threat in Bangladesh and the US has disturbing indications in this regard. "We do have disturbing indications that there continues to be threat in Bangladesh…my government does believe that there is a threat here," he told reporters during Meet the Reporters programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) yesterday. "The recent seizure of weapons in Bhola and continued arrests of JMB members throughout the country demonstrate that terrorism remains a concern," he said. DRU organised the programme on Bangladesh-US bilateral relations. The US ambassador to Bangladesh said the US has offered help to Bangladesh in reconstituting border security force Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). This is an area where the US can help and it depends on the Bangladesh government's requirements, he added. He described the US-Bangladesh relationship with three D's--democracy, develo

Roll Back Time For Pak Militancy In Kashmir

Wed, 2009-05-06 00:33 By J.N. Raina - Syndicate Features It is an opportune time for strife-torn Pakistan to roll-back its proxy war, intended to inflict a “thousand cuts” on India, and say ‘peccavi’ (we have sinned). It should windup its acts of terrorism in Kashmir and recall mercenaries, at least for its own survival. In fact, time is ripe for the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) to rise up and agitate for the region’s merger with the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of sponsoring open-ended terrorism, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) must flog itself and accept its culpability for fomenting trouble in Kashmir and making Pakistan a ‘crucible’ of global terror. How long will Islamabad depend on the open-handed ‘alms’ and charitable military aid from the US, which has panicked because of the civil war-like situation obtaining in Pakistan. Questions are being raised whether Pakistan will survive. It is a debatable question. Civilized nations have got alarmed and f

Troops breach LTTE earth bunds; 62 rebels killed in clashes

T V Sriram Colombo, May 6 (PTI) Advancing Sri Lankan troops today breached several LTTE earth bunds in the rebel-held area in the island's northern war zone after capturing Vellamulliwaikal area, even as 62 Tamil Tigers were killed in continued military offensive. Troops of the 58th Division breached LTTE earth bunds in Vellamulliwaikal, which the soldiers captured last night after an intensive fighting with the rebels, the army said today. The rebels are still constructing more earth bunds to delay the forward march of the forces. However, soldiers have managed to advance further steadily, the official said. 53rd Division commander Major Gen Kamal Gunarathne had also captured several earth bunds built by the LTTE during the past two days, the Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation reported. Security sources say that about 50 LTTE cadres were killed during the fighting in last 24 hours. The cadres have been concealed into a limited extent of four kilometers. Troops of 58

Captured video shows LTTE coercing civilians to fight

Source: colombo page Tuesday, May 5, 2009,  19:20  GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. May 05, Colombo: A  video  from a video camera recovered by the Sri Lankan soldiers from a slain LTTE fighter provides rare proof that the terrorist organization is forcibly recruiting civilians to fight their last battle. The troops of the 58 Division recovered the video camera during ground operations in the into general area south of Vellamullivaikkal in the no-fire zone. The video shows how the civilians are brought by an armed Tiger rebel to build bunkers and earth bunds. The same video shows how the Tigers in civilian clothes firing a paddle gun in an armor plated vehicle to at the troops and later civilians helping to camouflage the truck with tree branches. Defence sources said the troops surrounded the armed vehicle and killed all the fighters during the operation. The military has captured two such vehicles in the no-fire zone. Defence sources say the LTTE cadres are now fighting in ci

LTTE is a terrorist organization, India seeks Prabhakarans extradition every year: Pranab

New Delhi, May 6 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that there is no confusion regarding status of the LTTE, and added that every year India seeks the extradition of Tamil Tigers chief V. Prabhakaran. Every year we ask for extradition of Prabhakaran. LTTE is a terrorist organization. It is banned in India, it is banned in Sri Lanka, Mukherjee said. The senior Congress leader was clarifying his partys stand on LTTE being a terrorist organization while speaking exclusively to NDTV. Commenting on the tie up with Left, Mukherjee said: It is Left who deserted us by withdrawing support and that on an issue where we tried to resolve the differences by series of discussions. He also added: What would happen after the Elections will depend on numbers. After all ours is a multi-party system. Which political party holds how many seats in a vast electorate of more than 710 million voters, it is very difficult to make any assessment, precise assessment before the poll

Swat exodus as ceasefire crumbles

Image
Source: BBC NEWS Civilians are desperate to escape the fighting in Swat Thousands of civilians are reported to be fleeing their homes in Pakistan's Swat valley where a peace deal with the Taleban looks increasingly fragile. More than 40,000 people have so far fled from clashes between the army and militants in Swat, officials say. Fighting erupted on Tuesday night in Mingora, Swat's main town, where the Taleban defied a curfew, they add. Pakistan's army says it killed more than 60 militants in Swat and neighbouring Buner on Wednesday. Bedraggled men, women in burkas and children are all now fleeing the area to sat in camps set up by the government with UN help. See a map of the region The army says that at least two soldiers died in fighting on Wednesday and accused militants of robbing three banks in Mingora. It says that the Taleban have also planted roadside bombs in various areas of Swat to inflict maximum damage on the security forces. A curfew remains in pla