Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Religious extremism is not a Paki import –Dr. Jamal

12 November 2007
Report: Uken

Dr. Jamal, Second Secretary of Pakistan High Commission in Maldives has said it is difficult to believe that religious extremism is a Pakistani import and that fugitives wanted in the Sultan Park explosion of September 29, 2007 are in Pakistan. He made the statement to Velidhoo News, when asked for a comment on press briefing held by Maldives police where they confirmed that the 10 fugitives are in Pakistan.

Dr. Jamal said that Maldives police have asked for their assistance in finding out whether they are in Pakistan. He said that he does not believe that 10 terror suspects are in Pakistan and that he is disappointed and saddened by the allegations that terror suspects were trained in Pakistan to make such improvised explosive devices, IED.

Dr. Jamal refuting the claims that these terror suspects made the IED after graduating from madrasas in Pakistan and suspects may be in madrasas after fleeing from Maldives, said that if they received training to make IED’s it should not take three months to make one.

“If they received training from Pakistan, they will make one in just a day, it seems they took 3 months to make one, it means for 3 months they studied and experimented on how to make one, they made the experiment on their own; secondly, now in Pakistan foreign students are not authorized to join madrasas, it is important to note that in the fight against terrorism initiated by Pakistan government after the September 11 incident, all foreign students studying in madrasa were sent back to their countries, the madrasas are now required to be registered with “Wasaakul Madaris” a government controlling body, the government has strict control of the curriculum and other activities, so it is unbelievable these madarsas would conduct training on how to make bombs and other terrorist techniques, this I am very sure, these allegations are just speculations” explained Dr. Jamal.

Dr. Jamal insisted that religious extremists in Maldives did not receive their hard line thinking from Pakistan.

He said “During the briefing given at Foreign Ministry on the Himandhoo issue, I asked the foreign Ministry official whether there was any body who received his education from Pakistan amongst the extremists of Himandhoo, they told me there was none; there are Sheikhs who are not authorized to give sermons, they were not educated in Pakistan, they received their education elsewhere”.

Regarding the statements of police that 10 terror suspects are in Pakistan, Dr. Jamal said that police are saying that because they have purchased their tickets to go to Karachi from Sri Lankan Airlines. Dr. Jamal noted that this does not mean that they are in Pakistan and said that the suspects could be anywhere in the neighboring countries, like Sri Lanka, India or Pakistan.

“The bottom line is they just want to flee, they could be anywhere in Sri Lanka, India or Pakistan; they just bought the ticket to Karachi they may not gone there” added Dr. Jamal.

On asked how the visa to Pakistan on educational purposes is obtained Dr. Jamal clarified that visa is given upon submission of visa application form along with a government document. However visa is not granted to join any madarsas as Pakistani government has banned foreign students attending madrasas.

Dr. Jamal said Maldivian had received education from madarasa before September 11 attack, and asked why those received education from madrasas, suddenly became so active after being silent for so long.

Dr. Jamal said Pakistan would make every effort to find out if they are in Pakistan and to apprehend them if they are in Pakistan. He noted that Pakistan and Maldives have always enjoyed friendly relations.

Maldives revealed 10 terror suspects wanted in the Sultan Park probe was in Pakistan on the 7 of this month. The 2 initial suspects wanted in the probe, Abdul Latheef Ibrahim age 24 of L.Kalaidhoo left Maldives on the 17 of September, Ali Shameem age 25 of Sh. Komandoo left Maldives on the 22 of September, these 2 were barred from traveling abroad as they had expressed their desire to carry out jihad, however they left Maldives with the help Warahumath Ahmed of M. Radium Kokaa, an Immigration Officer sympathetic to their cause.

The additional 8 wanted in the Sultan Park probe are, Hassan Yousuf age 26 of Mirusmaage / L.Kalhaidhoo, Mohamed Amin age 23 of Kariyaage / Maathadu / Fuvahmulak, Hassan Riyaz age 21 of Dazy Villa / Haa Dhaalu Nehlhaidhoo, Mohamed Iqbal age 38 of M. Naseemee Villa / Male’, Mohamed Imadh age 27 of Amaaz / B. Dharavandhoo , Ibrahim Maslamath age 31 of Ma.Gold Ring / Male’, Hussain Shimadh age 25/ B. Dharavandhoo and Moosa Manik age 20 of Harudhulaage / S. Hithadhoo.

According Maldives Police they left the country before the detonation of the home made bomb.

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