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Was it al-Qaeda - or a home-grown terrorist? The prime Indian suspect in the spectacular terrorist attacks on Mumbai will be Abdul Subhan Qureshi, a 36-year-old computer engineer who is also believed to have masterminded multiple bombings in Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad earlier this year.

 

It is too soon to say who is responsible for the co-ordinated strikes by gunmen on India's financial capital - ­ targets included luxury hotels, railway stations and hospitals - but Qureshi, also known as Tauqeer, is the man Indian security services will be fingering.

 

His profile is typical of the modern Islamic militant - educated, intelligent, the first generation of a family to break through to middle-class status and, as is very often the case, the first to grow up in a city, in this case Mumbai.

 

Qureshi's parents came from the poor, crowded northern state of Uttar Pradesh but migrated to the city ­ - then called Bombay - and sent their son to Antonio De Souza High School, a church-run institution catering to all major religions.

 

He went on to get a diploma in industrial electronics in 1995, then a more specialised computing qualification in 1996 before joining a technology firm. From there, after handling several major projects, he moved to a larger computer company and then resigned suddenly, explaining that he wanted to "pursue religious and spiritual matters".

 

Qureshi is not known to be linked with al-Qaeda: his association is with the Indian Mujahideen, which claimed responsibility for the earlier bombings in other Indian cities and after the Delhi attack issued an explicit threat that Mumbai would be next.

 

(In emails to the Indian media, a group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for last night's attacks, but it is not known to anti-terrorist experts and may turn out to be a hoax.)

 

If Qureshi is responsible, the question is whether he has miscalculated with this latest attack. The tipping point in a terrorist campaign comes when a community becomes sick of the violence. Then you get the stream of intelligence that leads to an individual.

 

This has happened in Iraq ­ with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in Egypt during the 1980s, in France, in Indonesia and in the UK. Tips from within the British Muslim community have led to scores of important arrests in recent years. It is the only way a manhunt can be successful.

 

But it's not always that simple. One reason Osama bin Laden is still at large is that the strikes he orchestrates are a long way from the local population that might turn him in. The people who might be sickened enough by the sight of the real effects of his acts find themselves instead under the bombs and missiles of the Pakistani and American militaries.

 

In India, the situation is complicated too. The people the bombers claim to represent are least likely to be affected by the Islamic militants' attacks, if they are indeed responsible: few among India's 151m Muslims have had the education and economic opportunities to end up in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which, of course, is one of the motivations of the terrorists.

 

Depriving the terrorists of any legitimacy within the eyes of the traditionally moderate and law-abiding Indian Muslim community will be essential if they are to be stopped.

 

While Qureshi is without doubt a prime suspect, various aspects of the Mumbai attack point to al-Qaeda: the degree of co-ordination, the timing - Western intelligence has been expecting an atrocity of some sort while Barack Obama waits to take over in Washington - and the reports from eyewitnesses that the gunmen who attacked the Taj and the city's other landmark hotel, the Oberoi, were specifically seeking out guests with American and British passports.

 

Whoever is responsible for last night's wave of terror has left Mumbai in chaos, with more than 100 killed, including the state's anti-terrorism chief, Hemant Karkare.

 

Ten were shot dead at the Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station, formerly known as the Victoria terminus. And at both the Taj and the Oberoi, gunmen were still holding Westerners hostage this morning.

 

-Jason Burke

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One reason Osama bin Laden is still at large is that the strikes he orchestrates are a long way from the local population that might turn him in.

The other being that he's probably dead.

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One reason Osama bin Laden is still at large is that the strikes he orchestrates are a long way from the local population that might turn him in.

The other being that he's probably dead.

 

If he's died of Kidney failure it's not quite the act of martyrdom one expects of the most extreme extremist of our times.

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One reason Osama bin Laden is still at large is that the strikes he orchestrates are a long way from the local population that might turn him in.

The other being that he's probably dead.

Time to 'fess up Fop....... you're Osama ,aren't you?

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One reason Osama bin Laden is still at large is that the strikes he orchestrates are a long way from the local population that might turn him in.

The other being that he's probably dead.

Time to 'fess up Fop....... you're Osama ,aren't you?

Fake my own death for profit? ;):lol:

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Prophet :lol:

I knew what your reply would be before I even re-opened the thread. ;)

Does that count as a prophecy?

 

I read the comments coming from various international players on the BBC website.

 

If nothing else it's interesting to look at the construction of the statements as an indication of each party's foreign policy (or at least how they want it to appear).

 

Mumbai shootings: Reaction in quotes

There has been widespread international condemnation of the series of shootings across the Indian city of Mumbai in which at least 80 people have been killed and many more injured.

 

GORDON BROWN, UK PRIME MINISTER

These outrageous attacks in Mumbai will be met with a vigorous response.

I have sent a message to [indian] Prime Minister [Manmohan] Singh that the UK stands solidly with his government as they respond, and to offer all necessary help.

 

Urgent action is underway to offer every possible protection to British citizens in the region.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY DANA PERINO

President Bush offers his condolences to the Indian people and the families of the innocent civilians killed and injured in the attacks in Mumbai, India.

 

The United States condemns this terrorist attack and we will continue to stand with the people of India in this time of tragedy.

 

This afternoon, the White House National Security Council convened officials from counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies as well as the state and defence Departments.

 

The US government continues to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of our citizens, and stands ready to assist and support the Indian government.

 

DMITRY MEDVEDEV, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTWe are concerned about the loss of life and consider that acts of terrorism of this type are harmful to the whole international order and are a challenge to humanity.

 

BROOKE ANDERSON, SPOKESMAN FOR BARACK OBAMA

President-elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India.

 

These co-ordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism.

The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.

 

We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks.

 

SPOKESMAN FOR BAN KI-MOON, UN SECRETARY GENERAL

The secretary general condemns the rash of shootings and blasts in Mumbai today, which killed and wounded a large number of people. Such violence is totally unacceptable.

 

The secretary general reiterates his conviction that no cause or grievance can justify indiscriminate attacks against civilians. He calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice swiftly.

 

[He] sends his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and the wounded and expresses his solidarity with the people and government of India.

 

OFFICE OF PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER YOUSAF RAZA GILANI

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, while strongly condemning the incidents of violence in Mumbai, has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

 

KEVIN RUDD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER

Whichever group has perpetrated this attack, they are cowards, absolute cowards, and murderers.

This cowardly attack on India's stability, peace and democracy reminds us all that international terrorism is far from defeated, and that we must all maintain our vigilance.

 

TARO ASO, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER

This kind of terrorism is unforgivable, extremely despicable and vicious. I feel strong resentment and deeply condemn it.

 

Japan is with the Indian people who are fighting against terrorism and we will cooperate with the Indian government.

DAVID MILIBAND, UK FOREIGN SECRETARY

Today's attacks in Mumbai which have claimed many innocent victims, remind us, yet again, of the threat we face from violent extremists.

 

I condemn these attacks unreservedly. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed and injured.

The UK and India will continue their joint efforts to counter the actions of terrorists.

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"India's Internal Security Police are now holding and questioning an identified Israeli Mossad agent, who had been in communication with some of the alleged terrorist cells in both India and Pakistan two weeks before the BLACK OP attacks took place.

 

This identified Israeli Mossad agent has had an intelligence tie in with the U.S. FBI, the U.S. NSA (National Security Agency) and current U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former FBI Director Louis Freeh."

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