[wvns] Red Mosque Leader Killed
Red Mosque Leader Killed
By Aamir Latif, IOL Correspondent
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1183484125865&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
An injured man is evacuated to a hospital after an assault by security
forces on the Lal Masjid or Red Mosque in Islamabad. (Reuters)
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani authorities announced Tuesday, July 10, the end
of an hours-long operation to end the Red Mosque standoff, confirming
the killing of its deputy leader Abdul Rashid Ghazi.
"I can confirm that Ghazi is dead. His body has been identified," Home
Secretary Kamal Shah IslamOnline.net.
An interior minister official told IOL that it is possible that the
body of Ghazi would not be handed over to his family for burial in
order to avoid any law and order situation.
"But no definitive decision has so far been taken in this regard," he
noted.
Security sources say that the roof of the compound in which Ghazi was
hiding was blasted by commandos forcing him to come out.
click for a photo gallery
"He (Ghazi) received a bullet in his leg before taking shelter in the
basement of Jamia Hafsa," a senior security official involved in the
operation told IOL.
"He was asked by army commandos to surrender. He rejected the offer
and came out with his heavily armed bodyguards, who all of a sudden
resorted to firing on commandos," he added.
"They (commandos) returned the fire, in which Ghazi and others were
killed on the spot."
The official also confirmed the death of Ghazi's 80-year old mother,
saying she was not killed in firing but her condition deteriorated due
to suffocation.
Umm-e-Hassan, the wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz, and his 13-year old
daughter Asma have been arrested by security forces.
Maulana Aziz and his elder daughter Tayyeba are already in custody.
There are conflicting reports about casualties in the operation.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao says that so far 50 militants
and 8 security officials have been killed, while independent sources
say that over 80 students and 12 security officials have been killed.
Over one hundred are reported to have been injured in addition to 30
security personnel.
Stiff Resistanc
With the break of dawn , security forces backed by armored personnel
carrier stormed the Red Mosque in central Islamabad.
"So far 50 deaths have been confirmed, besides four security personnel
in the ongoing operation", Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao told
IOL hours earlier.
"Sixty militants have surrendered themselves to the security forces in
the operation, while 20 children have been rescued," he added.
"To my knowledge, so far no woman or child has been killed in the
operation".
Major General Waheed Arshad, the army spokesman, later told a press
conference that eight security officials including a captain were
killed while 15 others were wounded in shootout with militants inside
the mosque compound.
Sherpao said that well-trained militants are putting up a stiff
resistance.
"They are very well-trained and well-equipped. Security forces are
facing a tough resistance as the militants are using heavy weaponry
against them."
Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, the head of Crisis Management Cell, said
the government showed exemplary patience.
"There was a total breakdown of dialogue at 3:30 am. The government
used every possible measure to resolve the crisis peacefully. But Mr.
Ghazi always defected from his stance leaving no other option for us,"
he claimed.
"We delayed the full-fledged operation because of the innocent
children and women taken hostage by the militants," he said.
"Almost 70 percent area of the Red Mosque and Jamia Hafsa has been
cleared off. Security forces are very careful in order to avoid any
unnecessary collateral damage."
Independent observers are skeptical about the government's point of
view regarding failure of talks.
"I don't understand what exactly happened after Mr. Ghazi, and the
Ulema delegation had agreed to negotiate. It is surprising," Javed
Malik, a political analyst, told IOL.
He cited a statement by Chaudry Shujaat Hussein, the chief of the
ruling PML(Q) party, saying that he had never been so disappointed in
his entire life as he is now.
"It is not clear who disappointed Shujaat Hussein, Ghazi or the
government," he said.
President Pervez Musharraf authorized Hussain, who served as premier
for three months in 2004, to broker the "last-ditch" negotiations to
end the standoff Monday, July 10.
A seven-member delegation, including Maulana Saleemullah Khan, head of
Wifaq ul- Madaris Pakistan which governs madrasahs belonging to
Dubendi school of thought, was to negotiate with Ghazi.
A decision was later taken to postpone the talks for Tuesday morning.
Malik, the analyst, noted that Information Minister Muhammad Ali
Durrani was briefing the newsmen about the proposed negotiation
process when he received a call in the midst of the conference and
immediately walked out.
"Our understanding was that everything was about to resolve when the
time for meeting between Mr. Ghazi and the Ulema delegation was
settled for Tuesday morning. But what happened later, it is a mystery
for me."
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