Stop Pointing Fingers!: Mumbai Terror Attacks

Mumbai Attacks: The Scene in Taj Mahal / Photo by Reuters and Daily Mail UK

After the dust has been settled over the Mumbai attacks, people are still nervy about it. Especially in finding out who are these perpetuators are and their motives for the grisly attack in the heart of India’s financial power.

During the said attacks, reports have mentioned that a certain Deccan Mujahideen have emailed a copy to news agencies that cite their intentions about the attack. A supposed “copy” leaked over the internet.  A copy is found in this site: http://teentweens.blogspot.com/2008/11/deccan-copy-of-email-sent-by-mujahideen.html

You should know that your acts are not at all left unnoticed; rather we are closely keeping an eye on you and just waiting for the right time to execute your bloodshed. We are aware of your recent raids at Ansarnagar, Mograpada in Andheri and the harassment and trouble you created there for the Muslims

You threatened to murder them and your mischief went to such an extent that you even dared to abuse and insult Maulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan Qasmi and even misbehaved with the Muslim women and children there.

“If this is the degree your arrogance has reached, and if you think that by these stunts you can scare us, then let the Indian Mujahideen warn all the people of Mumbai that whatever deadly attacks Mumbaikars will face in future, their responsibility would lie with the Mumbai ATS and their guardians – Vilasrao Deshmukh and R R Patil. You are already on our hit-list and this time very very seriously.

There are a wide number of speculations on who are the perpetrators of the attacks and it reached to such extent of Pakistan involvement. Other reports have noted that some of the terrorists have British IDs. But whoever or whatever are the affiliations of these terrorists – they are still terrorists. Terrorism does not know any bounds, age, borders or even religion.

Photo of the gunman at Chatrapathi Sivaji Terminal railway station in Mumbai, India / Photo by AP, Mumbai Mirror, Boston.com

I also happen to read a certain post at Digg.com (source article is from Daily Mail UK) about the interrogation of the only terrorist that have been captured, Azam Amir Kasab. Here is an excerpt of the article:

He revealed that the ten terrorists, who were highly trained in marine assault and crept into the city by boat, had planned to blow up the Taj Mahal Palace hotel after first executing British and American tourists and then taking hostages.

Mercifully, the group, armed with plastic explosives, underestimated the strength of the
105-year-old building’s solid foundations.

As it is, their deadly attacks have left close to 200 confirmed dead, with the toll expected to rise to nearly 300 once the hotel has been fully searched by security forces.

Yesterday, Kasab chillingly went through details of Wednesday night’s killing spree across the city, which ended when he was cornered by police.

He pretended to be dead, which probably saved his life. It was only when he was being transferred to hospital by ambulance that his accompanying officer noticed he was still breathing.

Check this URL link for the full article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1090546/I-told-kill-breath-Captured-terrorists-account-Mumbai-massacre-reveals-plan-kill-5-000.html

The article is also submitted at Digg. Here is the link: http://digg.com/world_news/I_was_told_to_kill_to_my_last_breath

A Digg user named HCViolence commented on the said submission:

Religious fanaticism must be fought on all fronts. I remember a Roman Catholic named Tim blowing up a building in Oklahoma. However at no point did America hold all Catholics responsible for that attack, nor should they have. While we seem eager to blame the entirety of Islam for the attacks in Mumbai and New York it is important to remember that doing so is only adding fuel to the fire of the ongoing war between fanatical portions of the worlds religions. The same fanatics who want to draw the entire planet into their holy war. If we believe that ALL muslims are animals then we are doing what these terrorists want us to do.

The attacks on Mumbai presented a very complex and complicated case. The terrorists are well-armed (there have been reports that the terrorists carried food to keep themselves nourished throughout the siege), well-trained in close quarter and urban warfare, knew where they are going to attack and knew who are their specific targets.

We also know that India and Pakistan have several encounters in the past and they are the countries that butt their heads in that region. But as a logical way of solving a crime, pointing fingers should be averted until all the information are leading to the supposedly masterminds of the crime. I was kinda disappointed with the foreign minister of India who started pointing fingers to Pakistan as the masterminds of the attacks on Mumbai. Not siding with Pakistan though, but I think it is proper enough not to start pointing fingers at somebody while leaving the devil in the details unnoticed.

