Let’s begin again By Kuldip Nayar dawn.com Samajwadi party supporters chant slogans and offer sweets during a rally in Allahabad celebrating the sentencing of Ajmal Kasab. The lone surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead was condemned to death by an Indian judge May 6 after a year-long trial over the bloody attacks that traumatised the nation. –AFP Photo/Diptendu Dutta Eleven-year-old Devika has not yet reconciled to what happened to her on Nov 26, 2008. While waiting at a bus stop, she was hit by a bullet and lost her right leg. That gunman Ajmal … Continue reading When will India deal with its Hindu Taliban?

Unanswered questions Dawn Editorial House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS),(C) speaks while flanked by Rep.David Price (D-NC) (L) ,House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX)(2nd-L) and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) (R),during a news conference on Capitol Hill on May 6, 2010 in Washington, DC. The House national security chairs spoke about the response to the attempted car bombing in Times Square and the arrest of Faisal Shahzad. – Photo by AFP. Provinces Four policemen killed in Mansehra attack Four policemen killed in Mansehra attack A lone wolf or member of a terrorist network? That is … Continue reading Faisal Shahzad – A lone wolf or member of a terrorist network?

The infrastructure of jihad By Cyril Almeida dawn.com This undated photo shows Faisal Shahzad, right, and his wife Huma Mian. Shahzad was arrested at a New York airport on charges that he drove a bomb-laden SUV meant to cause a fireball in Times Square, federal authorities said. –AP Photo/Orkut.com From the moment the world saw footage of the SUV belching smoke in Times Square, you just knew that it was going to be a Pakistani. And Faisal Shahzad didn’t disappoint. Never mind that the plot seems to be have been ridiculously amateurish, that the ‘bomb’ seems to have been assembled … Continue reading Is there an American Taliban infrastructure in place in the US?

Where a few plotters of terror and mayhem succeed, many more fail in spectacular fashion. Here’s a list of the standouts. By Freya Petersen Published: May 6, 2010 09:27 ET A police officer in New York’s Times Square on May 3, 2010, two days after a thwarted car bombing. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters) BOSTON — We begin with a simple truism: All bombers are losers. Now consider our list of the top-10 “loser bombers” — well, nine of them would-be bombers whose equipment, strategy, conviction or brains failed them when it mattered most, and one (very) amateur Kamikaze pilot. What all 10 have in common … Continue reading Top Ten Loser Bombers

The chief suspect in the case of the failed Times Square car bombing is Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad, who has confessed to the plot. Much of the media has latched onto Shahzad’s Muslim faith and his Pakistani identity, making inflammatory remarks and suggestions about Muslims and Pakistanis: – CNN contributor and Redstate.com blogger Erick Erickson complained that the words “muslim” and “Islam” are “not mentioned” enough in stories about Shahzad. He wrote, “It really is pathetic that you’re more likely to see the words “racist” and “Republican” together in the newspaper these days than “terrorism” and “Islam.” [5/4/2010] – Hate radio … Continue reading Media Ignore The Fact That Man Who Alerted Police To Failed Times Square Bombing Is A Muslim Immigrant

Minnesota: Woman asks Forgiveness for Election of First Muslim Amidst prayers for the entertainment industry a woman asked God to forgive Minnesota for electing the first Muslim to Congress. Religious right leaders ask God to forgive Minnesota for electing first Muslim Religious right leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday for “May Day 2010: A Cry To God For A Nation In Distress.” Topics addressed from the podium ranged from decrying the evils of Dakota Fanning to praying for God to take over Hollywood. But then the prayer turned to Minnesota — and a state woman’s … Continue reading Woman asks Forgiveness for Election of First Muslim

Paying for Pakistan By Mohsin Hamid If we raised tax revenues by a fifth, from 10 per cent of GDP to 12 per cent. That would give us Rs300bn a year. We could use that to rent a million classrooms for Rs10,000 per month. –Photo by APP dawn.com Here’s the great secret about Pakistan: we aren’t as poor as we like to think. Over the years I’ve travelled a fair bit around our country. I’ve ridden on the back of a motorbike in Gwadar, walked down streets in Karachi, explored bazaars in Peshawar. I’ve hiked in Skardu, fished (unsuccessfully) in … Continue reading Is Pakistan really poor?

‘This is your Eid present’: What attacker told Muslim woman as he wrapped her in a carpet and set her alight A robber wrapped a Muslim woman in a carpet and set fire to her after he raided her home. The attacker gained entry to the woman’s Westminster flat by claiming to be an inspector from her local council, but once inside he bashed her and tied her up before stealing thousands of pounds worth of valuables. As he left, he wrapped her in a carpet and set it alight, telling her: ‘This is your Eid present, you Muslim.’ The … Continue reading British Muslim woman attacked and set on fire in London

Lashings of ginger beer flying off the shelves as retro drinks make comeback Retro: Ginger beer is a popular ingredient in cocktails, such as this Moscow Mule Nostalgic Britons are turning back the clock to the days of drinking lashings of ginger beer, a new report has shown. The recession has given shoppers a taste for brands and flavours they enjoyed in their childhood – leading to a resurgence of old favourites including cloudy lemonade and Dandelion & Burdock. But the boom in traditional soft drinks of yesteryear is also being fuelled by increasing numbers of health-conscious Brits choosing products … Continue reading Lashings of ginger beer?

Not so fantastic Mr Fox! Curious cub gets head wedged in watering can This little fox cub got more than he bargained for when he investigated a garden watering can – and got his head stuck. The four-week-old cub was exploring a family’s garden when he poked his head into the tiny can. As the fox realised he was stuck, he became distressed and began to tear around the garden, bumping into objects while whimpering. Help! This four-week-old fox cub got his head stuck in a watering can as he investigated a garden Free at last: Staff at an animal … Continue reading Curious cub gets head wedged in watering can