Terrorism Watch

Activist Teesta Setalvad was on Saturday detained from Mumbai by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) in connection with an FIR registered against her at the Ahmedabad city crime branch, sources said. "Teesta Setalvad has been picked up by the Gujarat ATS from Mumbai in connection with an FIR registered by the Ahmedabad crime branch," a source in the Gujarat ATS said. A day earlier the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition by Zakia Jafri challenging the clean chit given by the SIT to then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and others in the 2002 post-Godhra riots cases. Setalvad's NGO had supported Jafri throughout her legal battle. Jafri's husband Ehsan Jafri was killed during the riots. A Mumbai Police officer confirmed that Setalvad was picked up by the Gujarat Police from her Santacruz residence. "We provided the assistance sought by them," he added.   Source:  Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Cops Detain Activist Teesta Setalvad From Mumbai A Day After Sc Up

  Gun violence in America is an unforgivable tragedy. It is man made and preventable, but because of fear and political cowardice, it continues to worsen. Recent research by sociologists Christopher Ellison and Benjamin Dowd-Arrow show that one of the bigger predictors for gun ownership is a belief in demons.  This magical thinking assumes that evil can break out anywhere at any moment and it is important to have a superpower to stop it. There are two types of people in the world: good people and basically good people under too much duress. Assigning monikers of good or evil to individuals is not only misguided, it is a betrayal of the redemptive dictum of Christianity. The Uvalde shooter had no criminal record and like three quarters of shooters he obtained his weapon legally. The media coverage of the tragic event in Texas distracts from the fact that 320 people are shot in this country each day. About one hundred and twenty die. America has had 270 mass shooting since 2009. Four-hun

In a surprising move, 15 Republicans joining Democrats in support of the bill passed with a majority of 65 to 33. The bill will now go to the House for a vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. In the first major piece of federal gun reform in almost three decades, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill on Thursday night to address gun violence in the country. In a surprising move, 15 Republicans joined Democrats in support of the bill passed with a majority of 65 to 33. The bill will now go to the House for a vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. What is the provision in the law?  The bill comes with a $ 13.2 billion price tag and it includes millions of dollars for school safety, mental health, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Every state in the US will have the opportunity for grants to help pay for crisis int

At the recent BRICS meeting of national security advisors, the Chinese were very gung-ho about fighting terrorism. ​Days later, after the virtual meeting of the NSAs, at the United Nations, China blocked efforts to ensure action against Pakistan-based Abdul Rehman Makki under the UN Security Council\s Al Qaeda and ISIL sanctions committee also known as the 1267 Committee. Srinjoy Chowdhury Photo : iStock New Delhi:  At the recent BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India,  China  and South Africa) meeting of national security advisors, the Chinese were very gung-ho about fighting terrorism. There were strong words about counter-terrorism, there was reassurance that terror had to be fought.  Days later, after the virtual meeting of the NSAs, at the  United Nations , China blocked efforts to ensure action against Pakistan-based Abdul Rehman  Makki under the UN Security Council\s Al Qaeda and ISIL sanctions committee also known as the 1267 Committee.  Yes, the Chinese have done it before, when it came

Two houses have been attached in jurisdiction of Parimpora police station, one house each was attached under Nowhatta, Pantha Chowk and Zakura police stations, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said. HT News Desk The Jammu & Kashmir Police attaches house in Srinagar blaming owner for harbouring terrorists responsible for attacks on forces and civilians. Five houses were attached in Srinagar on Tuesday.(Waseem Andrabi/Hindustan Times) Two houses have been attached in jurisdiction of Parimpora police station, one house each was attached under Nowhatta, Pantha Chowk and Zakura police stations, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said. The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday attached five houses after the owners were found to be harbouring terrorists, the Srinagar Police said. “Five (5) houses attached as per section 2(g) & 25 of UAP Act for being used for purpose of terrorism. It was also clearly found that such harbouring was wilful, repetitive & without any coercion. Many attacks on civ

  Highlights Last year in 2021, a total of 55 terrorists were killed in the same period  Earlier on Monday, the security forces killed one unidentified terrorist in Sopore  Seven terrorists including three Pakistanis were killed in encounters in Valley recently  Jammu and Kashmir:  A total of 118 terrorists have been killed in the Kashmir valley this year, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Out of these, as many as 32 foreign terrorists have been gunned down, police said. "So far, 118 terrorists including 32 foreign terrorists killed in Kashmir in the current year. Last year in 2021 total of 55 terrorists including 2 foreign terrorists were killed in the same period. Out of 118, 77 terrorists are from Pak sponsored LeT and 26 from JeM outfit," Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. Earlier on Monday, the security forces killed one unidentified terrorist in another encounter in the Tulibal area of Sopore town in J-K's Baramulla district. Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ka

Qatar's interactions and dealings with Terror organizations are out in open Qatar, an Islamic peninsular monarchy has rested its strategic sovereignty on Islamism as its state policy. In the Arab world though, it has been lately accused of sponsoring and shielding terror organisations and their financiers on its soil. Be it through the modern Qatari society’s ideological underpinnings in Muslim Brotherhood, or by openly supporting US-designated terror organisations like Hamas, it has carved out itself as a safe haven for global terrorists. As a close US ally, Qatar hosts the regional headquarters of the Pentagon’s Central Command at the al-Udeid Air Base used by the US Navy patrolling the Gulf region. At the same time, it has frequently welcomed the Islamic State leadership to hold talks and negotiations with global powers. Recently, donations to Indian Islamist groups for spreading Wahabi principles in India had the backing of Qatar’s royal family members. Qatar flirts with terror

The recent banning of Perlis State Mufti Dr Asri Zainul Abidin from speaking at ceramahs, or religious events within Kelantan, indicates a deep theological rift between two competing Islamic groups within Malaysia. Dr Asri, better known as Dr Maza has also been banned from speaking in Terengganu and  Selangor previously.  In Malaysia today, there is a power struggle going on between the Muslim Brotherhood, by Sunnid Scholars led by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang, and the Wahabi-Salafists, led by Dr Maza in Perlis.   Malaysia’s Muslim Brotherhood The Muslim Brotherhood inspired the emergence of the Islamic Youth Movement, the Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) during the 1970s and 1980s. The Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) was also deeply influenced by the theology of the movement. PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang was deeply influenced by the theology as a student and can be considered one of the spiritual leaders of the movement within the region today. Many PAS le

NEW DELHI:  The Indian intelligence establishment, which is repeatedly being challenged by planned protests that eventually take a violent turn in a systematic manner, something which has been happening in the last 2-3 years, is facing a huge test given the developing situation. Even as the intelligence community is focusing on home grown organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI) and similar relatively smaller organisations for their alleged involvement in spreading disturbance, experts say the focus needs to be on the proverbial “mother ship” behind these organisations, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). The MB has been present in India, as it has been in at least 70 countries, for some time now. Its India specific activities have grown exponentially in the last few years. However, conclusive, documented evidence of it influencing internal issues in India has come to light only recently. The MB, which has been banned in at least six countries till now, has managed to escape any such a