Posted on 07/03/2007 7:59:26 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
A soldier, two policemen and two students are among the dead. After several hours of shooting outside the controversial Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) a ceasefire was negotiated. Armed students at the mosque and religious schools linked to it have defied the authorities for months in a campaign for Islamic Sharia law. The mosque and the two madrassas (religious schools) attached to it have been at the centre of a number of high-profile incidents. These include the kidnapping of police and people the mosque says are involved in immoral activities such as prostitution.
Injured The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan who is outside the mosque says the ceasefire was negotiated by a politician from the MMA, a coalition of Islamic parties. Police and doctors say two policemen, one soldier, two students and a passer-by were killed. A cameraman filming the violence also died. Other reports put the death toll at more than 10.
At the height of the violence, regular police and paramilitary units ringing the mosque compound were replaced by what appeared to be special forces, our correspondent says. Ambulances and journalists were told to move further away from the scene.
Large groups of students - mostly armed with sticks and petrol bombs, but some with guns and wearing masks - have been patrolling around the mosque. The first confirmed death on Tuesday - of a paramilitary soldier - was the first fatality in the prolonged stand-off between the authorities and the students. A senior paramilitary official, Masha Allah, told reporters outside the Lal Masjid that the soldier had been "killed in the firing from inside the mosque". Doctors at a nearby hospital later said two students had also succumbed to their gunshot injuries. The students say scores of people from the mosque have been affected by the tear gas. Doctors confirmed they were treating about 60 people suffering the effects of tear gas, the Associated Press news agency reported. Several students had bullet wounds, doctors said. Kidnappings There are two religious schools (madrassas) attached to the mosque, one for men, one for women.
Tuesday's trouble started when a group of female students came out in large numbers and the paramilitary police used tear gas against them. Extra police had been deployed around the mosque earlier in the day. An official said the move was to prevent the seminary students from taking the law into their own hands. Mosque leaders say the security forces started the trouble by erecting barricades near the mosque. Critics have attacked the government for failing to enforce its authority in the capital. Correspondents say the authorities have seemed unwilling or unable to act. President Musharraf has said security forces cannot raid the mosque for fear of reprisal suicide attacks.
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Clash at Islamabad's Red Mosque
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Batan-wielding, burka-clad, sharia-enforcing women of the Lal Masjid.
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Yesterday, Mr. Shahzad claimed the U.S. has been given a green light to attack targets at will in the tribal areas of North Waziristan and South Waziristan. These claims have been made in the past but the Pakistani government has continued to appease the Taliban and al Qaeda from the tribal areas to Islamabad. Recently, President Pervez Musharraf said he was willing to raid the Red Mosque but feared media coverage of the assault would radicalize the population.
At first, Maulana Abdul Aziz and Ghazi Abdul Rasheed ordered their cadre of suicide bombers to hold fast. "We request all those who are to carry out suicide bomb attacks not to carry out any attack at this moment," Reuters reported. Suicide bombers from the allied Jaish-e-Mohammad are believed to be holed up in the mosque. Aziz and Ghazi have repeatedly threatened to launch a suicide campaign if the mosque was assaulted by Pakistani security forces.
Aziz and Ghazi have now issued a broadcast within the mosque calling for suicide attacks. "We had asked to stop the firing 10 minutes ago, but as the firing continues we are calling for suicide attacks," Reuters reported.
The clash at the Lal Masjid occurred as the Pakistani Rangers were reinforcing positions around the mosque.
See link at #21,,,,direct tie to the NATO action....
Armed students at the mosque and religious schools linked to it have defied the authorities for months in a campaign for Islamic Sharia law. The mosque and the two madrassas (religious schools) attached to it have been at the centre of a number of high-profile incidents. These include the kidnapping of police and people the mosque says are involved in immoral activities such as prostitution.Death to Islam. Oh, and wear real fur. I love how the kidnappings are referred to as "incidents". The gov't of Pakistan should round up and execute every one of these "students", and bulldoze the mosque and madrassas while the buzzards peck out the carcasses. But I don't mean that, figuratively.
Comments: They should have removed the mad brothers in the Red Mosque several months ago.
Re” #13
He really has no choice. The militant islamists have their base of support in this region. He has to root them out at the source or watch his country continue sliding toward civil war. I suspect this will be done in conjunction with major crackdowns in the cities. Things are about to get very unpleasant for the radicals in Pakistan.
He also has China and India looking over his shoulder. If the radicals take over in Pakistan, they are not likely to sit on their hands while some whackjob grabs the Paki nuclear football.
There is a lot at stake here. On both sides.
sounds good to me!
Well put.
The clowns in that pictured should of course have been mowed down thrown in a hole and buried over.
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