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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Globe and Mail Comes Close to Saying the Indian Government is Implicated in Bombing the Air India (Kanishka) Flight

Robert Matas, Globe and Mail reporter, comes close but doesn't quite make the connection between India and the bombing of the Air India flight. If the audio evidence/ forced confession are to be believed then India orchestrated the bombing by having its own agent, "Lakhvir Singh", conscript people in BC into his plan to bomb an airliner.

Sikhs have maintained from the beginning that India had a hand in the bombing in order to discredit the Khalistan movement. Now with this latest news they appear to be vindicated. Whatever anyone else may say, the truth is that no one can now credibly claim that this is a fanciful or spurious argument, the conclusion being that India itself may have in fact been involved to its own discredit. Sikhs also said that 'encounters' were staged by police in Punjab to qualify for promotions based on how many Sikhs they could kill, which is supported by human rights organizations, and evidence in India. Mass cremations were held of people killed in extra-judicial custody. It's now come to light that some people that Indian police officers claimed to have killed, are in fact alive. If India engaged in extra-judicial killings, mass cremations, faked police-militant encounters to hide custodial murders, and murdered innocent people who were then identified as someone else as the information, in the articles previously linked to, show did occur, then how hard is it to believe that Indian government agents were behind the Air India bombing itself?

A mysterious witness at the Air India inquiry, who backed out after being billed as having "seismic" evidence, may have feared retribution from the Indian government, not from Sikh terrorists, Canadian Sikh activist Amanpreet Singh Bal says.

The witness refused to testify at a public hearing in June after inquiry chief John Major acknowledged the commission could not protect his identity. Efforts to protect the witness's name, however, were futile. A reputable magazine in India called Tehelka published his name on the weekend.

Tehelka reported that retired Punjab police officer Harmail Singh Chandi brought the entire record of the confession of prime suspect Talwinder Singh Parmar, including audiotapes and statements, to the inquiry in Ottawa.

Mr. Bal, a long-time member of the Ottawa-based World Sikh Organization, has been active in campaigns concerning "disappearances" and extrajudicial executions in Punjab during unrest in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He laughed when asked why Mr. Chandi would be reluctant to reveal his identity in a public hearing. The former police officer may have feared retribution from the Indian government if he testified in public, Mr. Bal said. Others have previously suggested that the witness had been intimated by Sikh terrorists.

"Let's hope that one day, we will get to the truth," Mr. Bal said. "No matter who did it, we want that person or organization or whoever the mastermind is, to be exposed."

India's high commission in Ottawa declined to be interviewed yesterday. "We have no comment on this," a spokesperson for the high commissioner's office said.

Two bombs exploded 54 minutes apart on opposite sides of the world on June 23, 1985. Police have said the explosions were the work of a Vancouver-based Sikh separatist group, headed by Mr. Parmar. The bomb blasts killed 331 people.

Tehelka reported that Mr. Chandi arrested Mr. Parmar in September, 1992, in India.

During interrogation over five days, Mr. Parmar told police that Lakhbir Singh Brar, who came to Canada as a refugee two months before the bombing, was the ringleader of the conspiracy and arranged for the tickets on two flights from Vancouver, Mr. Chandi told the magazine.

Mr. Parmar said he provided some dynamite for the scheme. Vancouver Island resident Inderjit Singh Reyat built the bombs and put them in the suitcases, Mr. Chandi said, adding that Mr. Parmar was killed while in custody on the order of senior police officers.

Previously, the RCMP has alleged that Mr. Parmar was the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Mr. Reyat, the only person ever convicted in the 22-year-old case, admitted he provided parts that were used for the bombs, but denied building the bombs or even that he knew the bombs were to explode on airplanes.

Mr. Major told Canadian Press he intends to look into the alleged confession when the hearings resume on Sept. 10.

The police have already reviewed a transcript of Mr. Parmar's confession and questioned Mr. Brar.

However, police were not aware that audiotapes of the confession existed. Indian authorities had told the RCMP that the tapes had been destroyed. Mr. Chandi told Tehelka that he violated orders of senior police officers and secretly kept them.

"We never had an actual copy of it," RCMP Sergeant Pierre Lemaitre, a spokesman for the RCMP Air India task force, said in an interview. "If the Indian authorities would now like to make it available, the task force would like to hear from them."

Mr. Brar came to Canada in April, 1985, as a refugee. He was identified as a national security risk by Canada's security service, and deported in the early 1990s.

He is reported to be living in Pakistan and is wanted by the Indian government for minor offences.


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Monday, July 30, 2007

Vancouver Sun Article Alleging INDIAN GOVERNMENT AGENT was Involved in Air India (Kanishka) Bombing

So with this new twist, why doesn't the CBC come up with a 'hit' piece alleging that perhaps the Government of India itself used its own agents to bring in unsuspecting Canadians into a conspiracy to bomb an Air India plane? From the book written by the former Globe and Mail reporters, Soft Target, the Tehelka piece and Punjab policeman's audio recording, you'd think they would make the connection that there is a conspiracy, the heart of which is connecting the Government of India itself?

Secondly, why doesn't the Government of Canada ask India to answer for killing a CANADIAN in judicial custody? Why doesn't the CBC do a piece on how CANADIANS are let down by their government when it comes to judicial custody? Just ask anyone about Zahra Kazemi (murdered in Iran), William Sampson (faced death sentence in Saudi Arabia) and now confirmed in the Tehelka article, Mr. Parmar (murdered in India's custody).


From the Vancouver Sun,
According to the Indian magazine report, Parmar's confession states: "Around May 1985, a functionary of the International Sikh Youth Federation came to me and introduced himself as Lakhbir Singh and asked me for help in conducting some violent activities to express the resentment of the Sikhs. I told him to come after a few days so that I could arrange for dynamite and battery etc. He told me that he would first like to see a trial of the blast... After about four days, Lakhbir Singh and another youth, Inderjit Singh Reyat, both came to me. We went into the jungle (of British Columbia).
There we joined a dynamite stick with a battery and triggered off a blast.
Lakhbir and Inderjit, even at that time, had in their minds a plan to blast an aeroplane. I was not too keen on this plan but agreed to arrange for the dynamite sticks. Inderjit wanted to use for this purpose a transistor fitted with a battery...That very day, they took dynamite sticks from me and left.
"Then Lakhbir Singh, Inderjit Singh and their accomplice, Manjit Singh, made a plan to plant bombs in an Air India (AI) plane leaving from Toronto via London for Delhi and another flight that was to leave Tokyo for Bangkok.
Lakhbir Singh got the seat booking done from Vancouver to Tokyo and then onwards to Bangkok, while Manjit Singh got it done from Vancouver to Toronto and then from Toronto to Delhi. Inderjit prepared the bags for the flights, which were loaded with dynamite bombs fitted with a battery and transistor.
They decided that the suitcases will be booked but they themselves will not travel by the same flights although they will take the boarding passes.
After preparing these bombs, the plan was ready for execution by June 21 or 22, 1985. However, the bomb to be kept in the flight from Tokyo to Delhi via Bangkok exploded at the Narita airport on the conveyor belt. The second suitcase that was loaded on the Toronto-Delhi ai flight exploded in the air."
The former Punjab police officer gave his evidence to the Punjab Human Rights Organization who is alleging that the ISYF leader Brar was actually an Indian government agent.


From Tehelka magazine,
Sarabjit said the PHRO’s probe has shown that Parmar was killed to hide the name of Lakhbir, who was an Indian agent. “After the Khalistan movement gained in sympathy in the West, especially in Canada, after the 1984 Blue Star operation and the killing of Sikhs in Delhi, a plot was hatched to discredit the Sikh movement. Parmar was roped in by Lakhbir at the behest of his masters. The Punjab Police got orders to finish off Parmar as he knew too much about the main perpetrators. On the day of the Kanishka blast, an explosion took place at Japan’s Narita airport, where two Japanese baggage handlers were killed. The plot was to trigger blasts when the two aircraft had de-embarked their passengers but the 1 hour 40 minute delay in Kanishka’s takeoff led to the bomb exploding mid-air,” Sarbjit said.

