Two bomb blasts hit Pakistan - Religious school and mosque attacked within minutes of each other

[Turborama]

Source: Guardian

Two bomb blasts hit Pakistan today, with a suicide bomber reportedly targeting a religious school in the eastern city of Lahore and an almost simultaneous attack on a mosque wounding dozens in the north-western garrison city of Nowshera.

Reuters said an anti-Taliban cleric had been killed in the Lahore attack, and at least a dozen people were wounded, according to al-Jazeera television. Police were said to have recovered the body of a suicide bomber.

The second bomb wounded at least 32 people in a mosque near an army base soon after Friday prayers.

The blasts, which happened within minutes of each other, are the latest in a series of attacks which have caused mounting security concerns.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/12/pakistan-bomb-blasts

---

Suicide bombers strike Pakistan mosque, seminary

By BABAR DOGAR, Associated Press Writer – 11 mins ago

LAHORE, Pakistan – Suicide bombers attacked a mosque and a religious school in two Pakistani cities within minutes of each other after traditional Muslim prayers, killing at least two people and wounding dozens, officials said. A prominent anti-Taliban cleric was among the dead.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for either blast.

Pakistan has been rocked by a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks in recent weeks blamed on militants taking revenge for a military operation against the Taliban in the Swat Valley region.

Among the dead was Sarfraz Naeemi, the senior cleric at the Jamia Naeemia seminary in the eastern city of Lahore. He is a nationally known figure who in the past has been critical of the Taliban.

Police official Sohail Sukhera said the Lahore attack occurred inside offices of the seminary shortly after Friday prayers had finished. At least two people were killed and six wounded, he said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090612/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

[cosmicone]

1. This is sad but kind of cool and self-inflicted

As long as they are bombing their own country they are not terrorizing neighboring nations.

Terrorism had been Pakistan's official state policy for too long and Pakistani military with ISI founded, funded, armed and trained these terrorists to commit attacks in Kashmir and elsewhere in India -- now the chickens have come home to roost.

Pakistanis calculated that they could never defeat India militarily, so they adopted terrorism. I wish they would just get over Kashmir and focus on their citizens' well being.

[pam4water]

3. Yeah but they are killing the less violet leaders. It a consolidation of power

under the more extreme leaders. Once the consolidation is done the violence is just going to get worse and spread all over the place. And Kashmir was promised a plebiscite on what country they wanted to join when India and Pakistan were formed, because Kashmir is 90% Muslim but at the time of the break up it was ruled by a Hindi minority. They deserve the vote they were promised. Kashmir right now is looking to become independent. I don't see why they don't let them. They are not that radicalized yet. The longer they hold them the more radicalized they will become.

[cosmicone]

5. You don't know your history...

In 1971, President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto signed a treaty with India (the Shimla accords) under which Pakistan gave up any UN actions and agreed to treat Kashmir as a bilateral issue. It is no one else's business. Kashmir is an integral part of India, case closed. Pakistan just has to get over it and not resort to terrorism. The issue would have been long gone if not for continued US aid to Pakistan which must stop.

Finally, just because some place has a muslim majority doesn't mean it automatically belongs to Pakistan. India has a lot of muslim majority places within it. Heck, India has more muslim citizens than Pakistan does.

[tekisui]

4. Kind of cool?

:wtf:

[cosmicone]

6. Schadenfreude hehehe n/t

[Coventina]

7. "shameful joy" is right. These "chickens coming home to roost"

as you put it, are going to end up roosting on innocent victims as well those you might deem "guilty."

That is not cool at all.

[cosmicone]

9. You haven't seen videos of average Pakistanis cheering

and unleashing fireworks after terrorist attacks in India. A vast majority of them support terror -- they even supported 9/11.

[unc70]

11. How are you any different than what you accuse of them, the PKs?

Seeing an attack on innocents in Lahore as "kind of cool" puts you in essentially the same category as those in Pakistan that you regularly criticize for celebrating attacks on India or on the US on 9/11. Oh, if it were only as simple as your mind!

Pakistan is a mess, India slightly less of one, the US not far behind.

So what joy should one (even a Cosmic One) find in the suffering of others. So sad. I pity you and your warped views.

[cosmicone]

30. I am different because I already expressed that it was sad

before I said it was cool. It obviously means I am ambivalent about it.

Since you have (I am guessing) never been victimized by the Pakistani terror apparatus, you can't possibly judge other people's emotional responses.

[unc70]

33. Your BS excuse same as "Sad about the deaths, but the cross burning and lynching was kind of cool"

By your standard (last sentence), no one could ever be able to judge ither people's emotional responses. But that is exactly what you repeatedly have done in this thread and in others.

Since only those with your expericence as a victim of the ISI could ever understand, why do you even bother posting at DU. Almost no DUers would have been direct victims of "the Pakistani terror apparatus", by your definition.

