Bush shoe-ing worst Arab insult

Zaidi's attack was launched with the words "this is a farewell kiss, you dog"

By Martin Asser BBC News

Around the Arab world, if you want to escalate a situation, by saying for example "I'm going to thump you", add the words "with a shoe" and you're literally adding insult to injury, at least the threat of injury.

It's that cultural significance that has added real sting to assault by an Iraqi journalist against US President George W Bush at a Baghdad news conference.

In Arab culture it's considered rude even to display the sole of one's shoe to a fellow human being.

Certainly, crossing one's legs ankle-on-knee style should never be done in a public place for fear of offending the person next to you.

The sensitivity is related to the fact shoes are considered ritually unclean in the Muslim faith.

In addition to ritual ablutions before prayer, Muslims must take off their shoes to pray, and wearing shoes inside a mosque is forbidden.

Shoes should either be left at the door of the mosque, or carried (preferably in the left hand with the soles pressed together).

But beyond the Islamic significance, the dirty and degrading implication of the sole of a shoe crosses all religious boundaries in the Middle East.

Following in the footsteps

There has been plenty of droll reaction in the wake of Sunday's shoe attack to experts who have informed the public that "throwing a shoe at someone's face is considered an insult in Islam".

History will record Mr Bush's last trip to Iraq, a country his government has left such an indelible mark upon, was greeted with a volley of shoes and a cry of 'dog'

The blog reaction (to articles not unlike the one you are reading) has been a sarcastic, "and in in all other religions... it is a sign of affection, friendship, fellowship, and good feeling(!)" to quote chookie on democraticunderground.com.

But it is worth mentioning that there is quite a rich history when it comes to shoe-ing incidents involving Iraq and the Bushes.

The first was the floor mosaic at the front door to Baghdad's Rashid Hotel depicting the first President Bush.

Its location meant visitors to the hotel - frequented by top Baath regime officials and visiting VIPs - had to step on George Bush Snr's likeness, in revenge for alleged "war crimes" committed during the 1991 liberation of Kuwait.

The mosaic was reportedly dug up after the US military took over the hotel, following their overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

In that year the Iraqi shoe was much in evidence during popular protests against the fallen Iraqi ruler, being used to hit the posters and statues dedicated to him around the country.

Boot on the other foot

As anger over Washington's policies in the Middle East has grown in some Arab circles, it has been posters of George W Bush that have received the shoe treatment.

Bush's image has been associated with shoes across the Arab world

His national security advisor and subsequent secretary of state has been given the particularly insulting first name Kundara - meaning shoe - instead of Condoleezza Rice.

Now history will record that Mr Bush's last presidential trip to Iraq, a country his government has left such an indelible mark upon, was greeted with a volley of shoes and cries of "dog" (another extreme insult in Arabic) from Iraqi cameraman Muntadar al-Zaidi.

Fortunately for Mr Bush, who leaves office in just over a month, he was able to duck out of the way of the two shoes Mr Zaidi threw at him - presumably the only weapon the assailant was able to smuggle through the security cordon.

Many of Mr Bush's supporters will see it as a mean-spirited gesture against a man whose policies liberated the country from a vicious dictator.

To illustrate the point, in a previous age, the perpetrator would be facing a summary, and probably agonising, death if he had dared confront Saddam Hussein's regime in such a way. Instead Mr Bush's has been praised for his dignified response.

But others have called Mr Zaidi a hero, for striking a symbolic blow against someone they hold responsible for devastating wars in the Muslim world that have cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

And they celebrate its occurrence at the very heart of American power in Iraq, the massively fortified Green Zone where US forces shelter Iraq's political leaders, American and UK diplomats, and visiting dignitaries, from the anger of Baghdad's streets.

referred: BBC NEWS (My News Adda)

What is Gordon Brown's 'line of terror'?

The British PM's new term for explaining foreign policy is more nuanced than George Bush's 'axis of evil'

Gordon Brown meets with his Pakistani counterpart, Syed Gilani, at Islamabad Prime Minister House, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Photograph: Olivier Matthys/EPA

Gordon Brown's repeated references at the weekend to what he calls "a line of terror" through the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, via Europe to Britain, is his latest formula for explaining why his foreign policy focus is increasingly moving east.

Critically, unlike George Bush's "axis of evil", Brown's line or chain of terror – a process he describes stretching from the training camps of Pakistan, from where jihadis flow across the porous border into Afghanistan to fight British troops, and potentially through Europe to commit terrorist atrocities closer to home – incorporates states he regards as potential allies as well as threats, chiefly Pakistan.

The recent Mumbai terror attacks exposed the complex interconnectedness of the fate of the three countries Brown is visiting on this whirlwind tour: Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

The Pakistani group suspected of being behind the atrocities, Lashkar-e-Taiba, were originally formed in Afghanistan but cultivated and funded by the Pakistani intelligence services.