What gives credence to Sarabjit’s charge is the Source Report (in Tehelka’s posession) prepared by the Jalandhar Police soon after Parmar was killed. Based on information provided by Parmar — though not attributing it to his interrogation — the report makes no reference to Lakhbir. Interestingly, Lakhbir, accused in many acts of terrorist violence, is wanted by the Indian Government in only a minor case registered in Moga, Punjab. The Red Corner Interpol notice, A-23/1-1997, put out by the CBI against Lakhbir states: “OFFENCES: House breaking, theft, damage by fire.”

The PHRO told Canadian authorties that conclusive evidence existed of Parmar being killed in police custody and not in the “encounter” shown in FIR No 105 registered at Phillaur police station on October 15, 1992. The PHRO report, AI Flight 182 Case, states “On October 14, 1992, a high-level decision was conveyed to the police that Parmar had to be killed...The contradiction in the FIR and post-mortem report (PMR) is too obvious. As per the FIR, Parmar was killed by AK-47 fire by SSP Satish K Sharma from a rooftop. The PMR shows the line of fire of the three bullets is different. It cannot be if one person is firing from a fixed position. The PMR is very sketchy and no chemical analysis was done. Moreover, the time of death is between 12am and 2am according to the PMR, whereas the FIR records the time of death at 5.30am.”



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DSGMC Trying to do the Right Thing

At least the DSGMC is trying in some manner to address one of the issues that affect the desire to have a daughter for some people. The cost of a wedding is very prohibitive due to the anti-Sikh practice of giving dowry and some engage in the anti-Sikh practice of female foeticide as a result, which is just another name for child murder.

Curious how engaging in one anti-Sikh practice leads to another, even more horrible, anti-Sikh practice, both of which the Sikh Gurus banned. In fact, no one should associate at all with anyone who aborts or murders a girl child and I would suggest Akal Takht, if it hasn't already, extend the hukamnama to include abortion or murder of any child, male or female (I would put forward that by default Guru Gobind Singh Ji's ruling to avoid any social contact with people who murder a girl child includes those who would do the same to a boy).
Rejecting the idea of female inequality, Guru Nanak said: "Man is nourished in the womb and born from a woman; he is betrothed and married to a woman. Friendship is made with women and civilization originates from a woman. When a wife dies, another wife is sought because family affairs depend upon a woman. Why call her bad, from whom are born kings? From a woman another woman is born; none is born without a woman."

Guru Nanak specifically forbade the practices of widow "sati" (self-immolation on the pyre of her husband). He encouraged the remarriage of widows, which was unheard of in his time. He was gravely concerned about the practice of female infanticide. Not only is it forbidden to Sikhs, but a Sikh cannot associate with anyone who kills his female children. In the name of equality, Guru Nanak abolished the custom of the bride's family giving the groom dowry, since this encourages men to think of women as commercial commodities.

In Sikh society, a woman occupies a position equal to men and is not prevented from fulfilling her potential through education, religion, or profession.

Guru Gobind Singh made the Khalsa initiation ceremony open to men and women alike, a woman being just as worthy. At the time of Amrit a man is given the name Singh meaning lion, the woman is given the name Kaur, meaning Princess. A Sikh women is an individual in her own right, she does not have to take her husband's name and is Kaur till her death. Guru Gobind Singh did not see any distinction between the Khalsa, men or women could keep the 5 K's. Guru Gobind Singh issued orders forbidding the Khalsa having any association with those that practiced female infanticide. Guru Gobind Singh also forbade Sikhs to exercise any proprietary rights over women captured in battle, they could not be kept as slaves or wives but were to be treated with the utmost respect.


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Friday, July 27, 2007

Historic First for Natives In British Columbia

This is the first time, as far as I know, any native Indian (First Nation) group has agreed over time to start paying government taxes through a negotiated treaty with the government (provincial and federal) in British Columbia. Hopefully, other tribes in BC will be able to come to the table and sign deals with the provincial and federal governments that acknowledge their legal rights and bring them into the mainstream and out from under the Indian Act.
Basking in the joyous aftermath of her band's historic ratification of the country's first modern urban treaty and the first under British Columbia's beleaguered, 14-year treaty process, Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Kim Baird urged other natives yesterday to get on board the treaty train.

"We hope other first nations join us in moving beyond the Indian Act and also become self-governing," said Ms. Baird, cradling her seven-month-old baby, Sophia, in her arms as she talked to reporters.

Her call was a pointed reminder of the division within the province's vibrant native community over government efforts to sign treaties that they spurned more than a hundred years ago.


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Anyone Wonder Why People Hate Politicians? Not When They Do Stuff Like This...

The Auditor-General in Ontario released a report outlining how $32 million dollars was handed out to ethnic/ cultural groups without any discernible process, follow up or due diligence being conducted. In fact, the report mentions that much of what went on was based on a verbal discussion with the minister involved. It's no wonder that people born and raised in Canada would start to see immigrants as leeches and parasites when this is how their tax dollars are being spent.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle resigned after the Auditor-General concluded that the process for handing out grants to multicultural groups was not "open, transparent or accountable." There was often no paper trail, and many grants were handled in the minister's office based on little more than a verbal discussion with Mr. Colle or his staff, the report says.

The fact that the grants were handed out without a formal application process, criteria or advance notice to groups that money was available, raised questions about whether the Liberals were playing favourites with taxpayers' money.

report singles out a handful of questionable grants, including the $1-million awarded to the Ontario Cricket Association. The association asked for $150,000 on Feb. 27, 2006, but the very next day received $1-million. The ministry had no documentation to explain why the association received more funding than it asked for, the report says.

The association spent $250,000 on capital projects, including cheques totalling $28,000 made out to "cash." It has invested $500,000 in a five-year guaranteed investment certificate.


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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Obesity Spreads Like a Virus

From the New York Times comes this article that discussed how being obese is dangerous - for your friends!! Can you imagine that? Hard to believe, but this study examined over 12,000 people who were followed in study spanning 32 years. It found that if a close friend became obese, you were likely to follow suit. Now I know why my Dad always told me to stay away from "bad company", and here I thought he was against 70's rock.[Clarification - I'm not implying obese people are "bad company", but rather that your friends' behaviour has an impact on your own behaviour as well]

Staying fit should be an integral part of any Sikh's lifestyle. In the Miri-Piri concept (Soldier-Saint), you can't really be ready to roll if you're packing it on too thick, now can you? This is precisely one of the reasons, to prevent a sedentary lifestyle from immobilizing you, that Sikhs practice Gatka and undertake Shastar Vidya (weapons-wise training).

It's a good idea to inculcate in your children the idea of being physically active so that later in life they have this discipline and behaviour modeled from early on. If your child has an interest in physical activity from childhood, odds are that your child will keep it up later in life.

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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Kaur and Singh - What to Do?

I suggest that Canadian Sikhs who have children should follow the tenets of the religion and give their children only the surname Singh or Kaur. You are legally allowed in Canada to give your child a surname different than your own for religious reasons, it's just a tick box on the form (Statement of Live Birth) as a reason in Ontario at least. More than that, it is a fundamental human right that a parent should be free to name their child as they choose without state (government) interference. Sikhs should exercise that legal and moral right and throw the government for a loop in the process.

If you want to you can always give your child a middle name that signifies your clan. ie: Jaspinder Sidhu Kaur or Kharak Bhangu Singh.

