Britain continues to allow Taliban supporters in their own country

navid83 · March 24, 2009, 5:27pm

I still don’t know who wanted me dead. I was sitting in my car one day last november, not far from my house in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar, when a group of strangers walked up. One of them pointed a pistol through my window. I remember he wore a turban and shalwar kameez—the tunic and baggy pants common in the area—and he had a long beard, dyed red with henna. He shot me in the chest, hand and arm, and then fled with his friends. Miraculously, none of the bullets hit any arteries or vital organs, and as soon as a doctor patched me up and I was strong enough to travel, I booked a flight to London. I planned to lie low for a while, to rest and seek further medical help for a bullet that was lodged in my arm. But more than that, I just wanted to be somewhere calm and safe, far from AK-toting gunmen, suicide bombers and the daily, random violence of Pakistan’s borderlands.
London was a revelation—cold, clean and orderly—but my sense of relief didn’t last long. In one of the city’s many South Asian neighborhoods, I saw a tall young Afghan who reminded me of my would-be assassin, striding down the street like a bad dream. He too wore a shalwar kameez, and a big turban of white silk was wrapped loosely around his head. His beard was long, and his hair was shoulder length. Anyone dressed like that in Islamabad would be immediately picked up for questioning by the police. I had flown halfway across the world to get away from killers who resembled this young Londoner. I stared after him until he was gone from view.
But as days passed I spotted him again and again. He stood out even in a neighborhood full of Asians dressed in traditional garb—shalwar kameez, saris, abayas. Locals had a nickname for him: Talib Jan. It’s a friendly Afghan slang term for a Taliban member, something like GI Joe for Americans. The area’s crowded, rundown row houses had become home to hundreds of Afghans who first arrived in England as fugitives from the Taliban’s intolerance and brutality. Nevertheless, most of Jan’s neighbors spoke of him tolerantly or even approvingly.
http://m1.2mdn.net/viewad/1649730/1-happydadnbaby_300x250.jpg
       In fact, during my three-month stay in England I met a surprising number of Muslims who shared Jan's fascination with the Taliban. The older generation, urbane and relatively well educated, had little love for the extremists. But among some younger men, frustrated and marginalized in British society, I discovered a fury that was depressingly familiar. I met many immigrants who were blatant, vocal and unquestioning in their support for what they imagined to be "jihad." Few seemed troubled by the brutality that characterized Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar's reign, or by his banning of music or girls' education. Indeed, many looked back on Omar's rule as a kind of Islamic utopia, and they eagerly snapped up the Islamist leaflets handed out after Friday prayers at various mosques around town.
       I first introduced myself to Jan at one of those mosques. I complimented his taste in clothes: that's how people dress back home in [Afghanistan](http://www.newsweek.com/related.aspx?subject=Afghanistan), I said. (I was born in northern Afghanistan; my family fled to Pakistan in 1979 to escape the Soviet invasion.) His fierce appearance to the contrary, Jan turned out to be friendly and outgoing. He listened with interest to my story, but mostly he talked about himself, his Islamist views, his fierce support for the Taliban and his contempt for the Brits and Americans fighting them.
       His vehemence surprised me. Twenty-three years old, Jan had been born in eastern Afghanistan and attended a madrassa in Pakistan. The Taliban still ruled Afghanistan when his parents paid a people smuggler to sneak Jan to England at 14. There he applied for and was granted political asylum, claiming that the Taliban had persecuted him and his family. Now he's a legal resident, yet openly cheers for his supposed oppressors to defeat troops from his adopted homeland in Afghanistan. The irony seems lost on him.

More here: London’s Armchair Taliban | Newsweek International | Newsweek.com

Are British Muslims happy to see Taliban barbarians within their midst? I really wonder how many British Muslims continue to support the Taliban while living off the benefits their British hosts provide them.

Maybe Britain should strictly control immigration from Pakistan, since many Pakistanis have time and again expressed no love for Britain and the quality of life it provides them with.