So far there have been no established identities and affiliations of the attackers. What we all have now is patches of evidence and a thick soup of speculations. It is time to stop pointing fingers if we want to combat terrorism and eradicate it. These guys (the terrorists) are getting stronger, sophisticated, trained and deadly as the days pass by. The more we blame other countries or point fingers to an organization without solid evidence is a working advantage for the terrorists to add confusion into the pond.

All we have to do is be more logical this time and study every detail of this case then lay out the effective course of action to eradicate terrorism and its roots.

Additional views: Pictures of Mumbai Attacks (Viewer Discretion advised)

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/11/mumbai_under_attack.html

Deccan Mujahideen: The Extremist Scums Who Attacked Mumbai

Maybe you have heard right now the terrorist attacks on Mumbai and seen the news flaring with distraught images of dead people, burning establishments, ear-breaking bomb blasts and intermittent crackle of gunfire. Up until now, people are still confused why the attacked happened, who are the perpetrators and what are the reasons for the attack.

Recent reports from various news agencies that a certain group called the Deccan Mujahideen who claimed responsibility for the attacks. Some more reports even stated that these previously unknown group are composed of young adults, ranged from 20-25 years of age. And yet, despite their young age ( I suppose), they are able to carry out one of the most hideous, well-planned and complex attacks, straight into the heart of India’s financial power. Terrrorists are now getting younger, some are even younger than these Deccans, which proves the virulity of this poisonous cocktail of spreading fear and religous supremacist ideologies.

Who are the Deccan Mujahideen? What are their motives? Why did they attacked Mumbai and killed scores of innocent people?

I tried to googled up the group’s name. I have found the terminologies for each word.

• Deccan – Literally, the south. A term employed by Mahomedan writers, to denote the country between the rivers Nerbuddah and Crishna. (http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=840&chapter=79883&layout=html&Itemid=27)

• Mujahideen – A Mujahid(Arabic مجاهد, muǧāhid, literally “struggler”) is a Muslim involved in a jihad, who is fighting in a war or involved in any other struggle. The plural is Mujahideen^[2] (Arabic: مجاهدين‎, muǧāhidīn). The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad (“struggle”). In Islamic scripture, the mujahid contrasts with the qaid, one who does not join the jihad. (Wikipedia.com)

Terrorism is like a shape-shifting ideology. It has brainwashed thousands of individuals who are cultivated into the ideology of spreading fear and hate. Well, yeah, thanks to Al-qaeda who want to exterminate their enemies as well as people who dont believe in their ideals – terrorism has bred everywhere and once in a while splinter groups such as the Deccan Mujahideen arised and armed themselves with the intention to kill as many people as they can.

From what I have known, Islam is defined as the religion of peace. But now, the extremists twisted the definition of Islam. It has become of a religion of hard-core terrorism.

I dont find anything holy on killing people such as the innocent civilians who are unfortunately got caught in the middle of this mayhem. And this goes out to other religious denominations too. I know that there are a whole bunch of religions out there – who have their own religious practices and ways to adore / worship their gods. From what I am seeing – the only difference is that we have different ways of worshipping a supreme being but still, we are worshipping a particular supreme being who have breathed life into us. And what kind of right do we have to brainwash people into shitty and twisted ideologies such as terrorism because of jihad? Nothing. You are just fighting for a lost cause.

Killing the innocents (whatever cause you may have) is still against the common laws of man. You have no right to take a life of an individual and make other suffer because of your-so-called-holy-reasons.

I condemn the people who are behind these attacks and all the terrorists out there. You are nothing but scums of earth, stupid holy worshippers, and bloodthirsty animals. You are acting like idiots in your lost cause. Well, you may be celebrating right now because of your so-called victory but every death you have caused out there in Mumbai will be the nails of guilt into your conscience.

All your supremacists and terroristic ideals will never succeed. The blood of the innocents will be staining your hands right now. And you will live your life with shame. Poor you, instead of working hard to raise a good family, get a good and simple life – you turned to terrorism, you have just turned yourselves into the evil cohorts from hell. Terrorism is not the answer here – if you want to change the world. You dont change the world by making big waves of change but instead the change that you wanted to have, should start within yourselves.