So the latest attacks severely strained what had been improving relations between Delhi and Islamabad – raising the possibility that Pakistan will now be distracted from its battle with the Taliban along the Afghan border as it turns to tackle a potential threat from its old foe, India.

The higher the tensions between these two countries, the less likely Pakistan – once judged by Washington its most important ally in the war on terror, above Britain – is to assist the western battle with the Taliban.

Barack Obama's suggestion that resolving the conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir – a festering grievance which has helped radicalise some southeast Asian Muslims – will be one of his key foreign policy priorities suggests he also recognises the dangers now erupting in this region.

And Brown has an extra strategic interest given concerns over the number of young radicalised British Muslism travelling to Pakistan to train in jihad.

Add in a global recession which requires a stable and prosperous India to bolster flagging western economies, and a Pakistani economy that has teetered on the edge of bankruptcy in recent months, and it is not hard to see why this region is suddenly of intense interest to Brown. His visit will be portrayed a recognition that no one side of this toxic triangle of countries can be tackled in isolation and that political and economic as well as military solutions will be required.

It is also an attempt to bolster support for the military operation in Afghanistan by arguing that containing the Taliban there will disrupt the so-called line of terror and benefit other links in the chain, inluding Britons fearing domestic terrorist attack.

referred: Gurdian My News Adda

Govt, Opposition speak with one voice against terrorism

Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:59 PM (New Delhi)

In a rare display of unity, government and the opposition on Thursday spoke in one voice on tackling terror as Parliament adopted a resolution against the Mumbai attacks and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apologised to the nation that the carnage could not be prevented.

"On behalf of the government, I would like to apologise to our people that this dastardly act could not not be prevented," the Prime Minister said winding up a day-long discussion on the Mumbai terror attacks that was by and large devoid of usual recrimination and went beyond partisan lines.

Vowing to gear up the security apparatus, including land, coastal and aerial protection, to pre-empt future terror attacks, Singh outlined various steps to deal with terrorism including setting up of National Investigation Agency.

On the external front, he said the international community has to be galvanised into "dealing sternly and effectively with the epicentre of terrorism, which is located in Pakistan. "The infrastructure of terrorism has to be dismantled and permanently. This is for the good of the entire world community, including the well being of the people of Pakistan themselves."

Singh moved a resolution declaring the country's resolve not to cease its efforts in bringing to justice the terrorists and those who trained, funded and abetted them. It also resolved to firmly counter all evil designs against the country's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Home Minister P Chidambaram admitted "gaps" in intelligence machinery and "lapses" like "systemic mistakes" and "indecision". As those in government, they accepted the responsibility for the lapses and promised to take corrective steps.

Singh said India has so far exercised "utmost restraint" but let not its commitment to civilised norms be "misconstrued as a sign of weakness."

Making an intervention during the debate on the Mumbai attacks in Lok Sabha, Singh noted the action by Pakistan against Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed but asserted that Islamabad needed to do "much more" to take things to logical conclusion and convince the world about its actions.

Opening the debate, Leader of the Opposition and BJP stalwart extended full support to the government in the "war on terror". "The Home Minister has talked of taking hard decisions. Whatever steps you take which would help win the war on terror, my party and the NDA will support them," Advani said in the Lok Sabha.

He said it must be understood that the "epicentre" of terrorism against India was in Pakistan and that the ISI was also a "non-state actor" as it was "not under the control of the elected government in Pakistan and is answerable only to the Pakistan Army".

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee ruled out war as an option against Pakistan but said "there would be a situation that we do not want" if the neighbour failed to act against elements on its soil spreading terror against India.

The unity of political parties against recent terror strikes was evident from the start of the day when both the Houses suspended question hour and took up discussion on the issue after government made a statement on the Mumbai attacks.

Outlining steps to gear up the country's security system to meet the "unprecedented threat", Singh said the government has decided to set up a National Investigation Agency, decentralise NSG, form more commando units, strengthen coastal security by making the Coast Guard the sole force responsible for it and step up air surveillance.

The Prime Minister said the government has already decided to strengthen the legal framework to deal with terror and also set up a national investigation agency. He asserted that terrorism will be fought with determination to ensure that the scourge is destroyed from its roots and for that "all means and measures" would be used.

He said the government's immediate priority was to restore a sense of security among the people of the country and prepare the nation to meet "these kinds of assaults". The government will also have to galvanise the world community into dealing "sternly and effectively" with Pakistan and press Islamabad bilaterally to act against terrorists.

Ridiculing Pakistani statements that non-state actors could be behind the terror attacks in India, Mukherjee asked "are these non state actors from heaven? Are they coming from another planet? They are located in the territory of a particular country."

The External Affairs Minister raised questions over Pakistan's sincerity in curbing the activities of terror groups operating from its soil as he suggested that "house arrest" of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed was not enough.

