Dawood -- Did Criminal Mastermind Stage Mumbai Nightmare?

[IndianaGreen]

Dawood -- Did Criminal Mastermind Stage Mumbai Nightmare?

New America Media, Commentary, Yoichi Shimatsu, Posted: Nov 28, 2008

The coordinated nighttime assault against seven major targets in Mumbai is reminiscent of the 1993 bombings that devastated the Bombay Stock Exchange. The recent attack bears the fingerprints of the same criminal mastermind – meticulous preparation, ruthless execution and the absence of claims or demands.

The eerie silence that accompanied the blasts are the very signature of Ibrahim Dawood, now a multi-millionaire owner of a construction company in Karachi, Pakistan. His is hardly a household name around the world like Osama bin Laden. Across South Asia, however, Dawood is held in awe and, in a twist on morals, admired for his belated conversion from crime boss to self-styled avenger.

His rise to the highest rungs of India's underworld began from the most unlikely position as the diligent son of a police constable in the populous commercial capital then known as Bombay.

His childhood familiarity with police routine and inner workings of the justice system gave the ambitious teenager an unmatched ability to outwit the authorities with evermore clever criminal designs. Among the unschooled ranks of Bombay gangland, Ibrahim emerged as the coherent leader of a multi-religious mafia, not just due to his ability to organize extortion campaigns and meet payrolls, but also because of his merciless extermination of rivals.

Dawood, always the professional problem-solver, gained the friendship of aspiring officers in India's intelligence service known as Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He soon attracted the attention of American secret agents, then supporting the Islamic mujahideen in their battle against the Soviet occupiers of Afghanistan. Dawood personally assisted many a U.S. deep-cover operation funneling money to Afghan rebels via American-operated casinos in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Yoichi Shimatsu. Former editor of The Japan Times in Tokyo and journalism lecturer at Tsinghua University in Beijing,, Shimatsu has covered the Kashmir crisis and Afghan War.

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=050dc87c7cffe019c7177175cefe1ad8

[meowomon]

1. While Bushco has sidetracked us with the so called "Al-Qaeda in Iraq,

Al-Qaeda everywhere else has blossomed into a well financed ban of thugs hell bent on destroying the west and any influence we have in the East and middle east. Do you blame them for hating us so? We had the world in our corner on 9/11 and the Rethuglicans blew it with their endless greed for oil and power. I just hope the Democrats won't blow it with their politics as usual and the big moneyed DLC.

[JDPriestly]

2. It's one group of criminals versus the other.

Interesting information about the U.S.'s use of casinos to launder money. I think that is what some of the gambling in this country is about.

[Mist]

3. Interesting observation re: casinos. I never thought of that. nt

[JDPriestly]

4. I personally think that casinos are used to launder money right here in the U.S.

That's why certain political operatives are so involved in pushing for casinos. I have utterly no proof for that. It is just my opinion. And I would not want to name names of political operatives. The facts speak for themselves. Everyone can research who got laws for, say, Indian casinos passed. Everyone can research who loudly supports casinos in various states. It may not just be one party. In fact, I suspect there are casino fans in both parties.

[ContinentalOp]

5. Of course that's what gambling is about. Always has been.

The mob has always been into coin operated machines such as jukeboxes, cigarette machines, and slots, because you can make up any income you like and it's impossible to audit.

[ContinentalOp]

6. Construction?

What is up with wealthy construction families and their ties to terrorism? Bizarre.