Who does the government think it is fooling with one representative saying one thing and another saying something else to cover their policy up? Why shouldn't Sikhs immigrate to Canada with the last name Singh or Kaur? They aren't doing this to any other community.
A Canadian Sikh organization is protesting a 10-year-old Canadian policy of requiring would-be immigrants with the surname of Singh to use their third name.

The Citizenship and Immigration department policy is used only for men applying for visas in New Delhi, and also women with the name of Kaur, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., reported.

I would encourage anyone who has had this policy applied to them over the past years to sue the government for the violation and abuse of their charter rights.

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UK Readers, Check This Guy Out

I'm not getting paid to write this, but if you're looking for something to do check out Marc Salem at Tricycle Theatre.
Marc Salem's annual spell in London is always an exciting treat. He arrives at the Tricycle, does some astonishing 'mindreading' tricks, sometimes hurts himself (last time he stabbed himself through the hand with a knife by mistake - but hey ho), and then toddles off leaving everyone slightly stunned.

The cool thing about this portly New Yorker is that he's not as showy as the likes of Derren Brown - there's no faux gravitas, no hi-tech wizardry in his show. And he insists all of his tricks are based on science not magic - anyone, he reckons, could do what he does with the right training. But Salem is an expert at deciphering non-verbal communication - and he's tough to outwit.

This show is a pick'n'mix of best bits of previous years, and some new stuff, which will change each night. At his worst, he'll have the odd awkward moment when a trick is a bit complicated to follow, or when the reveal lacks a little pizzazz.

But when Salem keeps things simple, the results are breathtaking: tricks such as figuring out where individual audience members went on holiday, working out when they're lying and, an old faithful, reading a serial number off a currency note while blindfolded, are all ones he'd be mad to drop from his repertoire.

Add to that his wisecracking and engaging banter, and it's all mind-bogglingly good fun. But then, he probably knew we'd say that.

Until Jul 29, Tricycle Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road NW6, Tue to Sat 8pm, Sun 6pm, Sun mats 3pm, £13 to £18, £11 to £13 concs.
Tel: 020 7328 1000.
www.tricycle.co.uk Tube: Kilburn


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Dera Followers Once Again Committing Violent Acts Including Firing Guns At Sikhs

Despite the non-violent stand of the Sikh community in this incident, Dera followers insist on resorting to gun play. Why doesn't the police intervene to dis-arm the Dera followers or are they waiting for someone else to be killed?
At least eight people were injured on Tuesday after gunshots were fired in a clash between followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect and members of the Sikh community in a village close to this Haryana town.

Trouble at Mallawala village began when Dera followers started their prayers in the open despite a ruling by the district administration not to do so. Some Sikhs objected to Dera followers putting up loudspeakers and chanting their prayers.

Tension exacerbated, leading to both sides clashing and a Dera follower firing from his 12-bore gun. Eight people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital as police reinforcements were rushed to the area.


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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Bitter Lament of a Muslim Woman

For anyone not familiar with the facts of life for muslim women, especially in the sub-continent. I found this on the net. It is written by Jahanara Begum on the Humanists site.
"Allah Amader Kandte Dao!" Allah, Please let us weep in peace! —Jahanara Begum

Please, Allah, leave us alone to cry and weep in peace. From behind the veil, beyond public gaze we want to cry till we cannot cry any more. This is the only right you have left to us Muslim women, throughout the Islamic world, where your laws are meticulously followed. The world beyond is undergoing so many changes, so many evolutions over the ages; year after year, new discoveries are being made both in the sciences and philosophies, in the rest of the world, improving upon old ideas and beliefs. But we are tied forever to the rigid and immutable shackles of your laws, Allah. No one ever came forward for our emancipation. Unique is our society! Men like Raja Ram Mohun Roy or Swami Vivekananda are not born in this society. No Sharat Chandra comes forward in this society to write an account of the volumes of tears that flow from our eyes. Educated Muslim men like Badruddin Tyebji, Hamid Dalwai and others like them have written on measures to stop the killing of cows but have failed to utter a single word of sympathy for us, Muslim women. Abdut Jabbar can write a big fat volume on the eunuchs—and on the castrated in different Muslim societies—but he has nothing to say in our behalf. Syed Mustafa Siraj was at least honest when he said that the Hindus can fearlessly write on the injustices and other inadequacies of their social system, but we, the Muslims, are afraid to criticize the defects of the Islamic society. Nargis Sattar has started to write a few articles on the subject of Islamic marriage laws and we were so hopeful. But that hope too, once again, has been taken away from us. More than a hundred female lawyers had demanded women’s emancipation in the streets of Lahore in Islamic Pakistan. The ‘heroic’ Pakistani policemen attacked the female lawyers with sticks and batons. A Muslim female member of the ADMK party of India had raised the subject of the emancipation of India’s Muslim women in the nation’s parliament—but then, all the progressive members of parliament remained silent on the issue, for no one wanted to offend the fundamentalist mullahs and lose the Muslim votes.

Oh Allah! the political leaders and their supporters in this land are very peculiar. They are just like the eunuchs who used to live among the innumerable young and beautiful women of the harems. All the lust, passion and sexual desires that overtook them, were of no avail for after all, they were eunuchs and so quite helpless. Our political leaders are exactly like those eunuchs. These leaders talk in high-sounding, noble words such as ‘freedom’, ‘non-discrimination’, ‘secularism’ and many other beautiful words. But alas, they do not have the means to apply a single such word to the day-to-day life of our Muslim society. And so, the crying and weeping of the Muslim women go on unchecked; from one age to another. Their tears are symbolized by the waters that cover three quarters of this planet. What a horrible, inhuman and illogical existence we have! Leaving his hundreds of concubines behind, the octogenarian Sheikh from Arabia comes to India to ‘marry’ a Muslim teenager. The news is flashed in all papers but behold, not a single political leader even registers a protest. Not a single mullah or maulvi declares ‘jihad’ or holy war on such goings-on. On the other hand, the mullah presides over these "Muta Marriages" that last for only a short fixed time.

What an unbearable existence for us to live and survive among co-wives! Innumerable children, unhealthy surroundings, poverty and lack of education have made a mockery of our social lives. Even goats and cows live better than us. The frequent fights among the co-wives, the pulling at one another’s hair are so degrading! And then, God forbicl, if the miyan or husband gets into the fray, then we get beaten like a beast until we cannot take it anymore. And after the beating, to make it even more degrading, the miyan takes his other wife into the bedroom and shuts the door into our face.

If there is the slightest shortcoming in the wife’s attention to the physical needs of the miyan or husband, then woe be to her. She goes on suffering forever from an acute uncertainty, and intense anxiety. The sword of ‘Talaq’ or divorce could come down on her any moment. The slightest inattention eoulo provoke a divorce. All is in the hands of the Muslim husband. Just the pronouncement of the word ‘Talaq’ three times can move the earth from under the feet of the Muslim wife. The consequence? Cheap labour or prostitution. The little children suffer from lack of mother’s love, a sense of awesome insecurity and an unhealthy environment. If the children manage to survive then the society is burdened with more beggars and criminals. Admittedly such occurrences do take place in other societies as well, but then they are much fewer in number and, what is more important, in other societies such a state of affairs is not allowed to persist in the name of their ‘religion’, while in our society the mullahs preach such treatment to us women in the name of ‘Islam’. The motto among us is: ‘Breed and profit’—take over the land by increased birth rate. And we, the married Muslim women, have to bear all the burden of the entire operation. That is why no one ever finds a married Muslim woman who is not nursing her own baby or is not pregnant. They are with a child all the time. They die young.

