'The Hindu' Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India
Praveen Swami is eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India. Beware, this IB steno is back in town, so is our doubt about The Hindu’s credibility.
By Zafarul-Islam Khan, The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Jun 29, 2011
Print Issue: 1-15 July 2011
The Hindu of Chennai has largely remained a sober publication having nuanced editorial line and sensible reporting and stand on issues. It has also avoided the pornographic pit into which most other publications have fallen in Rupert Murdoch era. But during the last few years, it allowed a blot to besmirch its image by swallowing fabrications vomited by its fake ‘terrorism expert’, Praveen Swami.
This chap was a sober investigative journo until he spent some time in United States Institute of Peace in Washington, in 2004-2005 and came back fully converted to the American weltanschauung and started making his tuppence contribution to America’s Islamophobic crusade which was conveniently lapped up by Hindutva warriors at home and made state policy thanks to BJP’s rule at the Centre. A senior Hindu journo told me some three years back that Swami is tolerated by The Hindu because of his close links with Intelligence Bureau which enables him to get scoops… In other words, Swami was passing off IB manufactured stuff as serious news. Any self-respecting paper would reject to be used by security and intelligence agencies in this manner and would sack such a hack right away but for N. Ram, Swami was a valuable asset… Years ago we at MG got an offer through an intermediary from the Army in Kashmir to print “good news” supplied by them for which they would pay us Rs. 40,000 per month! A very good proposition for a struggling publication but it did not take me a minute to reject it then and there…
Many sections of society had taken umbrage at Swami’s fabrications, yet he was stubbornly retained by The Hindu and allowed liberal space, often writing two stories on same day. He saw Muslims lurking behind every terror attack in India including ones which are now proven crimes of Hindutva terrorists.
Swami was fiercely criticized for his reliance on intelligence sources about alleged “Islamic terrorism” which were largely incorrect. Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association (JITSA), a New Delhi-based organization of teachers of the Jamia Millia Islamia (a central university) harshly criticized Swami for his fictitious reporting on Batla House encounter case. In their detailed critique of Swami, JITSA said that his report on Batla House Encounter Case was wrong and the post-mortem report of the slain terrorists released by India’s premier medical institute, AIIMS, suggested that the encounter was staged. Swami had been insisting in his reports that the slain students were killed in a real encounter. Swami’s association with The Hindu Group enraged many people who undertook an offensive against Praveen Swami by initiating Face Book group called ‘Shut Up Praveen Swami’ and a series of articles exposing Swami’s stories as “fabulous”. Swami’s critique in JITSA’s “Praveen Swami’s Not So Fabulous Fables” gave a detailed account of manufacturing of evidences by Praveen Swami only to support Indian security agencies. A desperate Swami shot back by responding against all criticism in his response to the publishing websites and people which his friend Annie Zaidi published in her blog. He attacked all campaigns against himself. However, another serious response from JITSA titled “Swami And Friends” went unresponded by Swami.
Last year, perhaps on leave from The Hindu, Swami joined the London Telegraph, UK’s Islamophobic newspaper resembling our Pioneer under Chandan Mitra. But he rarely got bylines in the British paper and seems to have landed back in his The Hindu cabin though The Telegraph still shows him on its staff (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/
Al-Qaeda’s announcement of Dr Al-Zawahiri as its new chief on 16 June offered Swami his opportunity for a fresh debut in The Hindu, not with one but two reports in the same issue, both occupying the best space any journo would dream, courtesy the editor of course. The first report, which is the main news on page one (17 June), shrieks that “India could be key target of new Al-Qaeda chief” and, hold your breath, the source of this gem, mentioned in the very first paragraph of the report, is the good old “intelligence sources”. Swami then regurgitates some stale vomit about Al-Qaeda’s warnings to India [always in Kashmir’s context] and announces that the new Al-Qaeda chief will use Pakistani allies, whose enmity of India is well-known according to Swami who shows it as a result of the infighting in the terrorist organisation’s ranks. Let us be clear: the new Al-Qaeda chief himself has not made any such announcement and our own highest authorities here, both at the Centre and in J&K, have on a number of occasions reiterated that Al-Qaeda has no presence in India but that does not matter as terrorist scare-mongering sells well these days both in India and the US. Swami’s other piece is an Op Ed which is clearly an old piece which the terror warrior fished out of his computer files. It contains such jewels as the claim that Al-Zawahiri joined Muslim Brotherhood at the age of 14!
