Islamic Group threatens Indian Cricketers

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

I am appalled…aghast…by what Islamic fundamentalism is doing to the world as we know it (don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Muslims in general).

A couple of weeks ago , some Mullah group in Bangladesh sabotaged a Women’s Swimming competition..and now this…pathetic…

I think its time the moderate, educated and tolerant Muslims of the world to step up to the plate.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/DEC/120185_BDESHIND2004-05_05DEC2004.html

A radical Islamic group has given death threats to Indian cricketers if they go ahead with their tour of Bangaldesh.

“We received a hand-written fax letter on Thursday from an Islamic group called Harkat-ul-Zihad, saying that Indian cricketers will be killed if they visit Bangladesh” Shaibal Roy Chowdhury, a spokesman at the high commission, is quoted as saying by the BBC. The Indian high commissioner, Veena Sikri, told Reuters: “the Bangladesh foreign ministry has been informed.” Cricket authorities in both Indian and Bangladesh have also been told and the Bangladesh board have asked security to be tightened.

“The trip [by the Indian cricket team] appears quite uncertain at the moment because the BCCI would have to decide if they feel safe to come to Bangladesh following this threat,” S Chakravarty, the deputy high commissioner, is quoted as saying by a Press Trust of India report.

Ali Azghar Lobby, the Bangladesh Cricket Board president, said that a letter had already been sent to the Indian board assuring the safety of the players. “We have written that BCB takes full responsibility for the series. We have said that these type of threats usually turn out to be misleading and fake and should not spoil the series,” said Lobby. “The government has assured that security would be beefed up to ensure the tour goes on.”

India are scheduled to play three one-day internationals and two Tests in Bangladesh. They are set to set off on Tuesday, December 7 and the first Test, at Dhaka, begins on Thursday.

2

I had a friend in College who was Bengali and whenever there was a cricket game between any country and Bangladesh he used to get soo upset. He would come to the point of saying that Bangladesh should stop playing cricket as they are a disgrace. He said once that he wishes if he could put the whole team in a ground and shoot them. I will try to find out if its him who is writting these letters.
On a serious note, there are always threats. Pakistan had threats when we went to India, India had threats when they came here, and now Bengalis dont want to be left behind in this business. Its totally pathetic as you said it.
And you wrote about Islamic fundamentalism. Do you remember when RSS dug up pitches when pakistan was supposed to visit india?

3

It is pathetic, but there are fundamentalists in every nation, so learn to deal with it (including Pakistan, India and Bdesh.) I know, hard to believe...:)

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by proudpakistani: *
And you wrote about Islamic fundamentalism. Do you remember when RSS dug up pitches when pakistan was supposed to visit india?
[/QUOTE]

People who read my posts in the Politics forum would know that I am no great fan of RSS/Shiv Sena either.

Having said that, I will maintain that comparing RSS/Shiv Sena with Islamic Fundamentalism(the kind we are witnessing the world over) is like comparing apples to Water Melons...

When you hear of a RSS Suicide Bomber , do get back to me. Those cowards can only dig up pitches and ransack shops on Valentine's day.

Anyways, I did not want this thread to get all political....

5

i dont want this thread to get all political either and I dont agree with suicide bombers either. But at the same time its easy to say that what they do is bad, but hard to imagine what goes through their mind that forces them to do that(trust me its more than about getting 72 virgins).

As far as this threat goes, i dont think that it will do anything to the tour. Its kind of good for India as they will be getting tighter security. India has played there before and so has pakistan and so far nothing happened. Still I am sure they will take the threat seriously. I wonder what the reason for the threat is?
Oh by the way, we already know the result of the series right?

6

I know that the tour will probably still go ahead... but do you think if it was a western country involved (say Australia)...it would have been the same...

Just for the record, Australia excused itself from the Hockey Champions Trophy currently on in PAK on security grounds.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by proudpakistani: *
... But at the same time its easy to say that what they do is bad, but hard to imagine what goes through their mind that forces them to do that(trust me its more than about getting 72 virgins).

[/QUOTE]

This kind of defensive rationales , coming from educated Muslims like yourelf, makes me very pessimistic about the world's future.

For example....No cause in the world, I repeat ...no cause in the world can justify the killings of 500+ innocent small children like it happened in a Russian school recently.

I know I am treading on a thin line here(b/n sports & politics), but I just had to get this thing in.

8

i really think that this thread should be in world affairs forum. Cricket itself may not be a part of world affairs but when political sensitivity is attached to it, the related discussion should be carried out in world affairs forum for a through analysis of the problem.

9

Sorry Some1, I cant believe i messed up ur post and got it transferred to world. If you want i will edit my posts and may be it can be transferred to Cricketnama again.
Anyways i dont think i was giving you an excuse for suicide attacks. But still did you ever wonder, what it would be that will cause you to do something like that. For example, what if you lost your family, your sister got raped, your home got bulldozed, your children cant go to school and you dont have anything to feed them, because some rich country is sitting on your resources and you are being prosecuted just because of your belief?
At many times these people know that they dont have the strength or resources to fight the enemy and the only choice they have is to do whatever harm they can do to the enemy at whatever cost.

