Osama Giving Orders And Modi Questioned For 2002 Communal Carnage

'Osama healthy, giving orders'

The world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden is 'healthy' and 'giving orders' to deputies in al-Qaeda, according to a Pakistani-origin taxi driver arrested by FBI here on charges of providing funds to the terror outfit. A 35-page complaint affidavit against Raja Lahrasib Khan, arrested yesterday for allegedly providing material support to terrorism and funds to al-Qaeda, gives details of conversations recorded between him and an undercover law enforcement agent about his association with al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri, also the chief of HuJI.

In conversations taped on February 23 between Khan and the undercover agent, the 56-year-old taxi driver claims that Kashmiri, whom he addresses as "Lala" told him that bin Laden is "healthy...perfect". "... I asked the Lala about him (Osama). And he (Kashmiri) says he's (Osama) healthy, he's leading," according to the affidavit against Khan submitted in a court here.

Khan goes on to say that he thought bin Laden was "sick" or "shaheed" but Kashmiri "says no... He's perfect, healthy, and he's leading and he's giving the orders ... he's OK, he's in safe hands. That's what; Lala said to me, you know..." Later in a conversation around March 17, the undercover agent met Khan and an 'Individual B' at a restaurant here.

During this meeting, Khan told the agent that he knew Kashmiri worked for al-Qaeda because he had asked him about "the big Lala. Osama..." Khan asked Kashmiri if Osama was "alive or is he shaheed". "He (Kashmiri) said no, he's OK. Alhamdulillah (praise to God) he's healthy and...he is commanding everything," according to the conversation.

Khan also told the undercover agent that though he had never met bin Laden "personally", he wanted to meet him. "... Osama bin Laden. I never met... I want (to) meet him ... I wanna see him. Before the, even the war start, I was going to Pakistan. But then 9/11 happens, and I didn't go". Khan said bin Laden gives orders to Kashmiri, "then Kashmiri gives the order to 'mujahideen'... al-Qaeda and Taliban".

In another conversation, Khan said, "I love that Osama bin Laden, he says the last 50 years we have been, tasting... now America will taste that," and Americans will feel the pain they have been feeling. Claiming that he has known Kashmiri for 15 years and has met him "face-to-face" several times, Khan said "I, I, I pray help our brother Kashmiri all the time, you know... he be alive, you know, because... he's the main key... he's the main key. After Osama bin Laden".

The affidavit against Khan also provides details about plans to send funds to Kashmiri for purchasing weapons and his links with al-Qaeda. Kashmiri has been named along with Pakistan-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley and co-accused Tahawwur Hussain in an FBI indictment that charges them with supporting terrorism.

Gandhinagar, March 27 (IANS) Eight years after communal riots left over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi was Saturday questioned by a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel for the first time over his alleged complicity in not doing enough to stop the carnage. Modi chose to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) without a lawyer but took a four-hour long break in between to consult Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley, a Supreme Court advocate, who is also leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, party sources told IANS. Jaitley had flown here especially for the day.

As he emerged after a five-hour questioning, Modi said he was abiding by the Indian constitution and law which are 'supreme'. 'The Indian law and constitution are supreme. As a citizen and as the chief minister, I am bound by the constitution and the law. Nobody is above the law,' Modi, wearing his trademark crisp white kurta and pyjama, told reporters. The chief minister was probed following a complaint by Zakia Jaffri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jaffri killed in the riots, that the chief minister was party to the 2002 widespread violence that swept Gujarat following a train burning in Godhra that killed 59 people in 2002.

The SIT is believed to have based most of its questions on some of the issues raised by Zakia in her 100-page petition to the Supreme Court. According to sources, privy to the SIT questioning, some of the questions asked were:

- Did you give a Gujarat shutdown call following the Godhra incident?

- Who sent ministers to police control rooms during the riots? (Some ministers were alleged to have taken over the control rooms in Gujarat stopping police from taking any action)

- What happened at the Feb 27, 2002 meeting held by the chief minister and other senior officers for review of the situation following the Godhra train burning?

- Do you know about calls made by Ehsan Jaffri to your office? (The Congress leader had reportedly called up the chief minister's office several times for help after his house was surrounded by rioters)

Zakia has alleged that Modi and his administration aided and abetted the rioters in Ahmedabad's Gulberg Society where over 60 people were burnt to death. The victims included Jaffri.

The first phase of the questioning went on for over five hours. SIT's A.K. Malhotra, an additional director general of police, led the questioning. Probe panel chief R.K. Raghavan was not present. The questioning was to resume after 9 p.m. and Modi said he wanted the process to end Saturday.

The chief minister said the SIT was made up of officers from outside Gujarat. 'They are clearly working under the direction of the Supreme Court.' Modi, one of the top leaders of the BJP, appeared unperturbed though he had been evading being questioned over the riots. 'I have spoken at length with the SIT. My conduct should be a fitting reply to my critics.'

Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said it was 'unfortunate' for a chief minister to be in a situation like that. 'It is most unfortunate that Modi landed himself in that kind of a situation. It is not desirable but unfortunately it has happened,' Moily said. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) asked Modi to step down on moral grounds.

'There is no justification for him to continue as the chief minister. He should resign on moral grounds,' CPI-M leader M.K. Pandhe said. Social activist Teesta Setalvald, who has been fighting for the riot victims, said: 'It was an important day for democracy and rule of law when a sitting chief minister has been forced to appear before an inquiry team after various attempts to block justice.'

Modi, Terrorism Key Poll Points for Bjp

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have finalised its poll agenda and the leaders that it is planning to project as its face. Among the issues, everything including price rise has given way to terrorism as the topmost election agenda of the party for the preparation of next Lok Sabha polls in mid 2009. And, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as the leading second generation leader within the party.

Sources close to BJP confirmed that Narendra Modi will be playing a far greater and a far bigger role in the 2009-general elections. A senior leader in the party, who was a minister during NDA regime said, "The stature of Narendra Modi has increased in past couple years," and added that he will be an asset for central politics of BJP. The party, now, has become more serious about his services at the centre.

Modi's increased frequency to Delhi is just another indication towards this changing trend in BJP politics. Modi, himself, seems to have launched the preparation for a stint at the centre, lest BJP/NDA is voted to power in next Lok Sabha elections. He has been voicing concerns at almost every interstate platform and in every meeting with Prime Minister about problems like internal security, terrorism, revenue sharing, federal policing, anti-terror laws and a host of other issues.

But, for the matter of record, none of the BJP leaders including its first man, L K Advani is ready to admit that Modi would be joining central politics. However, Advani himself, just after the National Executive meeting last year, suggested that Modi would be the 'next generation leader for BJP'. But, today when Modi shared a press dais with Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the party said that there was nothing much to read between the lines.

He just said, "Modi is the best person to speak on terrorism because he has attained great success by solving Ahmedabad blasts." From the same dais, Advani also tried to put it across that anti-terror laws or actions (read Modi's action) was not against muslim community. To make it more emphatic, he claimed that many muslim groups called on him and said that the UPA linked the whole community with terrorism by scrapping POTA calling it against muslims. This was a clear effort by a leader of Advani's stature to cover up Modi's anti-muslim face. The coming months are likely to unfold similar things and put them under proper light.

Jyotipunj – Narendra Modi

”Only those who keep walking get sweet returns...look at the sun's perseverance - dynamic & always on the move, never dormant... hence keep moving”, says Narendra Modi, CM of Gujarat. A man of courage and values, Modi is a strong supporter of Hindutava and follower of RSS.

Continuing his penmanship, Narendra Modi has authored a new book offering glimpses of his journey from an ordinary worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to a full-time functionary as “pracharak”. In JyotiPunj, Narendra Modi has attempted to communicate his persona, thinking and principles - and attribute them to the years he spent in the Sangh. “Jyotipunj” debunks many myths about the Sangh. The book reflects extraordinary works of ordinary people.

However Narendra Modi’s new book is more focused on several known and unknown RSS leaders, who have shaped the Gujarat Chief Minister’s thinking. Modi wants to use the book to convey his commitment as strong Sangh man to the cadres. On the day of release of the book, Modi expressed his gratitude towards the RSS saying that he has learnt a lot from the leaders. Modi said during emergency when all the well known writers of the RSS were locked in jails, he was asked to publish a booklet, Abhay. It was during that time that he learnt the art of writing and he has compiled all his feelings about the leaders in the book. He said that his first book was released more than 30 years ago by Babubhai Jashbhai Patel, the then CM of Gujarat.

"Jyotipunj" highlights the lives of 16 leaders of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In the book, Modi has written about the things he has learnt from these 16 leaders during his interactions with them. They include RSS founder K B Hedgewar and his successor M S Golwalkar, Nathalal Jhagda, K K Shastri, Laxmanrao Inamdar, Keshvrao Deshmukh, Madhukarrao Bhagwat, Shri Vasant Chiplunkar, Dr Vanikar, Anantrao Kade, Vasudevrao Talwalkar, Babubhai Oza and Dr P V Doshi.

Passionate and progressive, a poet at heart and an author of a few books and tech-savvy, Mr. Narendra Modi is one of the most responsive political leaders in India. Modi’s model of good governance is being applauded within the country and beyond. The way he has won the hearts of people of Gujarat and his popularity at the national level show that ‘Good governance is also good politics’.

This book has also been translated in Marathi by Ravindra Dani is a publication of Ameya Prakashan.