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| India-Pakistan |
| Bajaur: Tribe and Custom Continue to Protect al-Qaeda |
| 2006-01-20 |
| By Akram Gizabi Early in the morning on January 12, suspected U.S. aircraft fired missiles at houses in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur Agency of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), killing 18 people. This was the first attack of its kind in this area (Frontierpost.com.pk, January 14). What is the significance of Banjaur agency and its relation with the central government? What is the connection if any of Bajaur to the Al-Qaeda terrorists and why would one, of all places, look for Ayman al-Zawahiri, the number two man in the al-Qaeda hierarchy, in Bajaur? Who is Mawlawi Faqir Mohammad, who appeared briefly to eulogize the bombing victims, and then disappeared into thin air? What about Bajaur makes it so tempting for the terrorists to hide there? FATA, which roughly comprises the size of Florida, has a population of over three million, predominantly of Pashtun tribes. As some major tribes inhabit FATA, Pashtunwali, or the Pashtun tribal code, provides the foundation for the area's legal system. This area of Pakistan has remained isolated for centuries. Afghan kings, the British Raj, Pakistani generals, the Soviets and American Green Berets have all tried unsuccessfully to assert control over these wild lands at one point or another. These loosely administered territories are not governed by boundaries or politicians, but by tribal elders and tribal loyalties. The British granted the tribal people maximum autonomy and allowed them to run their affairs in accordance with their Islamic faith, customs and traditions. This prickly borderland formally belongs to Pakistan, but has deep historical, cultural, and ethnic ties to Afghanistan (The News, March 14). Of the seven FATA Agencies, North and South Waziristan and Bajaur play the most significant role in the war on terrorism because of the presence of local militant groups and their association with the top leaders of al-Qaeda. Bajaur has the added dimension of being the suspected host to several members of al-Qaeda's top leadership. Also notable is its proximity to the volatile province of Kunar in Afghanistan, one suspected hiding area of Osama bin Laden. In May of last year, a prominent al-Qaeda leader, Abu Farraj al-Libbi was arrested in Mardan a town southeast of Bajaur. At one time, al-Libbi was also serving as bin Laden's secretary. When another key al-Qaeda leader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11 attacks was arrested in March 2002, Libbi had replaced him as the terror network's number three leader. Two days later, security forces arrested thirteen people including ten foreigners of having al-Qaeda links from Bajaur Agency. The foreigners included Uzbek and Afghan nationals. Al-Libby was at some point living under the protection of Malawi Faqir Mohammad (UPI, May 5, 2005). Faqir Mohammad, who delivered a fiery anti-Pakistan and anti-U.S. speech at the collective funeral of the civilians killed in the Friday bombing on January 12, left the scene. He narrowly escaped the missile attack. Mawlawi Faqir Mohammad and al-Zawahiri along with Mullah Omar were reportedly invited to a feast in the village. Faqir Mohammad, who had a close connection with the Taliban, is also wanted for giving shelter to foreign terrorists. (al-Jazeera, January 14). Faqir Mohammed is a leader of the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Sharia, a religious group that forcibly imposed Islamic religious laws in the Pashtun tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan in the 1990s. Although the Pakistani military later removed most of the parallel courts and administrative units established by the movement, the group continued to run a parallel government for some time. The group still has some influence and occasionally sets up temporary tribal courts to try cases such as fornication, alcohol consumption and selling narcotics. In 1996, when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the group established a close working relationship with Mullah Omar's regime. This group is also believed to have recruited thousands of ethnic Pashtuns to fight in Afghanistan alongside the Taliban when the United States attacked the country in December 2001. Many of these volunteers later died in prison camps in northern Afghanistan. The group was never directly involved with al-Qaeda but is known to have cooperated with it in the past on the instructions of the Taliban. Pakistani intelligence officials say they would not be surprised if the group is now sheltering senior al-Qaeda leaders. Faqir