President Elect Obama and the Ailing Global Economy

In the past few days of ‘economic’ bad news such as Iceland going bankrupt; Singapore, Germany and Japan sliding into a recession; China facing tough times with angry and laid-off laborers; America still looking for the tunnel of light out of its recession etc. etc.

Reading the news or watching them on TV can be a headache nowadays. People are now facing the grim reality (and a harsh one too) of living in the dire straits and endless economic woes. Others have turned into survivalists and fatalists – anticipating the worst that can happen to their livelihood and economy.

The world suddenly stopped when United States elected its first African American president (I refuse to call him black because for me, it has racial tones) and as we know it – the rest are indeed history.

A few days later, after the euphoria, we are all back to the grim reality of an ailing global economy.

Economies across the world are so interconnected with each other that if anything happens to one major economy will ultimately lead to the receeding of small economies. Its like the whole context of butterfly effect / chaos theory smacked right into your face. President Elect Obama will not only worry about the US economy – he has to worry about the other economies that are also dependent to the US market. And oh boy, whether he liked it or not, he has the job with the most brutal and nasty job descriptions.

Everybody was inspired when President Elect Obama won the US elections (and are enthusiastically anticipating his historic induction on January). And with the hopes of President Elect Obama comes the elevated expectations and pressures on him – I can call this some sort of a ‘messiah complex’ wherein he is viewed as somebody who can pull us out from this economic sh*thole (thanks to the ‘lame duck’ administration of George Bush).

Dear readers, we all know that Obama can help us get through this sh*t. But what I want you to take note that Obama is still Obama – he’s still a real dude, still prone to mistakes and errors just like any other human etc. In short – let us keep our expectations real. You gave this guy 4 years to help fix the economy and let’s face it – 4 years are not enough to fix the ailing global economy. But the important thing is, Obama will be laying the foundations of the road towards economic recovery. And its no easy task.

Although, I have bad projections for the next year (I am expecting that it may get worse and certainly, more people will lose jobs), I am still keeping my belief in President Elect Obama. I have fair and realistic expectations for him. He may not be able to give the perfect solutions to the problems but I know, he always give the best of what he can. Fixing the economy is not also a task for him alone – its for all of us. We should be helping each other and help / support President Elect Obama into putting the foundations of the road towardss recovery – and eventually, getting our feet back towards progress.

No Communion for Obama Voters, says SC Priest

I came across this article, and honestly, it got me infuriated because this is so ridiculous. A South Carolina priest denies communion to Obama voters out of the reason that Obama is pro-abortion and says that “supporting him constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil.

Here is an excerpt:

A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him “constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil.”

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

“Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president,” Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

“Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ’s Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation.”

For full article, check on this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_re_us/obama_catholics

I cant understand why these nutcases always include their religion to politics. They are always shouting their moral blah blah and keep on brainwashing their parish folks to vote for the candidate they support. I find this priest, Rev. Jay Scott Newman to be discriminatory to his parish folks and instigate hate among people.

Rev. Newman, if you are preaching Catholicism in this way, then you are no different to the Radical Muslims who suppress free will and brainwash their folks to do radical things. You are just as radical as they are.

I believe that as a spiritual leader, you are there to guide your flock, not to brainwash and dictate them. Your style is no different too from fraylocracy. Google that one and you’ll see your similarities to it. And remember, YOU ARE NOT GOD TO DICTATE OVER THIS PEOPLE – you are a priest, a steward, NOT THE MASTER HIMSELF.

If your folks voted for a president that “supports abortion etc.” – anything that is against your beliefs, let them be. If they have done something wrong in their voting, let them make their penance and be guilty by their conscience.

That is why I am losing faith over this so-called religions. Why? because you are brainwashing people, you do not lead them to spiritual maturity, you make them think like a sheep and suppress free thinkers as well as discriminating agnostics and atheists. You are making your flock live and think in a box – the act that suppresses spiritual growth and free will.

I need my coffee again….

Homophobia at Arkansas

I came across with this Digg submission – an article from Daily Kos about the particular issue circulating around the Proposition 8.