He wanted Islamabad to take "serious" action to completely dismantle terror infrastructure and end infiltration. Mukherjee also slammed Pakistan for creating a war "hysteria" by indulging in "propaganda" on the basis of a hoax call that "big power" India was going to attack.

The Minister said India has repeatedly given Pakistan a list of 40 terrorists, including Dawood Ibrahim, with a demand that they be handed over and expressed hope that Islamabad would respond positively.

Chidambaram, who was shifted to Home Ministry after the November 26 Mumbai attacks, said "hard decisions" would be taken in the coming days and weeks. Advani said India was facing a "terror war" and the whole nation is united including the government and the opposition when it comes to fighting this war.

In his speech, which at times saw ruling coalition members joining those in the opposition in thumping desks, Advani described the current action against some of the terror outfits in Pakistan as a "drama" and "show" and asked the Indian government not to be "fooled" by such acts.

Congress' heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi described the Mumbai strikes as a "war on India" and said the message should go to the perpetrators that there is a "cost" to killing innocent Indians. "It is not enough for us to protect the people ... we should go one step beyond," he said.

Mukherjee gave a strong warning to Pakistan, saying if Islamabad failed to act against elements responsible for spreading terror against the country, "there would be situation that we do not want". "I expect them to act. Otherwise it will not be business as usual.

There would be situation which we do not want," he said in Rajya Sabha. However, to a demand from one of the members that India should attack Pakistan, Mukherjee said "I am making it quite clear this (war) is no no solution".

Chidambaram said the government proposes to bring a set of Bills "to strengthen the legal provisions relating to the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of terror acts".

Refrence: NDTV

A Post By : MyNewsAdda

26/11 terrorists' mugshots released :: PHOTOS OF TERRORIST PHOTOS

26/11 terrorists' mugshots released

The Mumbai Police for the first time on Tuesday released the pictures of the terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Some of the pictures are from the IDs found on them after they were killed in the encounter. These men have been identified as Bada Abdul Reheman, Abdul Reheman Chota, Isamal Khan, Nasir Aka Abu Umar and Babar Imran (Abu Akasa).

Full Story:

Source: NDTV

The Mumbai Police for the first time on Tuesday released the pictures of the terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Some of the pictures are from the IDs found on them after they were killed in the encounter. These men have been identified as Bada Abdul Reheman, Abdul Reheman Chota, Isamal Khan, Nasir Aka Abu Umar and Babar Imran (Abu Akasa).

PTI adds: Police have obtained the names of nine terrorists, killed in encounter during November 26 terror attack on Mumbai, from Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman who was caught alive and is in police custody, a senior police official said.

The two persons who attacked the Chhatrapati Shivjai Terminus and Cama Hospital have been identified as Ismail Khan alias Abu Ismail from Dera Ismail Khan and Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman alias Abu Mujahid from Okara, the arrested terrorist, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said.

Those who attacked Taj Hotel in south Mumbai were identified as Hafeez Arshad alias Bada Abdul Rehman from Multan, Javed alias Abu Ali from Okara, Shoaib alias Soheb from Sialkot and Nazeer alias Abu Umer from Faisalabad, he said.

Nasir alias Abu Umar from Faisalabad and Babar Imran alias Abu Akasha from Multan are the two terrorists who attacked the Jewish community centre in Nariman house in the Colaba area, Maria said.

Abdul Rehman alias Abdul Rehman Chhota from Multan and Fahadullah alias Abu Fahad from Okara were the duo who attacked the Trident Oberoi hotel, he said.

"Shoaib, who was 20-years-old was the youngest of the group while Nasir was the oldest at 28," Maria said. Nasir is suspected to have been married and his wife either died or divorced him, he said, adding that the average age of the members of the group was between 23 to 25 years.

Nasir, Nazeer and Ismail Khan, allegedly the leader of the group, had participated in terror missions earlier, Maria said. He refused to specify any details of their previous missions.

"All of them were given the aliases during training to prevent them from knowing each others original names," Maria said. The terrorists are suspected to have been trained for over a year at four locations in Pakistan.

While sailing for three days into Indian waters on board the Gujarat-based fishing vessel 'Kuber', which the terrorists allegedly hijacked, the members of the group spoke with each other and Ajmal learnt of the others' names and where they lived, he said.

Some members of the group like Ajmal also underwent indoctrination at the training camps for about three weeks before undergoing training in arms and explosives for close to a year, the joint commissioner said.

The police said they were still examining the contents of the four Global Positioning System (GPS) devices recovered from the terrorists.

"We are examining the contents of the GPS, one satellite phone and nine mobile phones that have been recovered," Maria said. He refused to comment on whether the SIM cards found in the mobile phones were of Indian origin.

"One of the SIM cards bought in Kolkata was used by the terrorists here," Maria said. The Kolkata police have arrested two persons for obtaining SIM cards for mobile phones using forged documents and providing them to traders who dealt in shawls and the matter is being investigated further, he said.

The city police will also be applying for the custody of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Sabauddin, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police earlier this year.