Fighting terrorists

On 1^st August 2022, the US took revenge for the 11th September 2001 attacks which claimed the lives of over 3,000 Americans. Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was the right hand man of the Chief of al-Qaeda – Osama bin Laden and deeply involved in the planning of 9/11, one of the most responsible for the attacks on American soil, was killed in a drone strike.

Zawahiri was an ophthalmologist from a prosperous family in Egypt and was busy reviving the Sunni Islamic Ideology of displacing Governments in Arab countries. He joined Osama bin Laden and merged his terrorist group with al-Qaeda. Remaining underground in Egypt, dodging Intelligence Agencies, al-Zawahiri was recruiting terrorists for al-Qaeda and training them. He was instrumental in attacking Bali, Mombasa, Riyadh, Jakarta, Istanbul, London as well as India; not only this, he was involved in various attacks on the US.

For decades, Zawahiri was the mastermind behind attacks against Americans, including the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, which killed 17 American sailors. He played a key role in the bombing of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 and wounding over 4,500 others. He assembled the suicide bombers for the 9/11 attack and collected funds too.

Two attempts were made earlier on the life of Zawahiri, who was wanted by the US for the past 21 years. The US army was in Afghanistan for 10 years. An Agreement was signed between the US and Afghanistan; due to the strong determination of the US to destroy the enemy, eventually the mastermind of attacks on the US was eliminated.

Since Haqqani, the Home Minister of Afghanistan, had violated the Agreement with the US by giving shelter to Zawahiri, he cannot say anything about the US’ violation with regard to this attack. Zawahiri was protected by Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency ISI. Hence, doubts are being raised that Pakistan also may be involved in the matter.

Over the past two decades, drone strikes have become the main tool of the US in its counterterrorism missions targeting Islamic extremists The laser-targeted ‘Hellfire’ missiles carried by drones are the weapons used in such strikes. After being released in the air from MQ-9’s wings, the motor aboard the missile is fired to guide the missile towards the target being marked by a laser aboard the drone and controlled from ground. Launching the drone from an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean, the ‘Hellfire’ missile was fired when it reached the target and the US succeeded in destroying the enemy.

India also requires a strong policy

Three Defence Agreements were signed between India and the US, according to which the US will share real-time intelligence with India. India shares common borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hence, on the basis of local confidential information supplied by India and with the help of advanced US technology, the objective was achieved, said a retired Army officer.

Like in the US, Zawahiri was involved in direct or indirect terrorist activities in India too; hence, this episode is important for India as well. Al-Qaeda has been greatly instrumental in vitiating the environment in India in Nupur Sharma’s case. Al-Qaeda terrorists were found to be involved in the murders of Hindus later. Therefore, the response of BJP leader Ravi Kishan appears to be very evident. He said that sleeper cells carrying out terrorist activities are active in India. “Many such al-Zawahiris are hiding here in India, they have to be killed selectively. These people must be searched and eliminated. Terrorism cannot be eliminated by killing one Zawahiri, because if such a terrorist dies, these people prepare a large number of more terrorists”, he added.

The so-called secularists may not like this statement, they might even react to this; but terrorism needs to be eliminated – this should be the focus.

Like it is in the world, in India too the sources of finance and weapons, their training centres, many places including the field of education which transmute their psyche, social media favouring them, etc. must be identified and stopped. Thus, we need to find a way to stop support being provided to the terrorists; besides, more stringent action is expected against all associated people.

Although India has shown its strength through 2 Surgical strikes, looking at the increasing terrorist infiltration day-by-day in Kashmir and the murders of common people, stringent action is essential. It may be Hafiz Saeed or Dawood (the masterminds of 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai in 2008) who are still moving around freely.

US President Biden said with great pride that the US takes revenge for any attack on it. We should also repulse, eliminate incidents and attacks of various religious fanatics and the dread of terrorism forever. Hence, patriots feel that India too should take a strong step to crush the roots of organisations that are the real source of terrorism. Patriots feel that India should follow in the footstep of the US, striving incessantly to eliminate the roots of the enemy completely !

Patriots feel that India should follow the US, striving incessantly to eliminate the roots of the enemy completely !