We observe the lives of Hindu women who live near or around us. What a sense of purity, security and trust surrounds their family lives! Where is the hope of chastity, of purity in our lives? If the Muslim husband comes to regret divorcing his wife, if it happens at all, he still can do nothing to redress the situation. Allah, your laws of the ‘shariat’ prevent re-marriage with the ex-husband. The mullah will get into the act, get the woman ‘married’ to someone else and she has to consummate the ‘marriage’ for three days and three nights, and then, and then only, she can re-become ‘pure and virgin’. If the new husband ‘divorces’ the woman obligingly, then only the previous and now repentant husband can ‘re-marry’ her. On the other hand, if the bride happens to be a good woman, the new husband may not wish to divorce her and then trouble starts between the two men. Fighting breaks out culminating in murders in many cases. Such is our life, Allah! Who should we go to with our sorrows and complaints? If we rebel, then we are physically beaten and punished in accordance with the laws laid down by you. If we complain, then we are accused of being hypocrites or ‘munafiq’. In every other religion, respect is accorded to chastity, self-control and purity. But not so, in your religion. Oh Allah, the only privilege that we have is to cry our hearts out.

There are many ‘educated’ Muslims who are not unaware of all this. But they do not protest for they too are out to have fun at our expense. Those Muslims who are truly liberated, abandon us and do not want to concern themselves with our problems. It was with us in mind that Kazi Abdul Oclud once said that in the last 1400 years, Islam has not been able to light even a small candle eradicating darkness from human civilization. Abu Syed Ayub spent his entire active life singing Tagore songs. He married the Hindu woman Gouri Dutta and lived a free and healthy life like any other Hindu. Mohamnled Ali Karim Chagla did the same. Vice President Hidayetullah, political leaders like Sikandar Bakht, Dr. Jeelany, Syed Mujtaba Ali too, did the same; in fact any one from our society that has gone up in civilized life away from our miseries, pains and problems moved closer to the society of the Hindus. (We are not sure about Ghagla, but Humayun Kabir and Sadiqu Ali married Hindu ladies. –Publisher). Only we the abandoned ones are left behind in the dark prison controlled by the mullahs and the maulvis. We just cry here in an endless pain. No writer or reporter writes a story on us or makes an attempt to fathom the depth of our sorrow. The Government of India gave us the right to vote but denied us a healthy and peaceful married life by perpetuating the ‘Muslim Personal Marriage Code’. The ‘Hindu Code Bill’ liberated the Hindu women but we still remain the victims of polygamous practices. No remedy has been provided to prevent frivolous divorces in our Islamic society.

Once upon a time we used to trust the Marxists on this score. The Muslim women of Tazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan have found their freedom in Soviet Russia. No Sheikh from Arabia can buy them. These women do not spend their lives among innumerable children, unending pregnancies and degrading fights among co-wives. They have meaningful lives to lead. The mullahs do not have control over them. But here in our land, even the Marxists are under the thumb of the mullahs. A Marxist like Mansur Habibullah went to Mecca, became a ‘Haji’ just to please the mullahs. And everyone knows that in his personal life, Habibullah does not care about this religion. His life is like that of a logical Hindu. And so we were saying Allah, you have not given us the slightest opportunity to have a little peace, a little happiness. Your lack of concern for us is eternal. In the middle ages, nawabs and sultans used to keep thousands of women in their harems. Most of our days and nights then were spent in weeping. Some spent their time in laying plots and some in profligacy and unnatural practices. We were the fuel for the lusts of these sultans. Interminable fights have taken place among brothers, between father and son and among the nawabs themselves for us women. The chariot of civilization, slowly but surely, has crossed many paths. Radical changes have taken place in other societies and other lands. Even the burning of the ‘suttee’, a terrible Hindu practice, has been eradicated by social progress. The marriage of very old men with very young brides that used to take place among some Hindus, following the ‘Kaulinya’ system—has also been abandoned in time. Many bad social customs and practices have disappeared in other societies. Even in our Islamic society some good changes have taken place—but then these changes have always been to the advantage of Muslim males only.

There is a villaye near Basra in Iraq. That village was well-known for supplying eunuchs for the nawabs’ harems. Nearly 60% of the young lads who were castrated there used to die. This butchery has ceased today. There are many Muslims like Idi Amin who have numerous wives but the eunuchs are no more there to watch over the women. But for us, nothing has changed. The men of our society are completely without concern for their women. By granting a few property rights they seem to think that a lot has been done for us Muslim women. What good are these property rights when our marriages are scarred with an unending chain of divorces and re-marriages? The Muslim law has, on the other hand, given rise to a lot more persecution of Muslim women. If a divorced Muslim woman files a suit for her property and alimony rights, then the Muslim court moves very slowly indeed. In the meantime, the husband can get remarried without any hindrance from our Islamic laws. The law of the land that helps women of all other communities under similar circumstances is of no use to us Muslim women because we are supposed to go by the laws of Islam only and nothing else. It was Abdul Rauf who wrote in the Bengali newspaper ‘Jugaantar’ describing the sorrows of Muslim women all over the country but, alas, there was no reaction. A few letters appeared in the press supporting the article and that was all.

But our Muslim leaders are very sensitive when it is a question of their own vested interest. Muzaffar Hussain wrote from north India that the Hindi movie ‘Talaq, talaq, talaq’ was renamed ‘Nikaah’ on the advice of the mullahs. The mullahs said that to mention the name of the film to their wives, the Muslim husbands would have to pronounce the magic word three times which would automatically end their marriages. These are funny men who are afraid to pronounce the word ‘Talaq’ but would do nothing to eradicate the dreadful practice of frivolous divorces. Such a great number of Muslim women lead a helpless and miserable life due to this abominable practice of ‘Talaq’. But then none of the ‘pious’ Muslims worry about it.

The Islamic soldiers of Pakistan’s Yahya Khan gang-raped hundreds of thousands of women in Bangladesh. More than two hundred thousand women became pregnant. A great number of these women later became insane. Only Mujibur Rahman tried to help a little, but the rest of the Islamic world maintained a complete silence. Khomeini’s Iran is currently killing hundreds of women. Their fault is that they do not support his rule. So, in the name of Islam, these women are being butchered. Vishnu Upadhyay has written about the incidents in the newspaper ‘Aaj Kal’ but then no one says a word—the Muslin world is still silent. In any other society, if a woman is raped, the papers cry out in her support, raising a storm of protest in the community. Islam means peace. To watch silently the persecution of women is perhaps this peace. Such lack of concern for women has prevented all improvement in our condition. No blessing or show of kindness from our angels has been bestowed upon us and so, Allah, we are telling you once again about our sadness. You are the master of this world and universe. You are the one we are addressing our complaints to. You have denied us a happy life. If we happen to be one of many wives of a rich Muslim then we spend our lives in jealousy, rivalry and unending pregnancies. If on the other hand, we belong to a poor husband then there is back-breaking hard work for all day and one pregnancy after another as well. Wherever we go, the sword of ‘Talaq’ or divorce always hangs over our heads. The uncertainty and insecurity of our lives affect not only ourselves but our children as well. They have no better choice and get into begging and street crimes. You have seen the crowds of Muslim women and their numerous children roaming around the Howrah station of Calcutta. That they are Muslims can be guessed by the presence of the bearded mullahs that hang around these women. The only concern of the mullahs is to ensure that these women remain Muslims. They are not concerned with their health, well-being, safety and simple humanness. And so, there is nothing for a Muslim woman to look forward to. There is a lot of tears to shed though. A lot of weeping that has no remedy. And so we are crying out to you, Oh Allah, you have given us one and only one privilege and that is to weep. Please therefore let us weep in peace and leave us alone.

