Pakistani Police Release 800 Terrorists Of Banned Outfits

THE HINDUSTAN TIMES ^ | Islamabad, March 17, 2002

[Madiuq]

Over 800 terrorists, arrested following the ban on five jihadi groups imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on January 12, have been released under the newly-formulated conditional amnesty after the detainees signed an undertaking, promising not take part in extremist activities.

"Yes, the government has released those jailed activists of the five banned jihadi organisations on giving an undertaking that they would not take part in any extremist activity at least in the next couple of years," an official told Pakistan news agency NNI, adding that every one of them was released only after inking the bond.

The unnamed official said that the conditional amnesty would not be applicable to the leaders of the outfits. He said the leaders have not been offered any release package.

"They would be brought to justice after they are formally charged before courts," he said.

The released activists belonged to the Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Sipah-e-Sehaba of Pakistan, (SSP), Sipah-e-Muhammad and Harkatul Mujahideen, he said.

Of the five outfits, Jaish and Lashkar were blamed by New Delhi for various terrorists attacks, including the one on December 13 on Parliament, in India.

The conditional amnesty was announced after the police officials said that several persons who were not very actively connected with the outfits were taken into custody in the crackdown. Some of the arrested men also went to courts questioning their detention.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Reuters reported on this a week ago:

Pakistan Plans Amnesty for Islamic Radicals: MUSHARRAF PUPPET SHOW OFFICIALLY OVER

Reuters | March 08, 2002 12:31 AM ET

Posted on 3/7/02 9:46 PM Pacific by Cinnamon Girl

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan will grant amnesty to possibly hundreds of detained members of banned radical and militant Islamic groups, provided they first sign a written pledge to have no further contact with their groups, official media reported.

Pakistan rounded up more than 2,000 Islamic radicals in January following the banning by military ruler General Pervez Musharraf of five hard-line groups, including two blamed by arch rival India for a bloody December attack on its parliament.

"The government will not take any further action against those activists of the banned groups who were arrested but had no criminal charges...registered against them," APP quoted Haider as saying on a radio show late Thursday.

Haider added authorities in Pakistan's four provinces were preparing lists of those who could be released on a written undertaking that they would sever links with their banned parties or groups.

Pakistan has long been grappling with sectarian violence between now-banned hard-line groups from the rival Sunni and Shi'ite sects of Islam, and been under fire from India for policies seen to support militant Islamic groups fighting New Delhi's rule in disputed Kashmir.

The attack on the Indian parliament sparked the mobilization of up to a million troops along the nuclear-armed neighbors' border, raising fears of full-scale war.

Haider said the crackdown against sectarian groups would continue, while other suspected militants who avoided January's dragnet were still being hunted.

Around 600 people from sectarian groups accused of murder were awaiting trial and hearings would begin once a new system of anti-terrorist courts was in place.

"We are fully determined to stamp out this menace," Haider said.

Haider said earlier this week that a rash of sectarian attacks showed banned radical and militant Islamic groups had failed to heed government warnings and would face stern action.

Late last month, gunmen burst into a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, killing 11 worshippers and wounding 14 others. Monday, a Shi'ite doctor was gunned down and killed as he traveled to work in Karachi in a suspected sectarian attack.

Shi'ites make up about 15 percent of the population in Pakistan, an overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim country.

Haider's brother, Ehteshamuddin Haider, was shot and killed as he left his Karachi office in December, an attack analysts saw as a warning to Musharraf to be careful with Islamic groups that oppose Pakistan's support for the U.S. war on terrorism.

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[sheik yerbouty]

Pakistan should be on the terrorist list.

[lormand]

Expect the INS to grant them visas shortly.

[JustAnAmerican]

Anyone care to take a guess as to how long it will be before these "Reformed Activists" go back to being the radicals they are? I look for lots of Terrorist activity out of these groups within a week or less of being released.

[milestogo]

Maulana Fazalur Rehman released

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have released the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islama (JUI) Maulana Fazalur Rehman, his party said Sunday.

He was detained in October after he called for a jihad in support of Taliban militia during the US-led military campaign against the now ousted regime.

"He has been released and his detention order was withdrawn. He is back at his home," party spokesman Riaz Durrani said.

[AngrySpud]

Released, after promising to not take part in any extremist activity for "at least the next couple of years". UNBELIEVEABLE! Even if we can take them at their word, in 3 or 4 years they'll be back at it. Islamic extremists don't think in terms of "today" or "tomorrow" ... they're still irate at things that happened 1,000 years ago. Two years is as NOTHING to them!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Very nice.

"I won't go back to being a terrorist, trust me!!"

This is just like Arafat's "arrest and detainment" of Hamas members, which consists of taking them to the local jail and feeding them steak dinners for a weekend.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The grenade attack on a church service that killed 2 Americans would never have anything to do with these guys getting released. No, never never...

[Libertina]

would not take part in any extremist activity at least in the next couple of years
Tough talk on terrorism! I feel much better now. /sarcasm

[SauronOfMordor]

Anyone care to take a guess as to how long it will be before these "Reformed Activists" go back to being the radicals they are?

Five dead in Islamabad church attack

[SauronOfMordor]

Anyone care to take a guess as to how long it will be before these "Reformed Activists" go back to being the radicals they are?

Five dead in Islamabad church attack

[cake_crumb]

It was probably two of them who grenaded a Protestant church in Pakistan today, murdering 5 people, including an American embassy worker and her daughter.

[cake_crumb]

"Anyone care to take a guess as to how long it will be before these "Reformed Activists" go back to being the radicals they are?"

But gee...they said they'd be GOOD boys (for the next 5 years) they even signed an "agreement". EVERYONE knows you can ALWAYS believe the word of a terrorist. </SARCASM>

[cake_crumb]

"The grenade attack on a church service that killed 2 Americans would never have anything to do with these guys getting released. No, never never..."

You beat me to it! :- )

[MizSterious]

ping!

[csvset]

Probably just like this guy...

Mohamed Nazir

MOHAMED Nazir Mohamed Uthman, one of 13 Jemaah Islamiah (JI) members detained under the Internal Security Act for terrorist-related activities, 'is now very remorseful and regrets his action'. JI member Mohamed Nazir wants to "make amends" for his actions.

Mohamed Nazir, a 27-year-old bachelor, who used to work at PSA Corp, belonged to one of three clandestine cells that had planned to bomb certain targets here, including the American and Israeli embassies.

Now, he wants to teach younger Muslims 'the folly of his ways', said his lawyer, Mr Subhas Anandan.

Read more about him here.

ISA detainee 'brainwashed' by cell leader

[celtic gal]

With this kind of " help" is it any wonder it is going to take us years to get rid to these terrorists? Just in today's paper, the Afghans are telling how Op Anaconda is a failure and that the Americans don't listen to the tactics used against the Russians in the way that the Afghans fought then and the ways they hid etc, AND yet they turn around and let terrorists go!!!! INSANITY PREVAILS !!!:(

[mikeIII]

Pakistan should be on the terrorist list.

Yes. The pre-Powell State Dept. had enough evidence and were close to adding Pakistan to the list of countries that sponsored terrorism. Then came 9/11 and we wanted some way of reaching Afghanisthan.

[knighthawk]

After a while at the holiday inn they were released. What a scam!