As far as the topic is concerned, i was just wondering. What is the motive of this threat? Is it because of Hindu muslim thing? or is it because India bangladesh thing? As far as I know there is a decent population of Hindus in Bangladesh. When the last time pakistan and India met in bangladesh for Asia cup(i think) Pakistan got a very strong support against India and even against Sri lanka. Even though if you look at history, as alot of people put it, bengalis are supposed to hate Pakistan.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *

Just for the record, Australia excused itself from the Hockey Champions Trophy currently on in PAK on security grounds.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, aussies *******s did that for no reason and disgraced our beloved country. i really really really wish that our country would have shown more respect to our national ego on such occasions and had announced to cancel current on-going cricket tour or if nothing else would have announced not to tour aus for any future hockey tournaments. Holland is playing, germany is playing,spain is playing, hec even india is playing in lahore but these losers assies refused to come.....anyway it is a different topic and i better stop here before ehsan bhai or saby issue me a warning.....but i have to say that when these so called western countries take such baseless steps and we cannot react propely, it really hurts....

11

Phoenesdesi that is exactly my point. If anyone would be at threat in pakistan is should be india.
Remember in 1996 when they decided not the play in Srilanka and Sri Lanka beat the hell out of them in the final. What a revenge that was. And then Botham in 1992 when he said that he would not even send his mother in law to pakistan and when Bothem got out, Amir Sohail went up to him and told him to bring his mother in law so that she can save his country from losing. I hope we can beat them in Australia and say it on their face, was this the same fear that your hockey team had in pakistan? Lekin,
yeh na thi hamari qismat, keh visaal-e-yaar hoota.
Agar aur jeetay rehtay, yehi intezaar hoota

12

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by proudpakistani: *
At many times these people know that they dont have the strength or resources to fight the enemy and the only choice they have is to do whatever harm they can do to the enemy at whatever cost.

As far as the topic is concerned, i was just wondering. What is the motive of this threat? Is it because of Hindu muslim thing? or is it because India bangladesh thing? As far as I know there is a decent population of Hindus in Bangladesh. When the last time pakistan and India met in bangladesh for Asia cup(i think) Pakistan got a very strong support against India and even against Sri lanka. Even though if you look at history, as alot of people put it, bengalis are supposed to hate Pakistan.
[/QUOTE]

Well, now that this post has been officially transferred to the world affairs forum, we can discuss it in detail. First, why do u think that “Bengalis are supposed to hate pakis”. I know the background but still it is a very strong statement to be made. Don’t you think so? Second you are absolutely right that there are quite a few Hindus in Bangladesh. I personally think that this threat is a baseless threat with no sound basis. Indians should go ahead and complete the tour.

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Phoenexdesi the reason why i said bengalis hate Pakistan was in reference to what most Indian guppies always talk about. That is why i sad as alot of people put it=guppies here. I myself dont believe in that. ANd i am sure the tour will go ahead.

14

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by proudpakistani: *
Phoenesdesi that is exactly my point. If anyone would be at threat in pakistan is should be india.
Remember in 1996 when they decided not the play in Srilanka and Sri Lanka beat the hell out of them in the final. What a revenge that was. And then Botham in 1992 when he said that he would not even send his mother in law to pakistan and when Bothem got out, Amir Sohail went up to him and told him to bring his mother in law so that she can save his country from losing. I hope we can beat them in Australia and say it on their face, was this the same fear that your hockey team had in pakistan? Lekin,
yeh na thi hamari qismat, keh visaal-e-yaar hoota.
Agar aur jeetay rehtay, yehi intezaar hoota
[/QUOTE]

i agree with you and i have to say that you made a good use of the urdu poetry verse to make your point. This is the whole point.......they are stronger than us, in economics, in finance, in politics and in sports too and that is why they dare to make a mockery out of us. It is us who file for australian immigration not them filing for ours. .............

15

Re: Islamic Group threatens Indian Cricketers

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *
I am appalled....aghast....by what Islamic fundamentalism is doing to the world as we know it (don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Muslims in general).

A couple of weeks ago , some Mullah group in Bangladesh sabotaged a Women's Swimming competition..and now this....pathetic....

I think its time the moderate, educated and tolerant Muslims of the world to step up to the plate.

[/QUOTE]

It is pathetic. These idiots are shame. These Mullahs in Bangladesh are as militant as it gets. World doesnt know this but bangladeshi muslims are more fundamentalist than any other country. Only good thing is that their geographical location is such that there is no one to supply arms to those fundamentalist.
Coming to moderate muslims, what are the expected to do other than condemning it. What is the expectation here? I always here that they should come up and do "something".

16

^ Good question F&B...

For starters , moderate and educated Muslims can stop defending the actions of the Mullahs howsoever mildly...

For example ProudPakistani above is trying to explain (and indirectly justify) the actions of the Mullahs...

