India has pledged an additional $450 million in aid to Afghanistan, taking the total to over $1 billion, as the two countries vowed that terrorism would not break their close relationship. The pledge came during a visit to India by Afghan president Harmid Karzai.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh described the recent terrorist attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul as "an attack on the friendship between India and Afghanistan" and said such incidents would not get in the way of the "abiding commitment to Afghanistan's efforts to build a democratic, pluralistic and stable polity".
The toD verdict: Not-so-hidden between the lines of yesterday's statements is a message to Pakistan that the actions of its rogue intelligence services will not de-stabilise the partnership between India and Afghanistan.
It has been widely reported that agents from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were in direct contact with the militants who carried out the India embassy bombing on July 7. The spy agency's links to the Taliban are deeply rooted and date back to before 9/11. If indeed the attacks were aimed at severing India's economic and diplomatic support for Karzai's government, then they have grossly backfired.
Singh's thoughts are on India's domestic terrorist threat, too, since the recent bombings in Ahmedabad also bear traces of ISI involvement.
Indonesian jihad leader resigns Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.
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The spiritual leader of the Council of Indonesian Jihad Fighters (MMI) has quit his post, citing ideological differences with other council members. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is believed to be one of the founders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a terrorist organisation with links to a series of bombings across South East Asia. Prosecutors in Indonesia have struggled to connect him to the wide range of terrorist incidents with which he has been associated, although he served 25 months in prison for "approving" the 2002 Bali bombings. Ba'asyir has always denied the existence of JI, and any involvement in terrorism. His resignation from MMI could be the result of personal disagreements, or it could be confirmation that he disapproves of terrorist tactics. In a statement on his personal website, he wrote: "Ever since I was appointed as the Amir Mujahidin (leader of the Jihad fighters), I've seen this as a mistake. I was forced to temporarily take the offer in the hope of improving its shortcomings in the future." He says his attempts to persuade MMI leaders to follow Islamic teachings had failed.
Syrian general assassinated
Rumours continue to circulate around the assassination of a top Syrian army chief at the weekend. It is believed Brigadier General Mohammad Suleiman was killed while relaxing on a beach near the resort of Tartous by a sniper firing from an offshore yacht. His alleged connections to Hizbollah are seen by some as motive for Israel to have carried out the assassination. Other reports say he was involved in upgrading Syria's military, including its alleged nuclear program. Syria has denied US allegations that it has an illegal nuclear facility. Israel raided a site, widely believed to be part of a nuclear program in September 2007.
War of words over South Ossetia
Increasingly aggressive rhetoric suggests a deteriorating security situation around Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. Separatists claim that six civilians were killed and 22 injured during attacks by Georgian forces on the regional capital of Tskhinvali on Friday and Saturday. The rebels have refused to meet with Georgian representatives, and vowed violent retaliation if the attacks continue. Meanwhile, Russia, who have frequently supported the separatist cause, says it will "not allow itself to remain indifferent" should the shelling continue. Tblisi accuses Russia of wishing to perpetuate instability in the region in order to derail both the EU-sponsored peace process and Georgia's bid to join NATO.
