Lord Ahmed’s little problem with Pakistan’s pet jihadis Lashkar-e-Taiba
MEMRI reports on an article it spotted in Pakistan’s The Express Tribune. In “Britain’s Lord Nazir Ahmed Offers £10 Million Bounty for Obama, Bush”, Memri notes:
“In an expression of solidarity with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, British parliamentarian of Kashmiri origin Lord Nazir Ahmed has announced a reward for the [capture] of U.S. President Barack Obama and his predecessor, George W. Bush.”
Ahmed, allegedly, made his offer in light of the US posting a $10 million reward for the capture of Pakistani militant leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group (“Army of the righteous”). It organised the 2008 massacre in Mumbai, in which 174 people including nine gunmen were killed. Lashkar-e-Taiba tortured the Jewish victims before murdering them. As Saeed said: “Since our life revolves around Islam, therefore both dawa and jihad are essential, we cannot prefer one over the other.” In 2011, Saeed led a rally condemning America for killing Osama Bin Laden.
Patrick French wrote that Lashkar-e-Taiba operates in plain view of Pakistan’s officials.
Lashkar-e-Taiba was finally banned, under American pressure, by the Pakistani authorities in 2002, but not before shifting its financial assets into a charitable trust at the instigation of ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence service. Its military wing would only be used for operations against India in Kashmir — which was permitted…
Back to Lord Ahmed:
The British peer reportedly said: “‘If the US can announce a reward of $10 million for the (capture) of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of £10 million (for the capture of) President Obama and his predecessor, George Bush.”
“He made the announcement at a reception arranged in his honor by the business community of Haripur on Friday [April 13, 2012]. Former [Pakistani] foreign minister Goher Ayub Khan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) central leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, and [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] Provincial Minister for Education Qazi Muhammad Asad were also present [at] the occasion.
“Lord Nazir said that the bounty placed on Saeed was an insult to all Muslims, and [that] by [offering it], President Obama has challenged the dignity of the Muslim ummah.
“‘If the U.S. can announce a reward of $10 million for the [capture] of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of £10 million [for the capture of] President Obama and his predecessor, George Bush,’ Lord Nazir said, adding that he would arrange the bounty at any cost, even if he was left with the option of selling all his personal assets, including his house…”
Another source reprots:
He said that the US had fixed the head money of Hafiz Saeed purposively to keep Pakistan in defensive position. In reverse, he said, I announce 10 million dollars reward against Mr George W Bush. He said that he would collect the money whether he had to beg in the streets but Bush and Tony Blair should be charged with war crimes.
Ahmed has bene suspended from the Labour Party. He says:
They have suspended me? That’s a surprise to me. I did not know. I did not offer a bounty. I said that there have been war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan and those people who have got strong allegations against them – George W Bush and Tony Blair have been involved in illegal wars and should be brought to justice. I do not think there’s anything wrong with that… If the Labour Party want to suspend me I will deal with the Labour Party. They will have to give me some evidence.
Such are the facts…
Posted: 16th, April 2012 | In: Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