To quote him ..."what if you lost your family, your sister got raped, your home got bulldozed, your children cant go to school and you dont have anything to feed them, because some rich country is sitting on your resources and you are being prosecuted just because of your belief?"

Assuming all of the above happened to me....would I go and kill a non-Muslim's children to take revenge....or stop a women's swimming competition from happening for that matter....sounds ridiculous doesn't it ?

The fact is that most of these extremists are illiterate, uncouth, unemployed morons who have nothing better to do. They can't even tell "good" from "bad". I think by trying to explain their actions, we give them too much credit.

Take the example of Margaret Hassan who was murdered recently in Iraq. What did she do to deserve what she got? She was involved in charity work in Iraq for 30 years and was a friend of Iraq by all means. The same goes for killing of dozen of Nepali workers...what had Nepal done to Iraq. And the more important question....what was achieved by their killings ? Did the Muslim world become better-off ?

17

I have to agree with the points that you made in reference to the responsibilities of an average and a normal Muslim in terms of condemning terrorism. I am a strong advocate of the viewpoint that it is time for a normal Muslim not only to condemn the terrorism from bottom of his heart but, if possible, take some practical steps to curb it. By practical steps I mean to say how about if normal Pakistanis cooperate with investigation agencies to report suspicious looking Arabs or foreign nationals in their suburbs. Time after time these terrorists have been caught from small towns such as Gujrat, Gujranwala, jhang, faisalabad etc.

As a matter of fact couple of months back, we had a very healthy discussion at WA forum pertaining to this topic in which guppies covered different aspects of this cancer in detail . I am posting the link of that thread.

http://www.gupistan.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162265

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *

Take the example of Margaret Hassan who was murdered recently in Iraq. What did she do to deserve what she got? She was involved in charity work in Iraq for 30 years and was a friend of Iraq by all means. The same goes for killing of dozen of Nepali workers...what had Nepal done to Iraq. And the more important question....what was achieved by their killings ? Did the Muslim world become better-off ?
[/QUOTE]

Actually what I want to know is, since when did attacking and killing unarmed citizen become a way of "Jihad"? We hear time and time again how those "Insurgents" in Iraq are waging Jihad. Is beheading unarmed people jihad?

19

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *
^ Good question F&B...

For starters , moderate and educated Muslims can stop defending the actions of the Mullahs howsoever mildly...

For example ProudPakistani above is trying to explain (and indirectly justify) the actions of the Mullahs...

To quote him ..."what if you lost your family, your sister got raped, your home got bulldozed, your children cant go to school and you dont have anything to feed them, because some rich country is sitting on your resources and you are being prosecuted just because of your belief?"

Assuming all of the above happened to me....would I go and kill a non-Muslim's children to take revenge....or stop a women's swimming competition from happening for that matter....sounds ridiculous doesn't it ?

The fact is that most of these extremists are illiterate, uncouth, unemployed morons who have nothing better to do. They can't even tell "good" from "bad". I think by trying to explain their actions, we give them too much credit.

Take the example of Margaret Hassan who was murdered recently in Iraq. What did she do to deserve what she got? She was involved in charity work in Iraq for 30 years and was a friend of Iraq by all means. The same goes for killing of dozen of Nepali workers...what had Nepal done to Iraq. And the more important question....what was achieved by their killings ? Did the Muslim world become better-off ?
[/QUOTE]

Bhaiyya ...This is what everyone is doing even here on this forum.phoenixdesi is definitly one of them.

Your problem is that you think fundamentalists cant read or write in English. My friend, There are lot of them who are well educated and internet browsing type and some of them are here on this forum also. They arnt moderate hence are not expected to condemn it. :p

20

I dont think many Pakistanis or Muslims have any problems to condemn such attacks. Actually we can gaurantee the stoppage of such attacks too. The only problem is that no one is ready to condemn the attacks on us and every one is trying to say that whatever is happening in kashmir, palestine, Iraq, chechniya is ok. Come on. Dont be double faced. Even though what some of these muslims are doing is not the solution, but whatever is happening to muslims in these countries is not justified either. Rather than produce more hatred in the hearts of muslims, why not solve these issues and we will be the first one to support Bush and its alliance against terrorists. For example is there a solution to the militancy in russia? soo many little kids got killed. There is no justification for that. But does anyone care to know how many chachnians got killed? Why not solve the chechnian issue and there will not be any militancy in Russia.
Now you guys tell me. Muslims have not won anybodies heart due to these terrorists attacks. How many hearts has bush won? rather than solve the problem, the problem is just being increased. If all these problems about the places where muslims are being prosecuted are solved,muslims will have no reason to fight against US and will not be able to justify it. Look at Afghanistan when Russia attacked there. Muslims and jehadis fought on same side as the US.
People think that they can kill muslims as they want. but for how long. If Osamas actions back fired on him and muslims, these acts will back fire too. We dont even know what will happen then.
I am not saying that muslims are totally innocent, but we are the victim too.