Here is an excerpt:

Arkansas voters passed by a 57% majority, a vile proposition making adoption by homosexual couples illegal. As a result, 400 children are required to be moved out of homes they were already placed in and into group homes or orphanages, immediately. Arkansas already has three times as many children needing foster care & adoption as it has homes.

Check the Digg submission here:

http://digg.com/politics/Undeniable_proof_that_Arkansas_is_a_backwards_hellhole

Check the full Daily Kos article here:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/9/9356/17632

With all our differences, we are all entitled to our opinions and beliefs. It is also necessary for everybody to respect anyone irregardless of their sexual orientation, political beliefs, opinions etc. I find this amendment very sick. It does not promote equality – it only promotes hate. And along with hate comes the discrimination – an attitude that let the apartheid in the past flourish. I am actually seeing the makings of a homophobic or sexual apartheid.

Homosexuals, just like any other people, deserve respect – a thing that we can also give to Muslims, Iraqis, Afghans etc. Hate is the fuel towards violence and war. The more we hate, the more violent our world will become. We dont want the next generation to be born into a world dominated by hate and discrimination. Not all things come in black and white, sometimes there are shades of gray.

I dont know why people continue bashing on homosexuals as they were afflicted with a deadly disease. And dont start with me on those Bible things. Your so-called religion has no relevance here. We are talking about the basic human rights that should be also given to homosexuals. And what do you care if they plan to raise or adopt a child? You, bashers dont have a right to meddle in it. Let them adopt children and let them raise in a proper environment that they can give. Its only a simple thing that they ask.

Those bashers should have bashed the adulterers and concubinists instead – they are the ones who are violationg their so-called “religious laws”

Anyways, this issue could be so knotty. But I hope, the homosexual people would gain the respect they deserve. They are still people – they may have the difference in sexual orientations – but still, they are people. To end this blog, let me remind each and one of you – “Let the one without sin cast the first stone”

8 year old Filipina Girl Writes to Barack Obama – and Gets a Response!

I found this really interesting article on Digg.com (again!) about a certain Filipina girl named Karina Encarnacion who personally wrote to President Elect Barack Obama – and in a surprise turn of events – gets a response from him!

You can check the Digg submission here: http://digg.com/people/8_year_old_writes_to_Obama_gets_response

Here is a picture of Karina, along with her parents, John and Cindy Encarnacion:

Karina Encarnacion, with her parents John and Cindy Encarnacion / Photo by Philstar.com

Here is an excerpt of the article that I have traced also from Philstar.com

Karina sent Obama a two-page handwritten letter in September, and suggested a Coton de Tulear, a small Bichon-type dog named after the city in Madagascar, for its soft cottony coat, noting that “they do not shed, they are very lovable, small and very soft.” She said she has one, named Murphy, who “is very smart and sweet.”

Obama has promised his two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, that they can have a dog when they move in to the White House.

In a surprise reply received last Oct. 30, Obama told Karina, “Look out for other people, even when it does not directly benefit you; strive to make a difference everywhere you go; and get back up every time you are knocked down.”

Karina, a fourth grader in Missouri, told the then candidate that “I think you will make a very good president… I think that you will make wise decisions for the country.”

Check the full article in this URL link: http://beta.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=413244

Good thing for Karina and her parents. And knowing them that they are Filipinos (I have Filipino blood too), it makes me proud of them and at the same time, quite jubilant at the fact that President Elect Barack Obama took his time to read the girl’s letter and wrote a response to it. That is an indicator that Obama shows an open door in his presidency – everyone is welcome and so is their opinions, suggestions etc. America, you should be proud – you will have a great president that will lend his ears to anyone who wishes to be heard.

And not all leaders today are capable or even human enough to write a personal message to someone who have suggested something. Not even their Philippine president Gloria Arroyo.

Everyone, not only Americans have the same hopes as Karina – That Obama can be a great president and can make wise decisions for the country.

I believe that Barack Obama will not be the only one to make the change – but with the help of the American people as well as the rest of the world – can make a difference and follow Obama’s lead – to make a change.

