Fatwa issued against Ghazi brothers

Fifty clerics of Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan issued a “Fatwa” against the administration of Lal Masjid and declared the actions taken by Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi to be un-Islamic. The Fatwa said that the Ghazi brothers had used the mosque for unlawful and immoral activities, which were hence un-Islamic. It also said that the Ghazi brothers’ un-Islamic actions were disguise as religious and because of which, Pakistan was looked down upon internationally.

Source: Pakistan Link

Peshawar – 3 Chinese Nationals killed and 1 injured in a terror attack

4 Chinese nationals came under fire in Peshawar on charsaddah road tonight at a workshop they worked in. Reports from various media sources claim that the 4 nationals were attacked by unknown individuals with assault rifles. 3 of them died on the spot and 1 is critically wounded. This terror attack is in line with a string of other terror and suicide attacks across the NWFP and are being related to the stand off at Lal Masjid.

More reports to follow.

‘Operation Viper’ to commence shortly

Known by several names but most commonly called ‘Operation Viper’, it is the single most effective line of action against the Red Mosque that has been in the planning for the past 8 months now. There are strong indications that the operation might well commence shortly as the last resort to completely nullify the threat posed by the terrorists inside Lal Masjid and its adjacent compounds.

There are now confirmed reports from inside the lal masjid as well as various revelations from intelligence sources that there are two wanted groups inside the lal masjid by the name of Abu Zarr and Abu Mansoor who are in control of the hostage situation along with the cleric Rasheed Ghazi. High level photographs and thermal images of the compounds have been obtained and the final plan to handle this situation has been chalked down. It has now also been revealed that there are between 12 to 16 suicide bombers present inside the lal masjid that could be used as a last resort by the terrorists inside.

More to follow soon…

12 female students are on strike inside lal masjid – sources

Recent unconfirmed reports state that twelve female students at Pakistan’s Red Mosque are on hunger strike and have demanded to leave the besieged complex, while several others died in clashes on Sunday, a source at the mosque said. The government says dozens of women and children are being held as human shields at the mosque in the capital by Islamic militants defying pressure to surrender.

“A group of 12 female students have been on hunger strike since Sunday evening demanding that they be allowed to go outside,” the source at the mosque told AFP by telephone on condition of anonymity. “The hunger strike women were initially kept in the basement but now they have been shifted to the ground floor,” the source added.

The protest by the female students came amid mounting tensions inside the mosque, where security officials say militants from a group with links to Al-Qaeda have taken charge of the resistance. “There are around 350 people inside, about 100 men and the rest women and children. Some women were killed in last night’s operation,” the mosque source added.

Read more here

Lt. Col Haroon Islam – martyred @ Lal Masjid

Islamic militants led by an Al-Qaeda-linked group martyred a senior Pakistani army commando early Sunday morning during fierce clashes with troops on the sixth day of a siege at an Islamabad mosque.Pakistan’s military spokesmen have said that Colonel Haroon Islam died after an operation to blast through part of the wall surrounding the fortified Red Mosque complex and free some of the women and children allegedly being used as human shields. Chief military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said another army officer (a Major) was injured in the fighting with the Islamists led by the firebrand cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi.

“Rashid Ghazi and his militants were responsible for the murder of a senior army officer,” Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said. “The operation will continue and Ghazi has to surrender.”

Yesterday, President Pervez Musharraf warned the militants to give up or be killed. The military ruler also told the hardline students late Saturday to immediately free all women and children. Pakistani forces have held back from raiding the now bullet-pocked mosque but there have intense clashes around the perimeter, including early Sunday when giant blasts echoed around the city.

Rasheed Ghazi told local television that 335 people inside the mosque were killed in Sunday’s latest fighting but Durrani dismissed the claim, saying that only the soldier died and putting the toll for the entire siege at 20. Concerns for women and children in the mosque grew after security officials said militants from a group linked to Al-Qaeda and to the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl were now leading the mosque fighters.

There are also intelligence reports that there are two commanders from Harkatul-Jihad-e-Islami, a group that was involved in the Pearl’s murder inside the mosque. Harkatul-Jihad-e-Islami provided shelter for Al-Qaeda militants who fled Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. It has been linked to Pearl’s 2002 beheading and a 2003 attempt to assassinate Musharraf.

There are rising concerns that these militants may start killing women and children inside and then blame it on the government. They know they have no escape route as they have no viable escape route left for them. Already there are confirmed reports that those inside the compound who wished to leave risked being shot by hardline students if they attempted to climb the wall, which is seven to eight feet (2.1 to 2.4 metres).