These kinds of posts reflect badly on the DU community as viewed by others. You also seem to under-estimate the abilities and experiences of DUers while possibly over-estimating your own.

At the very least, removing some of the chip from your shoulder might make it easier for the rest of us to benefit from your wisdom.

[cosmicone]

37. The cross burning analogy is hyperbolic at best and nefarious

at worst.

I don't think you neither speak for the entire DU community nor is DU as homogeneous as you may want to portray it.

Just because I differ in perspective is no reason to pigeonhole me with the KKK. The latter is a personal attack which was unwarranted and does speak badly of you.

[closeupready]

45. Thank you. Again, I completely agree.

n/t

[closeupready]

43. Thank you for saying that. His warped views have dominated these threads for too long.

Cheers. :hi:

[Prometheus Bound]

16. I'd be interested in any evidence for your statement that "a vast majority support terror".

[EFerrari]

28. You have a problem. n/t

[cosmicone]

31. See post #30 n/t

[Prometheus Bound]

39. According to this 2008 Gallup poll, only 13% did NOT support a tougher stance on terrorists.

December 17, 2008
Pakistanis Support Tougher Stance on Terrorism
Nearly half of citizens (49%) say their government isn’t doing enough
by Julie Ray

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A recent Gallup Poll of Pakistanis suggests their government has domestic support for a crackdown on Pakistan-based extremists: 60% of Pakistanis interviewed in October said their government should take a tougher approach to rid their country of terrorist activities.



http://www.gallup.com/poll/113455/pakistanis-support-tougher-stance-terrorism.aspx

[cosmicone]

49. That was vis a vis terrorism in Pakistan.

When asked about terrorism in India committed by so called Kashmiri movements, the numbers reverse. I am still looking for the statistics you wanted.

[Prometheus Bound]

50. Thank you.

[unc70]

8. You are very sick to think this is "cool"

You are quick to lump all of PK together because of what you apparently see, albeit through a lense that clouds your vision.

That you find it "kind of cool" and "self-inflicted" when discussing the killing of a moderate cleric in Lahore shows me more about you than about PK. You have posted similarly in the past. Do you have some specific connection to region and its many conflicts?

[cosmicone]

10. see post #9 n/t

[Dramarama]

21. Seriously, I wonder how many people say that about us

[fujiyama]

12. There is nothing "cool" about this

That's a really sick and fucked up thing to say.

I agree that the current crisis in Pakistan is inherently self inflicted, but still the moment you start justifying, reveling, or otherwise find anything joyful in others' suffering you've lost your sense of humanity.

[cosmicone]

32. Schadenfreude is a normal emotional response.

Nothing sick about it.

Remember that Americans were supplying, arming and training the ISI and Mujahideen while enjoying the carnage they were inflicting on the Russians. What is good for the goose ....

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cosmicone]

38. Again, as I stated in another response to you

you are resorting to personal attacks which undermine your credibility. calling someone who disagrees with you as "mentally ill" or sick may make you feel better but i don't think it advances your viewpoint much.

[No Elephants]

42. Ancient saying: If one person calls you a

jackass, get offended. If two people call you a jackass, get a saddle.

Catch on: Calling this "cool" is not advancing your viewpoint or your credibility, either. While, despite the ancientt saying, a majority stating the same opinion does not make that opinion correct, it should at least be cause for you to stop and reflect.

[cosmicone]

48. I feel vindicated. That guy's post was deleted.

I think there is a lack of understanding of ambivalence on some people's part.

[closeupready]

44. Even though the post was deleted, I agree with it.

n/t

[Turborama]

2. I thought I recognized the victim's name, he was one of the Ulema calling suicide bombing un-Islamic

The Ulema also called on the Organisation of Islamic Conference to come forward to help the displaced people of Swat and other parts of Malakand. Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi called upon Ulema to forge unity in their ranks against the conspiracies of the Taliban, Sufi Mohammad and enemies of the country.

He urged the government to reject the US agenda of controlling Madaris. Sarwat Ejaz Qadri said the Taliban had tarnished the image of Islam across the world. ‘All Muslims should stand up against them.’

Haji Hanif Tayyab said security forces were fighting the militants to save the country. He called for trying Sufi Mohammad for mutiny.

From a story posted previously here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3881861#3885117

[ohio2007]

17. He refused the Pak government protection and wanted his students to fight the inner jihad

Taliban needed his boys to fight the other jihad.

A leading Sunni Muslim scholar opposed to the Taliban, Mr Naeemi was known for his outspoken views against suicide bombings and militancy.

He was one of the few scholars who had openly supported the ongoing military operation in Swat and had labelled the activities of the Taliban "un-Islamic".

Mr Naeemi took part in a conference of Islamic scholars, convened by the government in May, which criticised suicide attacks and the beheading of innocent Muslims as un-Islamic.

