At least four Islamic rebels and an Indian soldier died on Saturday when troops raided a Kashmir building they believed housed a mastermind of the 2001 attack on India’s parliament. One rebel remained in the house in the summer capital Srinagar with troops due to launch a final assault seven hours into the gunbattle, said Vijay Raman, a senior officer of India’s paramilitary Border Security Force. "We got information that Gazi Baba of Jaish-e-Mohammad, suspected mastermind of the parliament attack, could be inside," Raman told Star News television.
| That would be enjoyable, wouldn't it? |
He said four rebels and one BSF trooper were killed but did not specify if Baba was among the casualties.
| Probably would have if he had been, assuming there's enough of the body left to recognize... |
Jaish-e-Mohammad and another Islamic radical group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, were blamed by India for the December 13, 2001 attack on its parliament that left 15 dead including the five assailants and set off a military stand-off with Pakistan. Islamabad one month later banned the two militant groups.
Raman said BSF troops would soon storm the building in Srinagar’s Danamazar Safakadal area after all civilians were brought to safety. BSF spokesperson Tirtha Acharya earlier said two women and four children had been rescued from the house.
| The obligatory women and children... |
The tension between Indian and Pakistan set off by the parliament attack began to recede in April when Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Srinagar and offered Islamabad a "hand of friendship." But Vajpayee on Friday ruled out talks with Pakistan until "normalcy" returns to Kashmir, following a three-day violence-wracked visit to the disputed province.
| By now, a daily Korpse Kount is "normal"... |
A gunbattle broke out between Islamic militants and security forces late Wednesday at the Greenway hotel, just five kilometres from the venue of a conference of state officials chaired by Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Krishna Advani. Four people including one rebel were killed and 11 injured in the gunbattle and ensuing fire that torched the hotel. |