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Islamabad’s infamous Red Mosque faces protest over school massacre Islamabad’s infamous Red Mosque faces protest over school massacre
(about 17 hours later)
Anger in Pakistan at the massacre of 141 people in a school in Peshawar hit Islamabad’s infamous Red Mosque on Thursday as protesters condemned its hardline clerics over their failure to fully condemn the killings.Anger in Pakistan at the massacre of 141 people in a school in Peshawar hit Islamabad’s infamous Red Mosque on Thursday as protesters condemned its hardline clerics over their failure to fully condemn the killings.
By the standards of civil protests in Islamabad the turnout of nearly 200 was sizeable. But it was the location, which one protester said symbolised “the Taliban mindset”, that was remarkable.By the standards of civil protests in Islamabad the turnout of nearly 200 was sizeable. But it was the location, which one protester said symbolised “the Taliban mindset”, that was remarkable.
Surrounded by a large contingent of riot police, the demonstrators gathered yards from the gates of a building that was the scene of a bloody ten-day siege between extremists and security forces in 2007.Surrounded by a large contingent of riot police, the demonstrators gathered yards from the gates of a building that was the scene of a bloody ten-day siege between extremists and security forces in 2007.
Angry and emotional speeches were punctuated by cries denouncing the Red Mosque establishment as friends of the Taliban and traitors.Angry and emotional speeches were punctuated by cries denouncing the Red Mosque establishment as friends of the Taliban and traitors.
Particular ire was directed against Abdul Aziz, the mosque leader who in a television appearance after the killing of 141 people at the army public school in Peshawar on Tuesday refused to unconditionally condemn the attack claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).Particular ire was directed against Abdul Aziz, the mosque leader who in a television appearance after the killing of 141 people at the army public school in Peshawar on Tuesday refused to unconditionally condemn the attack claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Some in the crowd mocked him as “Mullah Burqa” after his infamous attempt to escape the 2007 siege in an all-enveloping woman’s veil.Some in the crowd mocked him as “Mullah Burqa” after his infamous attempt to escape the 2007 siege in an all-enveloping woman’s veil.
At one point a senior mosque official attempted to speak to the furious crowd but was angrily shouted down and retreated back into the building.At one point a senior mosque official attempted to speak to the furious crowd but was angrily shouted down and retreated back into the building.
Popular anger at the slaughter of so many young children remains high, and several militant organisations, including the Afghan Taliban and TTP splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar have been moved to publicly condemn the attack. On Thursday the TTP’s spokesman sent an email attempting to justify the group’s actions, claiming “we do not target civilian sites”.Popular anger at the slaughter of so many young children remains high, and several militant organisations, including the Afghan Taliban and TTP splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar have been moved to publicly condemn the attack. On Thursday the TTP’s spokesman sent an email attempting to justify the group’s actions, claiming “we do not target civilian sites”.
Contradicting a wealth of evidence, spokesman Mohammad Khorasani claimed the suicide attackers killed “only fifty youth” and only after they had been identified as the children of army officers.Contradicting a wealth of evidence, spokesman Mohammad Khorasani claimed the suicide attackers killed “only fifty youth” and only after they had been identified as the children of army officers.
Islamabad’s Red Mosque enjoys an iconic status among Pakistani extremists. In recent times it has named a library in honour of former al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and its female madrassa students published a video this month in praise of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Islamabad’s Red Mosque enjoys an iconic status among Pakistani extremists. In recent times it has named a library in honour of former al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and its female madrassa students published a video this month in praise of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The 2007 showdown with government forces was triggered after its leaders sent students armed with sticks onto the city’s streets to try and impose hardline Sharia morality laws. With the mosque complex stocked with illegal weapons at least 100 people died during the fighting, outraging militants across the region and triggering the formation of the TTP itself.The 2007 showdown with government forces was triggered after its leaders sent students armed with sticks onto the city’s streets to try and impose hardline Sharia morality laws. With the mosque complex stocked with illegal weapons at least 100 people died during the fighting, outraging militants across the region and triggering the formation of the TTP itself.