He also told the media that the Taliban were "misusing" religion for their activities and were bringing a bad name to the Islamic faith.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8096776.stm

Now those boys require a new head master they can look up to.

[sarcasmo]

13. The christian version of the Taliban is much nicer.

They only attack Abortion Doctors in church and unarmed civilians at Museums.

[Gold]

14. There are fewer of them.

add up a years worth of Christian terrorists and compare that number with a years worth of Islamic terrorists.
Or better, compare the number of their victims.

[sarcasmo]

15. You can defend them all you want, it's the same thing with a different message.

The big difference is the christian religion doesn't make their women wear burkas.

[ohio2007]

18. I think you need to support your theology theory with some #'s my friend

There are fewer of them ?

What dot org site are you going to link as proof which god is demanding more blood lust quenching in his name ?






http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1192153/Calls-Red-Cross-symbol-axed-links-Crusades.html

[Gold]

20. I'm talking here and now, not in some ancient time.

Here and now there are more victims of Islamist terrorist than there are victims of Christian terrorist. More people are being killed in the name of Allah than in the name of God.

All you have to do is turn on the TV and hear the tales from Cheznya, France, Israel, Spain, Somalia, a number of African countries, Those pirates everyones been talking about, and more to hear the tales of another Islamic terrorist killing in the name of Allah.

There aren't any christian terrorist. At least no where near the quantity that there is Islamic terrorist.

I did a quick google search and found this interesting tidbit.

Cole chooses his words much more carefully here than other people who raise the question of why we don't call McVeigh and Nichols "Christian terrorists," but the fallacy remains. The primary reason we don't call them Christian terrorists is that there is absolutely no evidence that McVeigh and Nichols were religiously motivated.

http://www.nowpublic.com/politics/islamic-terrorism-vs-christian-terrorism

It is rare when we find a christian commiting terrorism in the name of God. It happens. But nowhere near the frequency a Muslim terrorist does.

[JeffR]

26. Aren't you the busy bee?

[JeffR]

27. BTW

The general rule, such as it is, it that a plural requires an "s" on the end of the word. Just trying to help you out a little, friend.

And wow, you shore did nail them Moooooooslims there. Nice.

[sarcasmo]

35. I don't need numbers, just watch the threads here at D/U. christians want to burn books,

christian kills abortion Doctor because he thinks it's right. Pay attention to the threads it's enough proof.

[ohio2007]

46. But you relize what happens if they burn certain books by accident?

You like to ignore that side of the RoP of course ;)

muslims kill gays and burn Xtians in their churches because it pleases their alla

your so ADD poor,
you can't pay attention to that side of the fundie coin

lol

[NickB79]

22. What years do you want to add up?

Because during the years that encompassed the Crusades, or the Inquisition, or the burning of the witches in New England, or much of the past 2000 years, the Christians were WAY ahead in the score.

[Gold]

23. Modern years.

I don't care what happened 2000 years ago. I don't even care what happend 100 years ago. I care about now.

[NickB79]

24. Ah. Wouldn't want any contradictory evidence disturbing your worldview

:eyes:

[Gold]

25. What matters "now" is "now".

We can't change the past but we can change the present. We have to live with the present. Because the Christians were bad in the past is not a good reason why we should have to put up with terrorists from other religions in the present. My world view is being able to fly to Syria, Isreal, or wherever without having to worry about some fanatic using my plane as a weapon, blowing himself and me up, or being beheaded for something someone else may or may not have done.

What matters is NOW!

[JeffR]

29. Your beheading would indeed be a terrible tragedy,

Please just stay home so we don't run the risk of losing you. Goodness, the national debate simply wouldn't be the same without you.

At all.

[sarcasmo]

36. What about the religious fanatic that killed the abortion Doctor, that is "NOW"

What about the christians wanting to burn books, that is "NOW" you can't deny the religious past the numbers are very close.

[ohio2007]

40. Did he say god told him to do it in order to get a better perch in paradise?

How many Xtains in Africa this year were boarded up in their own churches and torched because 'inshalla', it pleased him ?

What happens if a koran gets burned ?

What happens if bibles get burned ?

[sarcasmo]

41. He did it because god says it's wrong, how is it any different?

[ohio2007]

47. Sorry,wrong answer. What matters is TOMORROW. The slate is clean. We can forgiven all and begin

Digging up Spanish citizens persecuting muslims centuries ago is so yesterday...

A new score card is to be used;

KIA
"in the name of allah" = X

KIA
"in the name of not alla" = Y

OK
:bounce:
let the righteous ones begin the head count;
cast those first opening day season stones !

'rock on' !
Anybody care to wager a bet which side reaches 666 first ?


:sarcasm:

[Alamuti Lotus]

19. well, the "Christian version of the Taliban" have an air force, tanks, and drones

really comparing apples & powertools there.