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Afghanistan/South Asia
Scores detained in Pakistan raids
2005-07-20
Police in Pakistan have detained about 200 suspected Islamist extremists in a series of raids on religious schools, mosques and other properties. The suspects are being questioned about any links they might have with militant groups or with the London bombers. Three of the four bombers are known to have visited Pakistan recently. President Pervez Musharraf is expected to announce new measures to curb religious extremism during a televised speech on Thursday. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was anxious for Pakistan to crack down on extremist teaching in its Islamic schools.
One of the raids was at a prominent Islamic school, or madrassa, in Islamabad. Known as the Lal Masjid, the mosque and its adjacent religious school are known for supporting a banned extremist group, the BBC's Zaffar Abbas reports from Islamabad. Armed police entered the school around midnight and took away two senior clerics and more than 15 students. Soon after, hundreds of students gathered outside the school compound and shouted slogans against the United States and Gen Musharraf. Riot police dispersed them by firing several rounds of tear gas. Security officials told the BBC that more than 70 people were rounded up for questioning after raids in three cities in Punjab province. None of them have been formally charged. In North West Frontier Province, police detained 40 suspects, said to be members of banned militant groups.
A senior security official told the BBC one of the main purposes of the raids was to find possible clues about the movements of two of the London bombers who travelled to Pakistan last year. But Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed denied that among those detained was a British Muslim wanted in connection with the London bombings. "The person arrested is not the al-Qaeda suspect... he is not the al-Qaeda man as reported by the media," he told the BBC.
"He's not the droid you are looking for. Move along"
Reports that a man "with direct links" to the London attacks had been held in Lahore could also not be confirmed.
Pakistan's ambassador to Britain, Maleeha Lodhi, told the BBC the bombers' motivation "appeared to be home-grown". "Just a visit to a country doesn't mean that they have been radicalised," she said.
"There are a lot of other reasons to visit Pakistan. There's..,er, well.., ah..stuff, yeah, that's it"
Raids carried out by the Pakistani security forces earlier this week targeted Islamist publications and members of religious organisations banned by Gen Musharraf in 2002. The latest raids follow crackdowns launched in 2000 and 2002. These proved to be effective for only a short time, as militant groups re-emerged with new names.
Noticed that, did they?
President Musharraf has said he will extend full support to Britain in the investigation into the London attacks in which 56 people died, including the four bombers. Pakistan has confirmed that three of the bombers, all Britons of Pakistani descent, visited the country. Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer visited Pakistan together last year, spending three months in the country. A third, Hasib Hussain, also visited last year. Shehzad Tanweer's family say he visited a madrassa.
Which had nothing to do with him blowing up a train.
Posted by:Steve

#5  Personally, I would have preferred the Head-line, " Scores Slotted in...., at, etc..."
Has a certain ring to it.

Sorry, been there, some things get ignored, but this is Bid-One for uk-side mullahs, if the MSM have the guts to keep it up, it might pass as a plus for us, not likely. Bid-2 will be car-bombs 'cos they can. I reckon the Ass-Hats from the Midlands/uk-wide have been read the Riot Act, however, they know they can work the System, for sure, at the same time as spewing condolences on the bombers. The feeling I get is, It'sa liitle too late for that, from them too, it's time to decide.
Let's fuck 'em now, sorry, Fred, I said it the nicest possible way.
Posted by: rhodesiafever   2005-07-20 19:40  

#4  You probably have to go through a couple thousand students to find a good suicide boomer prospect

Now that's a damn interesting question.... how many? Obviously depends on the skool, but I wonder if there's a working number.

Classic operational analysis question.

How many boombers can a madrass tap?
If the maddrass faculty all saps?
Posted by: Shipman   2005-07-20 14:46  

#3  for a minute I thought it said Soros Detained In Pakistan Raids.

We all wish! No, that piece of fecal matter is only trying to buy the United States government. He has little time or energy for Packiwacki nutjobs. He's more interested in Democratic Senators.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2005-07-20 13:04  

#2  for a minute I thought it said Soros Detained In Pakistan Raids.
Posted by: 2b   2005-07-20 12:37  

#1  The chips are starting to fall. This is going to be interesting. Wonder if the dune loons have a contingency plan to uphold their power base? Without an ample supply of recruits they are shit out of luck. You probably have to go through a couple thousand students to find a good suicide boomer prospect.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-07-20 11:50  

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