Navjot S Sidhu Should Be Kicked Out of the Panth if This is True

Anyone who engages in blatant anti-Sikh activities and goes against the teaching of the Gurus should be disciplined as per Sikh Maryada in the most vigorous manner, especially when it concerns disgracing the Sikh identity. In this case, N.S. Sidhu is a public figure posing in the manner and dress of a Sikh while in fact observing the customs and conducting himself as a Hindu.
Trouble appears to be in store for BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu for performing 'havan' and wearing 'janaiu' as Akal Takht jathedar's observation, on receiving a formal complaint over the issue, does not appear to be in his favour.

Joginder Singh Vedanti while responding to a query said a meeting of the five high priests would soon be convened to arrive at a decision. On whether Sidhu was guilty of violating Sikh 'maryada', Vedanti nodded in affirmative and said, “Even though he is an MP of a non-Sikh party but he hails from a Sikh family and projects himself to be a Sikh. He should conduct himself more responsibly, especially when he represents an area which holds a central place in Sikhs. People of land of the Gurus have returned him winner twice and he should keep faith in the Guru Granth Sahib.”

He clarified that if a Hindu performed havan or wore the holy thread, nobody could ever have an objection but in case of Sikhs it was clearly against the Sikh tenets. “When a Sikh becomes a leader, he should take more care,” he added.

Sidhu had performed havan in Baba Lal Dyal Mandir in Amritsar on July 17 and since then Sikh organisations had been raising the issue and Dal Khalsa submitted a formal complaint to the Jathedar on July 21.

It may recalled that in the month of February, when Sidhu sought re-entry into the Lok Sabha, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna had alleged that Sidhu had violated the Sikh code with a similar act.


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Monday, July 23, 2007

Gurpurab of Guru Harkrishan ji 8th Guru of Sikhs

Best Wishes to everyone on the occasion of Gurpurab of the 8th Guru, Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji. In Delhi, Gurdwaras Bangla Sahib and Bala Sahib commemorate the Guru for his efforts to help the common masses who were stricken with Cholera and disease at the time (Bangla Sahib), as well as the place where he passed away from the world (Bala Sahib).

From SGPC,
Guru Harkrishan Sahib was born on Sawan Vadi 10, (8 Sawan), Bikrami Samvat 1713, (July 7, 1656) at Kiratpur Sahib. He was the second son of Guru Har Rai Sahib and Mata Krishan Kaur Ji (Sulakhni Ji). Ram Rai, the elder brother of Guru Harkrishan Sahib was ex-communicated and disinherited due to his anti-Guru Ghar activities, as stated earlier and Sri Harkrishan Sahib Ji at the age of about five years, was declared as Eighth Nanak Guru by his father Guru Har Rai Sahib before his death in 1661. This act inflamed Ram Rai Ji with jealousy and he complained to the emperor Aurangzeb against his father's decision. The emperor replied in flavor issuing orders through Raja Jai Singh to the young Guru to appear before him. Raja Jai Singh sent his emissary to Kiratpur Sahib to bring the Guru to Delhi. At first the Guru was not willing, but at the repeated requests of his followers and Raja Jai Singh, he agreed to go to Delhi.

At this occasion, a large number of devotees from every walk of life came to bid him farewell. They followed the Guru Sahib up to village Panjokhara near Ambala. From this place the Guru advised his followers to return to their respective homes. Then Guru Sahib, along with a few of his family members proceeded towards Delhi. But before leaving this place Guru Harkrishan Sahib showed the great powers which were bestowed upon him by the Almighty God. Pandit Lal Chand, a learned scholar of Hindu literature questioned Guru Sahib about the meanings of Gita. Then Guru Sahib called a water-carrier named Chhaju Ram, and with the Guru's grace, this unlettered man was able to expound the philosophy of the Gita. When Pandit Lal Chand listened the scholarly answer from Chhaju, he bent his head in shame and besought the forgiveness of Guru Sahib. Pandit Lal Chand became the Sikh and escorted the Guru Sahib up to Kurukashatra.

When Guru Sahib reached Delhi, he was greeted with great fervor and full honors by Raja Jai Singh and the Sikhs of Delhi. Guru Sahib was lodged in the palace of Raja Jai Singh. The people from all walks of life flocked the palace to have a glimpse (Darshan) of Guru Harkrishan Sahib. Some chronicles mention that prince Muzzam also paid a visit.

In order to test the Guru's intelligence, of which everyone spoke very highly, Raja Jai Singh requested the Guru Sahib to identify the real queen out of the equally and well dressed ladies surrounding Guru Sahib. The Guru at once went to a lady dressed as a maidservant and sat in her lap. This lady was the real queen. There are also many different stories we find in some other Sikh accounts relating to Guru Sahib's mental ability.

Within a short span of time Guru Harkrishan Sahib through his fraternization with the common masses gained more and more adherents in the capital. At the time, a swear epidemic of cholera and smallpox broke out in Delhi. The young Guru began to attend the sufferers irrespective of cast and creed. Particularly, the local Muslim population was much impressed with the purely humanitarian deeds of the Guru Sahib and nicknamed him Bala Pir (child prophet). Even Aurangzeb did not tried to disturb Guru Harkrishan Sahib sensing the tone of the situation but on the other hand never dismissed the claim of Ram Rai also.

While serving the suffering people from the epidemic day and night, Guru Sahib himself was seized with high fever. The swear attack of smallpox confined him to bed for several days. When his condition became serious, he called his mother and told her that his end was drawing near. When asked to name his successor, he merely exclaimed 'Baba Bakala'. These words were only meant for the future (Guru) Teg Bahadur Sahib, who was residing at village Bakala near river Beas in Punjab province.

In the last moment Guru Harkrishan Sahib wished that nobody should mourn him after his death and instructed to sing the hyms of Gurbani. Thus the 'Bala Pir' passed away on Chet Sudi 14,(3rd Vaisakh), Bikrami Samvat 1721, (30th March, 1664) slowly reciting the word "Waheguru" till the end. Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib paying tribute to Guru Harkrishan Sahib stated in "Var Sri Bhagoti Ji Ki"... "Let us think of the holy Harkrishan, Whose sight dispels all sorrows..."




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Addictive Chinese Made Sleep Aid Being Pulled Off Shelves in Canada

Another blow against Chinese made goods via Angry, as Health Canada finds an undeclared addictive drug in a Chinese sleep supplement..

Seriously, how can anyone comfortably consume any Chinese produced foods, medications, or drugs after all the negative exposure?

British Honour Killing of Kurdish Muslim Woman by her Family

Via Relapsed Catholic, Bloodthirsty Liberal posts about the killing of Banaz Mahmod and how her family had her raped and beaten before murdering her. Anyone who thinks honour killings don't occur in Muslim families is sadly mistaken. This kind of thing is what 'feminists' should be working to stop, or at least have the penalties fit the crime.


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Friday, July 06, 2007

Honour Killing of Muslim Ismaili Woman Married to Sikh Man?

I wonder if this is an honour killing of Shemina Hirji. She was just married according to the article and had written about the role of Sikh teachers in the BC school system. Her husband, Paul Cheema, from his name sounds like a Sikh as well. I don't know either of them or the background, but if it is an honour killing I wouldn't be surprised. The surprise would be if it was committed by an Ismaili who aren't generally known for doing those sorts of things. It's a sad situation as it is and would be made only more so if it turns out to be an honour killing based on a Muslim woman marrying a Sikh man.
A newlywed school principal was slain and her husband hospitalized in an apparent home invasion Thursday.

Shemina Hirji was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived on scene in the afternoon.

Her body remained in the Burnaby condominium unit as investigators combed the area for clues late into the evening.

Ms. Hirji's husband, Paul Cheema - whom she married Saturday in a lavish ceremony - was taken to hospital. Police said his injuries were not life-threatening.

Police would not say how Ms. Hirji died, or the nature of Mr. Cheema's injuries.

