Log in, take a peek into the Lashkar’s mind

As the Lashkar becomes increasingly assertive in the Valley, posing a serious threat to any peace initiative, it has begun to see and package itself as more than just a fringe fundamentalist group.

Its home page, however, is deceptive since it ends up merely reinforcing the stereotypes: a weird collage of fireballs, Kalashnikovs, fluttering flags, crossed swords, a minaret-style mosque followed by one with a dome — all against the backdrop of the Holy Quran and two words as its masthead: `Allah’s Army’.

Claiming to be a wing of the Markez Al-Daawa Wal Irshad, established in 1989 and once “engaged in Jihad-e-Afghanistan”, it defines its new purpose in very direct terms: “Striving hard for the rights of the oppressed Kashmiris.” Its contact address: 5, Chamberlaine Road, Lahore, Pakistan.

A summary describing the Lashkar’s organisation and military training follows. The advertisement, which sounds like a recruitment drive for coaching institutes, reads: “The first is a 21-day standard course, called the Daura-e-Aama (general course). The second one is a more intensive, and more difficult three-month special programme called Daura-e-Khasa (special course), and it is geared towards guerrilla warfare, teaching the use of small arms, survival and ambush techniques.”

Its strategies of war has gory details: “The Lashkar fighter will usually execute an Indian soldier by slitting his throat. However, beheading and disembowelling are also common methods, employed mostly for psychological reasons (i.e. to torment and place fear in the hearts of the kuffar).”

Shaving or even trimming their beards is forbidden for the Lashkar militants. They should wear their shalwar above the ankles. The website claims that “approximately 500 mujahideens have sacrificed their lives” in Kashmir. There are sentimental quotations from a few parents who claim “I am proud of my son” who was “martyred” in Kashmir.

The next section, “Voice of Islam”, is less about ideology and more of an argument why the US must not declare the Lashkar a “terrorist organisation.” It makes all sorts of absurd claims, including: “We have never purposely targeted the civilians in Kashmir, whether Hindus or Sikhs or other non-Muslims.”

The next one is more outlandish: “US State Department or any other country cannot find any evidence of our involvement in international terrorism.” It then demands support, ironically in the name of “peace”, from “not only Pakistan but all Muslim and non-Muslim countries.”

The website has a “library”of its own which has the Quran in 11 languages, including Swahili, Chinese, Japanese and Albanian. There are customised sections on the Hadith (prophetic traditions), Aqida (fundamental beliefs), Sunnah (way of life) and lots more.

Unfortunately, the holy book is put together with some hate literature in a section called “Comparative Religion” which is just a tirade against Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and other religions.

The next section of the `library’ is on women and the Muslim family. The love for women is equated with that for “well-bred horses, cattle and tilth.” In language that reminds one of the medieval mindset, the website claims “a divorced woman should keep themselves in waiting for three courses” (sic!). And so on and so forth.

Other than the news section, there is also a Jihad Times and Radio Jihad.

Most interesting, however, are the chat discussion forums which you can enter from the home page. A raging debate is going on for sometime between one Abu Abdillah, a Lashkar type, and someone called Mohammed Rafiq Ali Jinnah, who claims to be an Indian jehadi. Here is an excerpt: Indian Jehadi: `Brothers, except for the Babri Masjid and a few others, the Hindus did not destroy any masjids. We are all brothers.” Abu Abdillah replies: “Salam aleykoum, whoever believes that Christians, Jews, mushrik are not kafir and can live like brothers in the same country is a kafir or a kafir agent.” That’s Lashkar for you.