Swami, the terror-salesman, has no time to stop to read mountains of material and evidence which shows that Al-Qaeda is an American creation having no existence in the real world. He and his American tutors have no willingness to know the truth. Al-Qaeda is an idea, Mr. Swami, and the many groups you see here and there are only inspired by an idea because of the injustices of the US of A. And, Swami or no Swami, this idea has not attracted Indian Muslims in the least.
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Subscribe by email Subscribe by RSS - The US and its allies have killed a much greater number of innocent people around the the world than that of the Al-Qaeda. No doubt Al-Qaeda is the brainchild of the US. It should not forgotten that America is a big fish in the world of terrorism, while Al-qaeda is a very small fish.2 people liked this.
- THE HINDU as a newspaper has to sell for survival. Islamophobia is some thing which makes any one talking about it a sane, rational and patriotic person/instituton. News paper with such investigative and thoughtfull stories about the islamic terrosim, its roots and rise in India always will result in increased readership.
What to do? Muslims have become a source of individual (encounters) / Institutional (News papers) and personal (politicians) progress. Any boyd can use Muslims as a tool for their promotion be it a writer (Arun Shourie, Taslima nasreen, Rushdie), cops (encounter) and politicans (Advanis) etc.2 people liked this. - I am confused about what is the objective of this article. Is the author unhappy with Praveen Swami for some reasons so spewing venom against him, or making a case that "The Hindu" is no longer a good newspaper since it publishes views of Praveen Swami. If either of this two is the case, I am not so much concerned.
However, when author says "Al-Qaeda is an idea, Mr. Swami, and the many groups you see here and there are only inspired by an idea because of the injustices of the US of A", any Indian should have reason to feel very concerned because author seems to be justifying Al Qaeda by saying that they are doing what they are doing due to percieved injustices against them.
Further, author seems to be very sure when he says "this idea has not attracted Indian Muslims in the least" which all of us know well is not true. Indian Muhahidin is also an idea, and they have already have enough blood of innocent people on them.
Allah save muslims from such propogandas. -
Mohammed Javed Farooqui 1 hour agoDear Ritesh, after your post I too have one question for you. Kindly tell me what will you do if tomorrow USA attacks India (god forbid) on some pretext (just as it is doing in some countries which just happens to be muslim majority) lets say to exploit natural resources in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand etc. Will you still support the USA. I am sure the answer is a big NO. So why don't you open up your mind and look at the big picture which is that USA and its allies have attacked Iraq and Afghanistan purely for natural resources available in these countries and geopolitical reasons. The terrorism is just a pretext to attack these nation's and loot. This just imperialism similar to what England did in 18th and 19th century. We (Indians) too had to suffer so much from British imperialism. Please remember USA will only attack nations which are not subservient to it. India (under UPA and NDA) has already submitted itself to USA and I feel so sorry for that particularly if we look at past instances when Indira Gandhi had snubbed the US during 70's at the height of Indo-Bangla war. We need to independent foreign policy rather than following orders from foreign powers like USA, who themselves are in an all-round mess which also their self-created. - Mohammed Javed Farooqui 1 hour agoI am glad that I have subscribed to Milli Gazette where else will you find such insightful articles in the age when most publications including the likes of The Hindu are dishing out false articles. I am fed up with all these English dailies and weeklies and hopefully I have a better alternative in Milli Gazette. This chap Praveen Swami seems to be on IB and RAW's payroll to publish such fictional articles. Anyways our intelligence agencies have time and again faltered in their job of providing intelligence to our forces and the police on any internal and external threats. Had they done their job properly we wouldn't have had so many terrorist attacks and that too from within India by Hindutva terrorists. Our good for nothing intel agencies are masters in one art. Branding Muslim Indians as terrorists using the likes of Praveen Swami and his ilk in the media to plant false stories about local muslim involvement after every terrorist attack on the Indian soil. It's really unfortunate that a newspaper of The Hindu's stature respected by reader's for being un-biased and balanced reporting in the past can entertain jokers like Praveen Swami.
