Posts Tagged ‘Mumbai terror attacks’
Ajmal Kasab Trail gets underway
The trial of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving terrorist in the Mumbai Terror attacks of November 2008, opened on Monday. Kasab has been charged with murder and ‘waging war’ against India. Kasab faces death penalty if found guilty of involvement in the terror attacks. Since the $400,000 tunnel linking the prison cell of Kasab and the Court premises is under construction, the accused made a virtual appearance in the Court through video link. Kasab is receiving regular medical help at his Arthur Road Jail cell currently under a three-tier security cordon. On his request, Kasab has been provided with an Udru translation of Mahatma Gandhi’s My Experiments with Truth for reading in his prison cell. On the first day on the three week long trial, Kasab confessed that he was a Pakistani national. During the trail proceedings Judge Tahilyani had proposed to provide Kasab with a Government appointed defense lawyer. The next hearing is scheduled for March 30.
In an atmosphere where Pakistan is negotiating peace deals with terrorists and the U.S. has been accused of torturing ‘terror suspects’, India has put a terror suspect on trial. Is this the victory of India’s democratic process or the lack of resolve on India’s part? Is India going soft on terrorism or is the country right in extending the right to habeas corpus to people alleged of involvement in terrorist activities?
Mumbai Attacks and Resilience of India’s Democracy
The 11/26 terror strikes in Mumbai, India is a reminder of the vulnerability of ’soft targets’ across the globe. 170 people, including 30 foreign nationals, lost their lives in the incident. The terror attacks had raised several questions on the efficiency of the country’s intelligence apparatus and political structure to prevent and manage such brutal attacks on the population. The country is seething with public anger with the political establishment. In the midst of this hysteria and fears of a military confrontation between India and Pakistan, a positive development can be discerned. The democratic process, in principle and practice, has withstood the critical test of unforeseen and aggressive exigencies. It is inspiring and interesting to analyse the performance of democracy in India during this critical crisis. Click to continue…
Pakistan’s Anti-terrorism Resolution - Law or Hype?
The terrorist attacks on India’s financial capital, Mumbai, on November 26, 2008 raised concerns over Pakistan’s commitment and ability to fight terrorism. India has launched a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan by claiming to provide credible evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks. The international community while emphasizing on the utility of handling the on-going crisis through diplomatic avenues maintains that Pakistan needs to act pro-actively in ensuring that terrorists do not receive official support or safe haven in its territory. Demands and suggestions relating to Pakistan’s counter-terrorism policy have multiplied manifold following the Mumbai attacks. However there is little realization that the Mumbai attacks occurred only a month after Pakistan had reviewed its National Security Strategy and the Parliament had passed a 14-point Anti-Terrorism Resolution on October 22, 2008. The Resolution had sought to exemplify Zardari Government’s stand on counter-terrorism, in principle and policy. In the wake of the mounting pressures on Pakistan to crack down on terrorists it is important to ascertain the extent to which the Resolution has, or is capable of, altering Pakistan strategy to deal with terrorism. Click to continue…