Police said a man called from the condominium at 12:15 p.m., saying he and his wife had been attacked by three men.

He was able to describe two of the assailants to police. He said the first was a tall Caucasian man wearing a brown suit, and the second was a dark-skinned man wearing a ski mask. The third man was not identified.

RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr said the suspects fled.

"RCMP dog service and air service searched but we were unable to identify the suspects," Mr. Carr said.

Police were tight-lipped as they escorted neighbours out of the complex, surrounded the building with police tape, and searched the condominium.

Ms. Hirji, who is principal of A.H.P. Matthew elementary school in Surrey, B.C., was a member of Burnaby's Ismaili community.

Arris Meghji, the honorary secretary for the Ismaili Council of BC, said Ms. Hirji's death "is a big shock. We really were not prepared for this -- how can you be?"

Mr. Meghji added: "We pray for the family. This was such a tragedy and we are going to support the family as best we can."

Standing outside the Ismaili community's mosque in Burnaby, he described Ms. Hirji as "a great person, very gentle and very compassionate. So this was a true shock."

Ms. Hirji received her bachelor's degree in education from Simon Fraser University in 1991 and wrote her master's thesis on the role of Sikh teachers in the B.C. school system.

Professor June Beynon was Ms. Hirji's thesis supervisor.

"She was a close friend of mine," Ms. Beynon said. "She was fabulous. She loved kids."

Ms. Hirji contributed to several academic papers on the subject of language, culture and education, and also worked on Ministry of Education teachers' resources. She had been principal of the elementary school since 2005.

UPDATE
I found this from another source, The Province, it seems the husband was a Sikh,
The husband, Narinder (Paul) Cheema, told police that three men entered the home and attacked him and his wife, leaving her dead and him injured.

Neighbours said the couple married just last weekend.

"He described two of the suspects as a tall Caucasian in a brown suit and a dark-skinned man wearing a ski mask," said Carr. "He was unable to describe the third man."

Carr said any witnesses should come forward.

"We're out doing neighbourhood canvassing," said Carr, who would not confirm the name of the victim or her husband.

Hirji has published numerous academic studies of ethnics in education, including "Teachers of Punjabi Sikh Ancestry: Their Perception of Their Role in the British Columbia Education System," and "Teachers of Chinese Ancestry: The Interaction of Identities and Professional Roles."

Hirji completed her bachelor of education at Simon Fraser University in 1991.

In 1998 she wrote a thesis for a master's degree on "The Roles of Teachers of Punjabi Sikh Ancestry in the British Columbian Education System." In it, she wrote:

"This thesis is dedicated to my parents Amir and Roshan Hirji, who have supported and encouraged me in all that I do."

She also concludes: "It is critical to acknowledge teachers of Punjabi Sikh ancestry not just as 'professional ethnics,' but as educators with a range of skills and talent as varied as those of their mainstream colleagues."


Update 2
Angry has a nice post about the changing fortune of Paul Cheema. Shemina's brother-in-law and his wife should be commended for the way they've handled the adversity of what's happened so far. As a Sikh, I must say that the community should pray for the soul of this woman who was murdered so soon after what should have been a highlight of her life.


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Thursday, July 05, 2007

Best Wishes on Gurpurab of Sri Guru Hargobind Ji

Guru Hargobind Ji was a revelation in giving guidance to Sikhs and helping to build the foundations on which the Panth rests today. His guidance and direction so many years ago helped shape the Khalsa and Sikhism. His moral leadership is a beacon and model for all humanity and an example that should be emulated.

From Sikhs.org,
From a young age he was educated in the sciences, sports and religion as his father had insisted. Baba Buddha was responsible for overseeing the Guru's religious teachings.

During the Guruship ceremony Guru Hargobind respectfully declined to wear the Seli (woolen cord worn on the head) which had been passed down on each successive Guru since Guru Nanak. Instead the Guru asked for a sword. Baba Buddha, never having handled a sword before, placed it on the wrong side of the Guru. Guru Hargobind noticing this, asked for another sword saying "I'll wear two swords, a sword of shakti (power) and a sword of bhakti (meditation)." Henceforth the Guru would always carry two swords to symbolize his dual role of holding secular power (Miri) and spiritual authority (Piri).

Soon after his ascension to Guruship in 1606, Guru Hargobind laid the foundation of a new temple at Amritsar; the Akal Takht. The Akal Takht was built facing Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple). Guru Hargobind had a throne built, and would administer Sikh affairs from here. The temporal nature of the Akal Takht balanced the spiritual nature of the Golden Temple, emphasizing the dual concepts of Miri and Piri introduced by the Guru. Guru Hargobind donned the royal regalia of a King and was known by the Sikhs as Sacha Padshah (The True King).

Guru Hargobind knew that the Sikh's would no longer take their freedom for granted, he undertook to steel his Sikhs against tyranny and oppression. The Guru now gave instructions to the Masands and to all the other Sikhs that they should make offerings in the future of horses and weapons rather than just money. The Hindus had become so weak that they could not contemplate any kind of resistance to the rulers of the date. The Sikhs did not believe in self-denial alone; they grew increasingly aware of the need for assertion also. They wielded arms and lived an active life, reared horses, rode on them, and racing and hunting became their pastimes. Guru Hargobind encouraged Sikhs in physical activity and weapons training as well as prayers. Soon an army of one thousand horses was raised. The spiritual side was not neglected. Guru Hargobind would rise long before the day dawned and after his bath in the holy tank, would go into meditation. The Guru would then join his Sikhs for prayers both in the mornings and evenings. Guru Hargobind did not want his emphasis on the temporal caused by the necessity for a war like posture to detract his followers from the spiritual ideals of Sikhism.

CBC - News Division's Editorial Miasma Leads to Samosa "Documentary"

Any of you who have read, seen, heard or otherwise know of the "documentary" report broadcast by the CBC should read the following. What passes for journalistic standards as exemplified by that broadcast is an embarrassment - for Canadians. By CBC's own standards, the report was unbalanced, where were the range of opinions needed to put political involvement by religious, ethnic and visible minorities (in this case Sikhs) into context?

The CBC itself says the following regarding a single program or episode,
Single programs dealing with a major controversial issue should give adequate recognition to the range of opinion on the subject. Fairness must be the guiding principle in presentation, so that the audience is enabled to make a judgment on the matter in question based on the facts.

In exceptional circumstances, a program may be based on the personal view of an individual. When that occurs, the audience must be made aware of the personal character of the program. The personal view must be that of an individual with demonstrable expertise in the subject matter of the program.


The CBC also states the following regarding 'investigative journalism',
Programs may lead the audience to conclusions on the subject being examined. These must be logical conclusions derived from the facts and not from expressions of editorial opinion or unfair methods of presentation. It is essential, therefore, that to conform with the principles of accuracy, integrity, fairness and comprehensiveness, the programs must be based on the most scrupulous and painstaking research. They should take into account all the relevant evidence available and should include recognition of the range of opinion on the matter in question.

In investigative programming, in the interest of fairness, opportunity should be given for all parties directly concerned to state their case. In circumstances where research reveals the necessity to conduct interviews in which individuals are to be held accountable for their actions or those of their organizations in a matter of public interest, while the purpose of the interview should be disclosed in broad terms in advance, information can be divulged and questions can be asked in ways that ensure candid and unrehearsed answers are obtained for the public.


Having watched the broadcast I found the following which for the most part are one of the following: unproven allegations, innuendo, half-truths, and misrepresentations.