Data · March 24, 2009, 6:31pm

Re: Britain continues to allow Taliban supporters in their own country

So are you saying Brits born and raised in Britain with Pakistani origins should be kicked out? Do you suggest the US kick out all those who expressed dissent in the 60s during the nam war? Well buddy, the UK/US isnt like India, where Muslims would be persecuted or baked just because they have different political opinions. Your last paragraph is nothing but a reaction out of the anti-pakistani sentiments you've been brewing inside your mind.

hareem01 · March 24, 2009, 6:32pm

Re: Britain continues to allow Taliban supporters in their own country

HSK's multi.

Punjabee_in_USA · March 24, 2009, 9:30pm

LOL...Data and his fascination with India :)

The epicenter of Taleban terror is Pakistan/Afghanistan, and there are more Pakistanis in UK than Afghans. So obviously there are more Pakistanis who support/sympathize with Taleban in UK than people of other nationalities.

Med911 · March 25, 2009, 3:07am

This isnt having different political views, its about supporting terrorists. This is a potential security risk for Britain, and it should be taken seriously. At the very least,they should keep a close eye on such people.
This TalibJan idiot should have his asylum revoked, as he is an obvious liar on top of being an extremist.

Med911 · March 25, 2009, 3:08am

Dont forget me and my fascination with India, Punjabi bhai. Man you guys are sooo interesting!

Data · March 25, 2009, 3:40am

err, this is what im talking about Not having love for Britain does not mean you are supporting terrorist!

Med911 · March 25, 2009, 3:49am

I dont care about not loving britain, im talking about having love for terrorists.
The british govt, while it cant arrest these people for simply supporting the terrorsits, regardless of how heinous, they certainly should keep a close eye on such people for potential threats to the lives of British and even Pakistani citizens in Pakistan.

Data · March 25, 2009, 3:53am

Well, then why did you quote/address me?

Med911 · March 25, 2009, 4:17am

You think supporting terrorists is ok?

While they cant arrest these people outright, they can keep an eye on them, and be ready to arrest them if they ever pose even the slightest threat. And as per the topic of this thread, they can and should keep people with terrorist sympathies out of Britain.

simplyme · March 25, 2009, 8:23am

You stay in a country. Use it to the hilt. Be on social security and all that and then claim that you dont love the country that you live in. Then why dont you shift to the country that you so love. What is stopping you. When you become a citizen you are supposed to take an oath claiming allegiance to the country. So you are saying that it is Ok to lie under oath.

Data · March 25, 2009, 1:16pm

No you are hallucinating, next time read properly before jumping your guns. I even quoted what navid wrote for you and you still didnt get it

Sure, write to the British Govt, I am sure they’re already two eons ahead of what you just suggested in keeping ppl in check.

Data · March 25, 2009, 1:18pm

Firstly, what do you mean by you. I dont live in the UK, nor do I want to. Also, taking allegiance or oath to a country does not mean you become a yes man and a brown noser. It takes guts to stand up against the system, people like Mohammad Ali did and standing up against a system does not mean you are a terror sympathizer, though as an Indian I am sure you would love to draw illogical comparisons.

aam_bandha · March 25, 2009, 1:38pm

So what these guys in last 60 years could not change Pakistan to a developed nation like UK ........... now they are trying to change UK into Pakistan ..... ;)

Deeba1234 · March 25, 2009, 1:44pm

They can't leave the cushy lives they lead here, funny thing is a lot of these youg men even go to Pakistan to find a bride then bring them bk to the UK to live lol.

Data · March 25, 2009, 1:56pm

Ah yes, but you are forgetting, India is still a third world country too

Data · March 25, 2009, 2:29pm

Re: Britain continues to allow Taliban supporters in their own country

oops, how did this happen?

Britain’s cleverest family? They got maths A-levels at primary school - thanks to three hours’ study a night (for 75p from Dad) | Mail Online

aam_bandha · March 25, 2009, 4:00pm

Guess the Brits are slacking … i mean how “could” they allow this family to live peacefully !!! Please be assured they WILL be “discriminated against” now that you have pointed it out

Bail_Out · March 25, 2009, 4:47pm

Re: Britain continues to allow Taliban supporters in their own country

Some Pakistani origin guy gets shot while in Pakistan, and then continues to have nightmares in the UK. The shooter and shot are Pakistani....so why are you guys dragging India into this? Because an Indian pointed it out?

HSK · March 27, 2009, 12:10am

We need to stop being politically correct.