Mohammad himself, as a result of his association with the Taliban and especially Al-Qaeda leaders is on the wanted list in Pakistan. "They are very influential and have the infrastructure to hide bin Laden and his comrades," said the Pakistani official. (UPI, May 5, 2005). Al-Zawahiri, aside from his association to Faqir Mohammad is the son in law of the Momands, one of the largest Pashtun tribes inhabiting Momand Agency. His wife is a Momand Pashtun and is living with her children on the border of Bajaur and Momand. Under Pashtunwali, al-Zawahiri is considered part of the family and the tribe and he must be protected with the lives of the tribesmen. Aside from its "hospitality," Bajaur is important to the Taliban and foreign terrorists for its proximity to Kunar province. The tribes straddling the border area are drawn to two basic tenets: Pashtunwali and Islam. Giving shelter to a fellow Pashtun or Muslim is a Pashtunwali tradition and an Islamic duty. This and the rugged terrain and inaccessibility of the border region make it an ideal sanctuary for al-Zawahiri and other members of al-Qaeda. Any pressure, whether from the U.S. or Pakistani government, will not change the mentality of the people. Attacks in which allegedly innocent people are killed, will only reinforce the militants' position and further isolate the central government in Islamabad. |
| Posted by:Gloluse Whitle8939 |
| #8 This area of Pakistan has remained isolated for centuries. Until bin Laden and Zawahiri went and spoiled it all for them. Now, the only thing constant in lives will be change. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-01-20 20:19 |
| #7 Unfortunately, until we lose a city in the US to these scumbags, we will not fight the tribals the way our history has taught will result in victory : exterminate the foe and reward the ally. We allied with the Crow and they helped us break the Apache and Comanche; we ran those tribes into the ground and burnt their villages where ever we found them. They eventually became peaceful - after we killed enough of them to get the point across. That is what we need to do in the Paki tribal zone, find a tribe we can deal with and load them up with goodies like wells, vets to improve their herds, medics to treat their illnesses, and arm them to the teeth. Then set them loose on their traditional foes and our Al-Q enemies, with the provision that we want sufficient material proof of success to run a valid DNA test on. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-01-20 16:49 |
| #6 As someone once said, "Everything is always more complex than we know". In this case, the best attitude to take to win is a philosophy that the situation must be looked at like an internet map, with different perspectives depending on the scale. Every disadvantage can be turned to an advantage and vise versa. Baluch Pushtuns that fight against Pakistan today may fight against Iran tomorrow. They may offer you a feast tonight, then slit your throat in your sleep for the price on your head. One tribe may offer the heads of al-Qaeda a dinner, and another tribe may inform on the time and the date of that dinner. Everything changes, so it is wise to create change, or at least follow it, to your advantage. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-01-20 15:27 |
| #5 Since the government of Pakistan will not deal with it. Warn them. Then B52s' and iron bombs. Let the iron fall like rain. Treat then brutally. It is the only thing they respect or understand unfortunately. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-01-20 14:56 |
| #4 Well, the tribe Americanus is kind of ticked at the death and destruction old bin Laden caused in the United States, and will do something about it. We have a tendency to root out tribalism that is mean to us, and either change ways, or eliminate the threat. I think the Pushtuns and a bunch of other Islamists have failed to take that into consideration, to their detriment. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-01-20 14:22 |
| #3 Faqir Mohammad, who delivered a fiery anti-Pakistan and anti-U.S. speech at the collective funeral of the civilians killed in the Friday bombing on January 12, left the scene. He narrowly escaped the missile attack. Not |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-01-20 11:56 |
| #2 Under Kafirwali, al-Zawahiri is considered a murderer and an outlaw and any tribe that protects him risks their own lives... They may never figure that part out. |
| Posted by: Flerert Whese8274 2006-01-20 10:38 |
| #1 Apparentley, this close knit clan, has sprung a leak. Maybe a very rich leak, now. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2006-01-20 10:24 |