1. Claim that Khalistan movement killed 100's of Canadians - Where has this EVER been proven? Sikhs love Canada as their own. Just as anyone in Canada can support the Free Tibet movement, or any other movement, if Sikhs support an independent state called Khalistan it is in that context of Freedom of conscience, speech and other human rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. God Bless Canada and the freedom we have in Canada to speak our mind without fear of Death, torture, rape, etc...
2. Glorification of violence - Sikhs don't glorify violence, but highlight their military history, similar to how Canada and numerous other nations do in military/ war museums
3. Air India linked to Khalistan movement - Sikhs condemn and have consistently condemned anyone associated with bringing down the Air India flight, whatever their motivation - irrespective of whether the perpetrators were Indian agents, Canadian, Sikh, Khalistani or otherwise. FLQ committed violent acts in the name of Quebec, but NO one can condemn all supporters of Quebec separatism as FLQ members or as murderers - the same holds true for Khalistan supporters.
4. Use of the term "so-called" 5 Beloved Ones - using a disparaging tone or condescension in making an argument only shows the level of the animosity or lack of merit in the argument of the one doing so
5. Attempt to discredit the WSO - this organization has consistently come out on the side of non-violence and non-violent protest, to imply otherwise is unjust, unfair, and definately motivated by some other agenda
6. Ujjal Dosang called a "Sikh" - When has Ujjal Dosangh ever called himself a Sikh? How can anyone call him a Sikh or represent him to be a Sikh when he doesn't make that distinction himself? From what I understand, Ujjal, his father and grandfather were members or otherwise affiliated with the Communist Party and his native village Dosanjh Kalan is known as a commie haven.
From comments atPublic Eye in 2005,

Ujjal has moved steadily right from his early days in the Communist Party of Canada-Marxist Leninist before the NDP flirtation.

Surely the Liberal Party of Canada will only be a way station on the road to Stephen Harper's cabinet.

The only ism Ujjie believes in is opportun-ism!

7. Comparing legal political involvement to assassinations - does Terry Milewski have any evidence that anyone in Canada had anything to do with the murder of anyone in India? Does Terry Milewski think that Canadians shouldn't be involved in politics? What purpose and whose agenda does it serve to link the LEGAL political involvement of Sikhs with anything illegal?
8. In the report the point is put forward by Ujjal Dosangh and Terry Milewski that Sikhs did not want to support Bob Rae at the Liberal convention because of his comments about Air India - Does he have any independent proof that what Bob Rae said or did in his convention speech had anything to do with how Sikh delegates voted? Why not ask Gerrard Kennedy or Stephane Dion if Sikhs said anything regarding Air India to them as a condition of support? Probably because it's simply not true.
9. Attribution of Air India disaster to Khalistan movement allegedly by the families of the victims of the Air India tragedy - I didn't see any victim of Air India making that allegation. The fact is Sikhs as mentioned earlier, have condemned openly the bombing of Air India. The role of the Canadian government, Indian government and individual Canadians has not been resolved or proven in court. Neither you nor I know what happened and who was involved. If two Globe and Mail journalists can put out a book predicting the results of both the criminal trial and public inquiry years in advance, doesn't it make sense to explore the possibility and evidence pointing to a cover up?

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Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Islamist Recruiter - 7/7 Bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan

David Frum pointed me to Prospect magazine which has a feature story using interviews with Khan's brother on how Khan became an Islamic recruiter and force for the evil design of Islamic supremacism. The article also touches on funding sources for mosques (Saudi, HUT, Muslim Brotherhood), and Wahabbism.

Here's an excerpt below (emphasis is mine in bold and large type). Pay attention to the part about how they find out about the interests of the target person and focus on those. From a previous post, I pointed to an article that mentions this is the tactic they use in trying to convert people from other religions ie: Sikhs and in particular they try and find Sikh girls going through a spot of trouble to convert. Unfortunately, many girls end up being used as prostitutes or trophies in Pakistan for money.
it takes about 30 years for a sizeable second generation to establish itself and then become frustrated with its status, both within its own community and the wider society. This frustration arises in part from a question of identity. Whose culture and values do you affiliate with? Those of your parents or of your friends? Those of your community or of your country?

Hassan Butt, a former recruiter for the British jihadi network (the term violent Islamic extremists in Britain use to describe themselves), who twice met Sidique Khan, says that the reason radical Islamic movements in Britain have been able to recruit thousands of young Muslims is that they have managed to exploit this identity problem.

Butt—who was interviewed in the August 2005 issue of Prospect, just after 7/7—left the jihadi network in February 2006. (His route out, documented in a recent interview on the US current affairs programme 60 Minutes, has been slow and painful, and earlier this year he was attacked near his home in Manchester for his betrayal.) After he left the network, Butt told me that as a recruiter, his most important job was to discover what his potential recruit identified with, and then to pick holes in it. For example, if the potential recruit felt Pakistani, then Butt would focus upon the difficulty of being both British and Pakistani. Butt and many other recruiters find this easy because they know what it is like. Having lived in Britain all his life within a strongly Pakistani household, Butt felt neither British nor Pakistani. "When I went to Pakistan," he said, "I was rejected. And when I came back to Britain, I never felt like I fitted in to the wider white British community. And you've got to remember that a lot of our parents didn't want us to fit into the British community."

Religion—in this case a purified and politicised version of Islam, far from the traditional "folk" religion of the first generation—was a natural way of transcending this cultural dislocation. "Here come the Islamists and they give you an identity… you don't need Pakistan or Britain. You can be anywhere in the world and this identity will stick with you and give you a sense of belonging....

According to Butt, the other big factor that has helped Islamist recruiters is the fact that in many communities, Islamists are winning what some have termed a "civil war" within Islam. For simplicity's sake, contemporary Islam can be divided into four schools: traditionalists, fundamentalists, modernists and Islamists. Unlike the split between Christian fundamentalists and other Christians, both Islamic traditionalists and fundamentalists lean towards scriptural literalism. The main difference between the groups is how they regard the 1,400 years of theological innovation since Muhammad's death.

While traditionalists will not hesitate to draw upon centuries of scholarly argument, evolution in Sharia law and changes in accepted Islamic practice, fundamentalist movements—of which the Saudi-backed Wahhabis are the most important—reject all theological innovation since the life of Muhammad and his closest companions. Muslims, they say, should pay attention only to the holy book and the collected sayings and doings of Muhammad. This is why, over the last 50 years, Wahhabi authorities in Saudi Arabia have demolished more than 300 historical structures in the holy cities of Medina and Mecca. They want to create a timeless Islam....

On the other side, British fundamentalists and Islamists are centrally funded. It is estimated that over the last two decades, Saudi Arabia has set aside $2-3bn a year to promote Wahhabism in other countries. It is not known how much of that money has come to Wahhabi groups in Britain, but one major recipient has been the Leeds Grand Mosque.

Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb ut-Tahrir are also centrally funded. They gather money from members, pass it to a central administration which then hands it back out again. These groups' lack of local community focus means that they have to compete harder for "market share," which has made them hungrier and more efficient....

I translated my usual question of whether he thought what his brother had done was "good" or "bad"—he had said that it was a terrible thing several times—and instead asked him whether he thought 7/7 was halal (permitted) or haram (forbidden) in Islam. Only when a look of stunned surprise come over Gultasab's face did I realise that I must have been asking him an entirely different question. After a brief pause, he replied. "No comment."

Here, it seemed, was the perfect example of the division between two worldviews—secular ethics and an embattled Islamic faith. How long had Gultasab managed to function with these two conflicting positions fighting within him? Everyday morality told him that his brother had committed a cold-blooded act of terror, while his own Islamic theology told him that there was no clear answer and maybe his brother was a hero. How many thousands of young British Muslims are similarly conflicted?

This is a question that Peter Clarke, the head of Scotland Yard's counterterrorism unit, is still trying to answer. After three further suspects from the Beeston area were charged this April with being involved in helping to plot 7/7, Clarke held a press conference in which he accused some West Yorkshire Muslims of keeping information from the police. "I firmly believe that there are other people who have knowledge of what lay behind the attacks," said Clarke. "Knowledge that they have not shared with us. In fact, I don't only believe it. I know it for a fact."...