- So true,
Pen is mightier than sword .... corrupting the mind is more dangerous ... some will ignore the heading n come up with. Pravin swami never talks about Naxali terrrorism which is real n becoming deadly day by day.....may be it not spicy for our brothers who r busy in counting nairobi,mombassa,9-11 ignoring killings of our brothers by Naxali terrorist daily.!!
Some will surprise over the fact that Al Qaeda is American creation....... may be they are unaware of world politics . - ritesh kumar 14 hours agojanab zafarul-islam khan, with all respect to you, WHO do you think you are supporting? alqaeda?i mean, atleast, try to shield a bit of your unconditional islamic love, especially when it is some butchers you are speaking about. the alqaeda has no existence??????is it? and we are living on the moon, right? nairobi,mombassa,9-11, 7-7, all this was done by the spaggheti monster right?i mean, please, sir, leave this ostrich attitude of yours...........the TTP and alqaeda "inspired" groups are butchering your muslim brothers, shia sunni alike in pakistan, afghanistan, iraq , africa et.al(not to speak of their influenced people who have butchered indians, well i mention this in brackets , since we are non muslims killed and hence not much of an issue for you)...........pakistan has humanitarianly collapsed, thousands killed or maimed............and all you say is "beware of praveen swami"...............has praveen swami killed in the thousands, has praveen swami asked for attacks on muslims, has praveen swami detonated himself in a muslim majority area.........no, and you do know the answer who is doing so.............
zafarul sahab, for one moment , remove the ego from your mind and look at the world objectively. just for once. you will know. if you are an honest and a true human being, you will definitely know.
and one last thing:"Al-Qaeda is an American creation having no existence in the real world"
is it? that means, logically, even laden, its alleged head till a few days back, is also an american puppet and and a western puppet/slave/instrument used as a means to villify islam/muslims/middle east. right?????why then, AFTER HIS DEATH , WERE SO MANY PRAYER SESSIONS(NAMAZ-E-ZANAZA) HELD IN THE HONOR OF THIS WESTERN AGENT, in India and throughout the arab world?????????
I AM WAITING FOR AN ANSWER TO MY LAST QUESTION, zafarul sahab. if you have the time, please reply to my last question. here itself. - Respected ritesh ji, do u have reading problems or what??? where did u find he is supporting terrorism? all he intended to say was to request to mr. swami to stop scare-mongering...being a indian muslim we understand how the instigate and make people opionated about muslims by their fake reporting...u wont understand because you are a admirer of the swami( aseemananda)
- irfan, before accusing me of being a swami aseemanand supporter, or praveen swami and the hindu of being islamophobic, i request to please look at aljazeera for the latest attack on the intercontinental hotel in kabul by several armed gunmen/suicide bombers. and the news is from aljazeera(a channel owned by muslims/ anti-america)...and they have reported that it is the taliban which has claimed responsibility. what have the hotel guests done? or the poor hotel workers? please check out the news. and dont say you dont know. mr. irfan, and to the writer, mr zafar sahab, as i had said, islamophobia is not due to the one who reports it, islamophobia is due to the perpetrator who claims himself muslim.
- irfan sahab, have i said he is supporting terrorism? show me where i have said so. read my first three four lines well. i have asked mr. zafar-ul islam if he is supporting alqaeda(and he mentions alqaeda has no existence)...thus, i am questioning why is mr. zafar trying to delude himself and us all........laying the onus of blame for islamophobia at praveen swamy's door is of no use, islamophobia is not because praveen swami reports it, islamophobia, irfan sahab is because groups like alqaeda, lashkar-e-taiba murder and bomb innocents, and this is not me who is claiming this....this is something these groups themselves claim, as do arab media.......(since you will believe nothing of indian media unless ofcourse it is an assemanand, and not a kasab)................please do not show yourself as unbiased, you are ready to believe in the hindu when the hindu exposes swami assemanand, but you feel hindu is anti-islam when it exposes al-qaeda.......great going, double standards at its best......
- You are blind Mr. Ritesh. Pls open your eyes before its too late. Know the real "World Terrorist No.1" & their Indian chamchyas who sell themselves for petty considerations. RIGHT?