According to Ghazi, he and his followers have enough rations, arms and ammunition inside the compound to “fight for another 25 to 30 days and we will do that, God willing.” Ghazi, 43, also signalled his defiance by saying that he was telephoned by a man who claimed to have shot at Musharraf’s aircraft on Friday in revenge for the siege. Security officials said earlier they were probing possible links between the mosque operation and the failed bid to shoot down the president’s plane as it took off from Chaklala military airbase at Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.

Suicide Bomb Attack near Malakand martyrs 6 soldiers

A suicide bomb attack a while back near Malakand has martyred 1 Major, 1 Captain, and 4 soldiers. The area has been cordoned off now.

This recent attempt is being in relation to the ongoing Lal Masjid standoff that is underway in the capital.

Anti aircraft Guns found on the roof of a house in pindi

Rocket and anti-aircraft guns fixed on the roof of a Rawalpindi house close to the runaway of the military airbase used by President Pervez Musharraf has been found some while ago today.

Heavy contingents of police have now cordoned off the house at the Asghar Mall Road in Rawalpindi where two anti aircraft guns were found fitted on the roof. Dawn TV channel is saying that the house was rented by a couple only on Thursday. It is located close to the runway of the military airbase at Chaklala near Rawalpindi.

All claims of a blast heard as a result of possible attack on Musharraf’s plane/helicopter have been denied by official sources stating that the President is already in Turbat.

‘More than 100 shells have landed inside the mosque’ – Rasheed Ghazi

Just moments ago, while talking the Geo TV, the leading cleric of Lal Masjid, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi has claimed that more than a 100 shells have landed inside the compound as a result of heavy firing and shelling by the authorities in the past hour. Rasheed Ghazi also denied reports of a rocket launcher attack on an APC of the armed forces yesterday.

He remained consistent as before on his previous conditions for giving up control of the mosque and the madrassas and laying down weapons. He further said that it is wrong of the government to assume our efforts to resolve this issue as our weakness and blamed the government for not willing to show any flexibility to end the standoff.

3 Hours relaxation in curfew announced today

Officials have announced a relaxation in the curfew for three hours starting from 12:30 pm till 3:30 pm in view of the Jummah Prayers break today amidst the Lal Masjid standoff. There are also reports of three more people who have surrendered to the authorities today.

Rasheed Ghazi-Govt remain adamnt as Lal Masjid Standoff continues

We have entered in to the third day of the Lal Masjid standoff and although thousands of students (male and female) along with children have surrendered to the forces, there are still hundreds inside in the leadership of Abdul Rasheed Ghazi not willing to come out. According to various media sources reporting round the clock on the happenings around Lal Masjid, there are hundreds of women and children still inside that are being held against their will as a ‘human shield’ and a ‘bargaining element’ with the government. This statement has been cited by several of the women and children who have managed to come out and surrender to the forces amidst heavy gun fire and shelling for the past three days or so.

Rasheed Ghazi has been changing his statements quicker than you can say ‘Lal Masjid’ and his latest conditions for calling an end to this stand off are as follows:

1- Rasheed Ghazi will hand over the control and management of the Lal Masjid and its two adjoining madrassas to the religious representatives and clerics of the country

2- All currently inside the compounds and resisting the forces should undergo a verification and scrutiny routine as soon as they come out and all those who do not have any cases against them should be allowed to go home there and then.

3- Rasheed Ghazi should not be taken to any prison or court and should be allowed to live in the ‘hujra’ in the mosque with his mother for a few days so that he can make arrangements to leave for his village and no charges should be brought against him. Furthermore, he should not be humiliated like his elder brother Aziz Ghazi.

Late last night, Dr. Shahid Masood and Kamran Khan at Geo News network did their very best to mediate a truce and understanding between Rasheed Ghazi and the govt by putting both of them on the phone together however the efforts rendered futile as the government is not willing to negotiate the terms of letting Rasheed Ghazi go without answering to all the cases lodged against him and Rasheed Ghazi is not willing to budge from the conditions mentioned above.

The standoff continues with sporadic and heavy firing from either side. Rasheed Ghazi’s claim that his ‘student’ are only equipped with licensed weapons has come as a lie after a rocket launcher was fired at an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) from inside the Red Mosque.

For more details on the history of this issue, you can check here