President Elect: Barack Obama

Newly elected US President, Barack Obama, seen in one of the previous covers of Time Magazine / Cover by Time Magazine

After the Americans casted their vote on a historic November 4^th, I could not believe what America has come into – indeed, the election was one of the most hotly contested but the election of an African-American into the US presidency, a son of a Kenyan, belonging to a third world country, raised by his grandmother, a son of mixed cultures – is something that can be found only in great “feel-good” stories and something, I am still at a loss for words.

Barack Obama’s victory, is not only a victory of an African-American. It is the victory of an individual who inherited the legacy of a multi-cultural upbringing, an individual who dared to dream, an individual who believed and embraced change and an individual who made us realize that anything is possible. His story is an inspirational one and could be for the history books with his historic win over John McCain of the Republican Party.

As I monitored the events surrounding November 4^th, I could not help but wonder if the many will vote for that man, if many will believe in his platform, if many will respond to his call for change. But as the events unfurled at my eyes, the moment he was pronounced as the winner, that particular moment has a jubilating jolt sent through my spine – electrifying could be the word, just like the rest of the Americans who attended in Grant Park, Chicago as well as the rest of the world have felt that day.

It is true that there is something with Obama that makes him click with the people. He has the visionary stance of a leader – with the infectious passion to lead and the belief to make progress possible. This is something that most leaders of today have been missing. Honestly, myself have only seen this kind of leader only this time, after Martin Luther King Jr., and guess what – the liberal hero of the Philippines, the greatest president they never had (because he was assassinated, just like King), Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Then finally, Barack Obama came along and become the president of the United States of America, I can now see that everybody can now breathe the air of fresh hope.

To many, Obama is the savior of their country – a savior that can help the already receding economy, the savior that can end the two wars at Iraq and Afghanistan, the savior that can provide healthcare to millions of Americans, the savior that can add tax-cuts for low-wage earners and average earners, the savior that can correct the mistakes of the previous administration.

After the electrifying November 4^th, the dust has settled. The stock markets resume their old gloom days of red numbers. The worries of the nations, who have been suffering from hunger and disasters, Americans who are losing their homes from foreclosures and auctions, the ailing global economy, the unemployed Americans – all of these are now part of Barack Obama’s reality as the president.

Let us take note of the enormity of the tasks and responsibilities of Obama as the president. Of course, he is an inspirational and charismatic leader but he is still human like us. I know the weight of expectations on his shoulders, the pressure from numerous groups of people, clamoring for his help etc. Let us not forget he is still human – vulnerable, can make mistakes and errors etc. What he needs now is the help of every American citizen out there – the unity of the Americans to help themselves get over the economic crisis and how can they repair the damages done by the past administration.

Do not hold your hopes too high. But it’s also not ok to lose hope. What I meant is to hope in a balanced and realistic manner. After all, if you hope, then you expect. So it is fair enough to say that all we have to do is keep a balanced set of hope and expectation, and then begin to work things out and contribute in making the necessary changes. Not everything can be done in the first term. Four years is not enough to make the necessary changes. What can Obama can do is lay the cornerstone of change so that the next administration will pick it up from there – and make more changes possible.

In his first term as the president of the United States of America, all of the Americans should help one another, help and support their president to reach the tall orders laid before him as well as the other herculean tasks that he has to accomplish. All he asks is your support of the American people – which is the source of power to change and make anything possible.

Americans…You Just Have Made History!

I have been watching the US election that happened last November 4th and the voter turnout is so -MASSIVE. I cant believe to see the long lines (even hearing from the news that some people waited for 11 hours!) and despite the weather and all the factors combined – Americans still persisted and waited then voted for their choice candidate for US President.

Honestly, I got entangled in my monitoring the US elections that I failed to keep this blog up to date. My apologies to my dear readers. After the dust have been settled in this historic election, I’ll be keeping my pace again in my blogging duties.

I am so proud to see the vast majority of the youth who have registered and voted on November 4th. The apathy have been erased by this election. Apathy no longer works, Americans have the power to change their country and its leader by the power of its votes.

Whoever you voted out there, kudos to all of you. You have just exercised one of the most powerful rights a citizen might have – the right to be heard – the right to VOTE.

And now, as we wait for the results, let us all hope and pray that whoever wins the election will become the president that will aid America to come out of the crisis she is in.

Americans! You just have made history!