Indian police arrested a Hindu monk on Wednesday during an investigation into a wave of bomb attacks that have killed more than 200 people this year. Sudhakar Dwivedi, who often used the alias Swami Amritanand, was arrested in Kanpur in the central state of Uttar Pradesh. The head of a Hindu monastery, Amritanand was charged with conspiring in an attack on the predominantly Muslim town of Malegoan in September which killed four people.
The toD Verdict: In years past, terrorism in India has been largely blamed on Islamist groups. Concern has recently shifted, however, to the rising problem of Hindu militancy which many fear could be fulfilling Jawaharlal Nehru's prediction in 1964 that the main danger to India was "Hindu right-wing communalism." The case of Sudhakar Dwivedi follows the arrest of nine other suspects who have been charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with the Malegoan bombing. In August, two members of a Hindu chauvinist group the Bajrang Dal died while trying to build a bomb in the northern town of Kanpur. Two other suspected members of the same group died under similar circumstances in 2006. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.
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Bal Thackeray, the leader of another Hindu hard-line group the Shiv Sena, wrote in June that "the threat of Islamic terror in India is rising... it is time to counter the same with Hindu terror. Hindu suicide squads should be readied to ensure the existence of Hindu society and to protect the nation."
Worryingly, analysts have highlighted disturbing connections between fringe Hindu militants and military and civilian officials. One of the Malegoan suspects, Lt. Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit, has been accused of providing money, arms and training to the bombers. Meanwhile, in the eastern state of Orissa, Hindu police officers have been accused of deliberate inaction and active participation in recent anti-Christian violence. Fraternal outfits of the state-ruling BJP party such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal have been implicated in the violence.
Hindu militancy, which has been labeled "reverse terrorism" by partisans who see such action as revenge for earlier Muslim or Christian provocation, is a worrisome escalation of violence that could pose an existential threat to multicultural India.
Afghan suicide attack kills many
A suicide car bomb has killed at least 18 civilians and one US soldier in eastern Afghanistan Thursday. The attack targeted a US-led coalition convoy at a market near Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern Nangarhar province. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, it remains likely the attack was carried out by Taliban insurgents fighting foreign and Afghan government troops.
Chemical ship hijacked off Yemen
A Turkish cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden was seized by pirates Wednesday. Carrying 4,500 tonnes of unspecified chemicals to India, the Karagol was hijacked 26km off the coast of Yemen. The attack follows a series of other incidents in the Gulf of Aden. Another chemical-carrying tanker was seized by Somali pirates on Monday. The next day, the Russian and British Navy's positively identified a Yemeni vessel involved in a hijacking attempt on a Danish cargo ship. British commandos reportedly gave chase, killing two of the suspected pirates in an ensuing gunfight.
Insurgents "seize" Somalia port
Islamist insurgents have taken control of the port of Merka, 90km south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Without firing a shot, hundreds of fighters from the al-Shabaab group drove into the strategic port after government-aligned militia left overnight. The capture of Merka is another significant territorial gain for the insurgents who also control the port of Kismayo, which was taken in August. Different Islamist groups now control most of south Somalia. Experts suggest that al-Shabaab now have a new base for its attacks on the western-backed government and its Ethiopian military allies in Mogadishu. The UN has been trying to broker a peace process in Somalia which has been wracked by conflict for nearly two decades. Under the peace plan, Ethiopian troops were to start withdrawing from Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab's growing strength may now force a change in strategy.
Iran diplomat abducted in Pakistan
Gunmen kidnapped an Iranian diplomat and killed his guard in the Pakistani city of Peshawar Thursday morning. The commercial attaché of the Iranian consulate was attacked whilst on his way to work in Hayatabad, a neighbourhood near the Khyber tribal region bordering Afghanistan. Areas around Peshawar are strongholds of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The incident occurred just a day after an American aid worker and his driver were shot in the city. Despite these attacks, experts say that despite some high profile incidents, foreigners are rarely targeted in Pakistan.
US cracks down on Islamic charity
The United States moved on Wednesday against an Islamic charity suspected of helping to bankroll Hamas. Action by the Treasury Department means that any bank accounts or other financial assets in the US belonging to the Union of Good will be frozen. Americans are also barred from donating to the group. The militant Palestinian group is considered an international terrorist organization by the US. An undersecretary at the department said that "terrorist groups such as Hamas continue to exploit charities to radicalise vulnerable communities and cultivate support for their violent activities". According to the department, funds transferred by the Union of Good have compensated Hamas terrorists by providing payments to the families of suicide bombers.
