Pakistan in swoop on 'militants' for possible links with July 7 bombing

In a new crackdown on hardline Islamists, police, Law-Enforcement and Intelligence agencies are raiding different Madarssahas, collecting information about prayer leaders and have arrested over 50 militants beside sealing seven offices of Osama-linked welfare trust, said officials on Tuesday.

My guess would be it's all temporary, but it does make a good show. I don't see
an awful lot of beturbanned corpses.

A team of Police and Law-Enforcement agencies (LEA) in raids have arrested over 50 militants of two outlawed extremist groups from eastern cities of Lahore, Multan, Faislabad, Khushab, and Southwestern Quetta and Southern Karachi cities, police officials told KUNA. On Tuesday morning, forces arrested four militants of Harkat-ul-Mujhaideen (HM) near Gulistan-i-Johar area of Karachi, while six managed to escape. Police also seized arms and bombing-making explosive of two kilograms in weight, adding that they also have links with Al-Qaeda terror group and received training of sectarian violence near Pak-Afghan border.

My guess is that would be on the Pak side of the border.

Two militants of Lashkar-i-Jhanngvi (LJ) group were arrested on Monday night in Lahore, and on Tuesday 17 from Lahore, three from Khushab, and eighteen from Quetta. Police said they recovered pistols, bearing "Weapons are the ornaments of the faithful" and "Jihad long live" slogans, and dangerous explosive from the militants arrested in Lahore.

I think this is from the report we had from Pak Daily Times yesterday...

Meanwhile, Police today sealed seven offices of Karachi-based Al-Rashid Trust (ART), one of the 27 groups and organizations listed by the US State Department on September 22, 2001, for involvement infinancing and supporting network of international Islamist terrorist groups, said a police source. After the US banned ART, founded in 1996 in Karachi, the State Bank of Pakistan froze the accounts of the Trust. It had been secretly carrying out its activities, said the source.

Yeah. And nobody noticed...

The organization was described as a welfare organization, but it reportedly to had become one of Osama Bin Laden many sources of income. It is closely linked with the Taliban as also with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other terrorist outfits active in Indian-held Kashmir.The crackdown has been clamped, particularly, in the Punjab province after the federal government gave a list of 136 most wanted militants to LEAs with strict directions to arrest them "in a few days".

"How few, boss?"
"Very few!"

President Musharraf on July 15 ordered LEA to launch a countrywide campaign against extremist organizations and people inciting sectarianism through the sale of books and Compact Disks (CDs). He announced to end religious extremism by December this year.

It'll be fun to watch him try and shut down Qazi. The gummint can't even bring
Dear Old P.U. under control.

LEAs are also raiding the offices and mosques of different militant organizations in Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad, confiscating their records and collecting information of prayer leaders of almost all mosques. Authorities here said the crack has also encircled Madrassahas in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A team of intelligence agencies and LEA raided Madrassah of Lal Mosque in Islamabad and arrested five militants. The authorities have also suspended publications of three religious magazines, Zarb-e-Islam (Strike of Faith), Friday Special and Wajood (Existence), in Karachi.

It's starting to sound like Blair gave Perv the same sort of talking to
Bush did immediately following 9-11. I'd wager the results will be just as
transitory, but it's fun to watch.