When I asked Gultasab why he didn't try to prevent his kid brother from going down the path of jihad, he gave a similar answer. No one had expected him to become a suicide bomber. Why would Sidique kill himself barely a year after his wife had given birth to a baby girl—on whom he apparently doted? This question was never really answered, but most people in Beeston were pleased that the kids were becoming more religious. "Better them being Wahhabi than on drugs," said Gultasab. "People appreciated the kids running a bookshop because they were peers to the younger generation—who were no longer listening to the elders." The elders thought that the kids would come back to their roots. As Gultasab told me, when marriages took place without family consent, people thought that eventually everything would just be reconciled, as things usually are between children and their parents. And why would Sidique, the moderniser of his community—and "the kindest member of our family"—end up committing such a barbaric act?"


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Pakistan On The Brink

Pakistan is facing the most serious threat to its very existence yet. Whether or not the country can survive in its current form is in serious doubt. An Islamic state has already been declared in the North of the country in Waziristan and now there is an ongoing battle in Islamabad in the capital city for the heart of the country. Whether Pakistan's government forces can stand resolute and win is very much in question. The only way it can survive as a country is if the forces stay loyal to their country. If the forces are riven by dissent and support for the Islamists, Pakistan will be done for.

There are a number of articles which I've found on this, mostly linking from Belmont Club. Here's an excerpt...
Pakistan Uncut is following operations against the rebellious Red Mosque in Pakistan. He has background, links to news items, pictures, maps and video. From the sound of it the Berkeley student movement, even in its salad days, had nothing on this.

The shootout erupted after six months of tension over the activities of the hardline Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, which has kidnapped several Chinese and Pakistani civilians as part of a freelance anti-vice campaign.

Students carrying Kalashnikovs and wearing gas masks took up positions behind sandbags and dirt bunkers chanting “Jihad! Jihad! (Holy war)”, as police in riot vans fired volleys of tear gas.
...


...the affair is unlikely to end until the the opponent can send no more reinforcements. With Pakistan's Northwest Frontier crawling with Taliban and al-Qaeda and the fact that this confrontation was long in coming, I would be truly surprised if the Red Mosque weren't reinforced or if diversionary attacks were not launched against the Pakistani government. A massive source of enemy reinforcements is very near at hand, and I wonder, how "crack" the Pakistani forces really are. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Pakistan is being ripped apart at the seams. The idea that it can stay a theological state without giving in to the logical conclusion that it become a fully Islamic state run by a puritan form of Islam (Sunni Salafi/ Wahhabi) is naive. The government has mollycoddled the Islamists for too long to the detriment of secular forces and the idea of a pluralistic society. Pakistan is becoming even more of a basket case.

The so-called 'elites' of Pakistan were too clever by half in thinking that they could control the energies of Jihadists once they'd been inculcated with the teachings of the Koran, the hadith and sunna of Mohammed. It's a sad state of affairs for them and for those who sought shelter in Pakistan from being dominated in India, only to be treated as refugees and parasites 50 years later. Make no mistake, it is the Pathan and Punjabi Jihadis who are seizing power by force, all others are subject to their whims. The only way civil forces can win is to fight, the one thing they don't know how to do. The Pakistan government will fight through the military, but may be undermined by Islamists within its own ranks. The Jihadis have more human resources, but if they get in position to win, then they run the risk of a full on assault by the US and allied forces to prevent them from taking over. The next thing you know, you've got Afghanistan Redux.

Additional reporting and commentary from The Fourth Rail confirming the loss of parts of Pakistan to Islamists already, with the capital city and the state itself being challenged next,
While the Taliban has successfully chipped away at the government's writ in the hinterlands of the settled districts of the Northwest Frontier Province and the wild tribal agencies bordering Afghanistan, the clerics of the Red Mosque have directly changed the writ of the government in its seat of power. The Pakistani government has repeatedly backed down to the Taliban in the Northwest Frontier Province and against lesser infractions by the leaders and followers of the Red Mosque. With the current political crisis over the dismissal of Pakistan's Chief Justice, President Musharraf is politically weak while his military has repeatedly signaled it is unwilling to act against the Taliban.

A failure to act will embolden an already bold enemy and promote the spread of the Talibanization of Pakistan. A strike on the mosque will lead to political turmoil and the possibility of an open insurrection from the Islamist parties and the Taliban. The Northwest Frontier Province and swaths of Baluchistan are largely under Taliban and al Qaeda control, and the reaction of the Taliban in these regions to the events in Islamabad bears close watching.


From The Strategy Page via Belmont Club,
Pakistan is facing a civil war between the military (representing about ten percent of the population), the Islamic militants (about 30 percent) and the secular political parties (60 percent). The military groups are the most disciplined, and are well funded by a military business empire (an outgrowth of military foundations established to provide pensions and such for veterans). The Islamic militants are the most poor and ill educated, with most of their supporters in the tribal areas. The political parties are crippled by partisanship and corruption, but are currently more united and focused by a desire to avoid a religious dictatorship, or a military one. The Islamic militants are trying to use terror to take over. The political parties use large demonstrations and strikes. The military has police and troops. No one wants a civil war, but everyone wants to run the country.



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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Bhopal II? Chemical Plant Finds Deliberately Hidden DEFECTIVE Parts From China

Would you want a Bhopal type of incident in your city? Tens of thousands died in that disaster in India. Don't think it can't happen in your western country, not with Chinese suppliers lying and defrauding their customers.

One blogger in particular has been consistently on top of all the fraudulent, counterfeit and dangers emanating from China, Steve Janke. Here's another excerpt from a posted article from Steve Janke, at Angry,
I have a report from Shell Chemical detailing a shocking problem discovered in Holland. Chinese-made piping for a major chemical plant was discovered to have been deliberately reworked to hide serious flaws that engineers believe could have resulted in disastrous consequences...

Shell, the Dutch petrochemical giant, is currently constructing a world-scale styrene monomer/propylene oxide plant at Moerdijk, The Netherlands, known as MSPO-2.

Don't worry if you didn't know that.

Like any major industrical chemical operation, huge pipes will move massive volumes of potentially lethal chemicals from point to point in the processing. These pipes can't fail, or else people die.


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Loving Adoring Children? or Hard-Core Jihadist Muslim?

Either the parents of Islamo muslim terrorists are ignorant as to their children's true emotive forces, or they are dissembling. It seems that the parents of these people are invariably quoted as being something other than that which they are charged.

If the results of the investigation and resulting case in the UK goes against the muslim doctor and finds him to be guilty of being a terrorist mastermind, then you have to wonder which of the above was true for the parent who was quoted in the news. What does it actually mean when the parent describes the son as being a 'good' muslim?

Are these the actions we, as in non-muslims, can expect from 'good' muslims in our communities?

Can we truly trust muslims, generally speaking, considering that terrorists have come from a wide spectrum of educational and economic backgrounds and there doesn't seem to be ANY discernible co-ordinated response from muslims to root these people out from their midst?

It would be one thing if some muslims were fighting for independence in their country of origin as a result of human rights grievances, or oppression, it's quite another when they are attacking the countries which have allowed them in and provided them with freedom and opportunity. Why emigrate to countries whose national status you do not even recognize? or you consider to be part of a so-called Dar-Al-Harb (House of War).
In Amman, Jordan, the father of Asha described his son as a good Muslim, not a fanatic, and expressed incredulity that he could be involved in an al Qaeda-style bomb plot.

"I am sure Mohammed does not have any links of this nature because his history in Jordan and since he was a kid does not include any kind of activity of this nature," he said.


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