- so, this is all you had to say, sam....that i am blind. am i blind when i see scores of pakistanis dead in a bomb blast, am i blind when i see the taliban blow up schoolkids and common afghans, am i blind when i hear aljazeera and pakistani news channels themselves agree that alqaeda and tehreek e taliban pakistan are to blame for various barbaric attacks, am i blind when i see and read websites affiliated to these terrorist organisations call for killing unbelievers, am i blind when i see attack after attack on various parts of india, and every intelligence report leading to these groups...........am i blinf=d when the camera captures ajmal kasab and his group firing away at taj hotel? what do you mean, i am blinfd?
sam, let me give you a piece of advice. it is YOU WHO NEEDS TO TAKE AWAY THE BLINDFOLD FROM YOUR EYES.YOU SHOULD LOOK OBJECTIVELY AND SEE HOW CONFLICTS ARE BEING CREATED. OTHERWISE, YES, WE WILL NOT SURVIVE, NO DOUBT, BUT THEN, THERE WILL BE NO ONE TO HEAR YOUR CRIES WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU, NO ONE TO SAVE YOU WHEN YOU WILL BE THE TARGET...........today, try however much you want, you cannot pretent to not see the PATHETIC condition of the general population in pakistan,till yesterday pakistanis were happily secure without any sorrow for the scores of indians being killed in terror attacks, and today, look at their very STATE........where is the pakistani safe today, in his home, no, in a military base, no, in a masjid ., no...in a dargah, no?????????blind love and support leads to nought but destruction, sam....know this very well................................. - Praveen Swami's articles are somewhat like research papers, without any frills, they contain in depth analysis of terror networks and their modus operandi. His articles have never been anti-Islam as it is being made out here....or wait....do u guys mean Al-Queda is representative of Islam?? Go read his articles first.....
- yeah as we had been enlightened by his earlier research papaers of mecca masjid , samjhauta express etc cases...
- RamULASWAMY 16 hours agoThis MILLE GAZETTE seems to be mouthpiece of AL QAEDA,SIMI,IM,ISI n LET.Even for a moment we think the reports are preposterous, why is he so offended on behalf of AL QAEDA? Its better to be prepared than to be sorry.How can a post mortem report state that whether the BATLA HOUSE encounter was real or staged?its job of arms mechanics experts.AIIMS made no such claim in any case !! BATLA HOUSE has long history.Accused of RED FORT SHOOTING were found from same house.Why newspapers like MG are allowed to run which serve dual purpose of indoctrinating and providing venomous ideological fodder to misguided or fundamental muslims.Because of groups like them,fundamentalism is taking roots in countries like india,bangladesh and indonesia.
Reactions
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Sidp_MS 8 hours ago
From twitter Al Qaeda has not existance in real world, it only exists in Matrix: Miili Gazzette http://t.co/UYCoUth -
harikane_ 10 hours ago
From twitter RT @barbarindian: RT @Dosabandit Milli Gazette hurls mud at @praveenswami - The Hindu Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India http://bit.ly/mLX9hS -
Siiddhuu 10 hours ago
From twitter RT @Dosabandit Milli Gazette hurls mud at @praveenswami - The Hindu Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India http://t.co/a7xFkjA -
barbarindian 10 hours ago
From twitter RT @Dosabandit Milli Gazette hurls mud at @praveenswami - The Hindu Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India http://bit.ly/mLX9hS -
DelhiRium 12 hours ago
From twitter http://t.co/rbzUYUz An idea ? How come it coincided with exact time when Americans wanted to involve themselves in Afghan-Russia tussle? -
Dosabandit 12 hours ago
From twitter Milli Gazette hurls mud at @praveenswami - The Hindu Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India http://bit.ly/mLX9hS -
ashutosh_g 14 hours ago
From twitter "Swami, the terror-salesman" :D RT @praveenswami: Fascinating stuff about me | http://is.gd/AHmhQc -
salilb 15 hours ago
From twitter RT @praveenswami: Fascinating stuff about me | http://is.gd/AHmhQc -
manasshaikh 15 hours ago
From twitter RT @milligazette: The Hindu Eager to drag Al-Qaeda to India #media #india #terror http://fb.me/16ydIxVMz -
manasshaikh 15 hours ago
From twitter RT @kaaashif: It seems "IB steno" Praveen Swami is indeed back in India: http://bit.ly/kPNarm MG calls him "the terror-salesman"