Despite the mosque’s infamy Aziz remains a powerful figure in charge of a sprawling and expanding mosque empire in the capital. And with a particularly vicious terrorist group – the Ghazi Force – named in honour of a younger brother who died in the siege, few people dare criticise him.Despite the mosque’s infamy Aziz remains a powerful figure in charge of a sprawling and expanding mosque empire in the capital. And with a particularly vicious terrorist group – the Ghazi Force – named in honour of a younger brother who died in the siege, few people dare criticise him.
“That we are here shows the wall of fear, the wall of silence has fallen,” said Naeem Mirza, an NGO boss. “This incident in Peshawar has jolted this country more even than the worst earth quake in 2005 could jolt it.”“That we are here shows the wall of fear, the wall of silence has fallen,” said Naeem Mirza, an NGO boss. “This incident in Peshawar has jolted this country more even than the worst earth quake in 2005 could jolt it.”
Yet more details emerged on Thursday of the horrific attack, including snippets of phone intercepts between the gunmen and their handlers.Yet more details emerged on Thursday of the horrific attack, including snippets of phone intercepts between the gunmen and their handlers.
According to Dawn, a leading Pakistani paper, the attackers were told to await the arrival of army rescuers and then blow themselves up after killing around 100 children in the school’s auditorium.According to Dawn, a leading Pakistani paper, the attackers were told to await the arrival of army rescuers and then blow themselves up after killing around 100 children in the school’s auditorium.
“What do we do now?” one was recorded asking, “We have killed all the children in the auditorium.”“What do we do now?” one was recorded asking, “We have killed all the children in the auditorium.”
The remote handling of suicide attackers from the safety of neighbouring countries have been a hallmark of many terrorist attacks in South Asia, including the 2008 attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai, which Indian and US spies traced to a house in the Pakistani city of Karachi.The remote handling of suicide attackers from the safety of neighbouring countries have been a hallmark of many terrorist attacks in South Asia, including the 2008 attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai, which Indian and US spies traced to a house in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
The phone calls were most likely a key part of the intelligence shared by army chief General Raheel Sharif when he rushed to Kabul on Wednesday for emergency discussions with the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, and the top Nato commander in Afghanistan, US Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford. The phone calls were most likely a key part of the intelligence shared by army chief General Raheel Sharif when he rushed to Kabul on Wednesday for emergency discussions with the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, and the top Nato commander in Afghanistan, US army general John Campbell.
It is likely the intercepted phone calls were traced to Afghan numbers, underscoring the overlap between the Islamist insurgencies in Pakistan and Afghanistan.It is likely the intercepted phone calls were traced to Afghan numbers, underscoring the overlap between the Islamist insurgencies in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The masterminds of the Peshawar massacre are thought to be hiding in parts of the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan where the writ of the government in Kabul is negligible.The masterminds of the Peshawar massacre are thought to be hiding in parts of the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan where the writ of the government in Kabul is negligible.
Security sources say the attack was organised by a commander called Umar Mansoor, a militant from the Pakistani town of Darra Adam Khel, who is now based in Afghanistan.Security sources say the attack was organised by a commander called Umar Mansoor, a militant from the Pakistani town of Darra Adam Khel, who is now based in Afghanistan.
Neither his name nor that of the TTP appeared on the first official police report into the massacre, a decision that angered some Pakistanis who saw it as a sign the country remains nervous about confronting its militant tormentors.Neither his name nor that of the TTP appeared on the first official police report into the massacre, a decision that angered some Pakistanis who saw it as a sign the country remains nervous about confronting its militant tormentors.
However a senior member of the police investigation said some the names of top militants had been added to supplementary documents.However a senior member of the police investigation said some the names of top militants had been added to supplementary documents.
He said it included Fazlullah and even Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant chief from North Waziristan who until earlier this year had been regarded as a member of the so-called “good Taliban” because he had long observed a controversial peace deal with the Pakistani army.He said it included Fazlullah and even Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant chief from North Waziristan who until earlier this year had been regarded as a member of the so-called “good Taliban” because he had long observed a controversial peace deal with the Pakistani army.
• This article was amended on 19 December to correct the name of the US general John Campbell