Pakistan ISI protected Dawood Ibrahim finally draws US anti-terror efforts
Daily News & Analysis: Fresh American investigations underway against Dawood Ibrahim is being eagerly watched by Indian security apparatus, which is hopeful that the Don would finally feel the heat of growing global fight against terrorism.
But the investigations, which are part of a global effort to unravel the growing complex link between criminal syndicates and terrorism, are yet to show any impact on Dawood or his empire, according to sources.
In fact, in the past few weeks India’s most wanted criminal has been travelling to Africa and Australia where he has extensive investments in mining and other businesses, say sources.
The influential US News and World Report last week reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation are carrying out new investigations against Dawood. “US officials now have him at the centre of two investigations: one, by the Drug Enforcement Administration, looking at his ties to the heroin trade; another, by the FBI, tracing his assets and ties to terrorist groups through a top Pakistani CD counterfeiter,” said the US report.
Dawood is among the world’s leading crime lords providing logistical and financial support, believe US investigation agencies. “The boss of India’s top syndicate controls a criminal network that reaches into 14 countries, with a small army of contract killers, smugglers, and extortionists at his command. But there is another side to Dawood Ibrahim. The Muslim exile from Mumbai has thrown in his lot with Al Qaeda and other jihadists, according to the US and Indian governments, and has become one of the world’s most wanted terrorists,” says the report.
The report also points out that “in Pakistan, Dawood has ties to several terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Toiba.” Dawood has “allegedly met with Al Qaeda leaders and even made a deal to share his smuggling routes with Al Qaeda operatives,” the report further adds. Indian officials say they have been sharing these and more information regarding Dawood with the US, UK and other foreign nations. New Delhi’s efforts have led to the US and UN naming him a global terrorist and issuance of an Interpol notice but Dawood continues to have cozy existence in Karachi.
DNA sources say that there is irrefutable proof that Dawood, despite his well-publicised presence in Karachi, has been having a “free life”. In the past few weeks, after his daughter's high-profile marriage to cricketer Javed Miandad’s son, there is credible evidence of him travelling to Africa and Australia.
“What is worrying is that none of the global efforts including the move by UN and US to declare Dawoood a global terrorist have had any impact on the Pakistani administration,” says a senior security official watching the Don’s empire. In fact, he says their calculation that Pakistan would force Dawood to lie low after his daughter’s marriage irrefutably established his presence in Karachi have proved wrong. “The relation (between Dawood and Pakistani establishment) is more intense than what we know,” he said.
Indian agencies now believe that Dawood’s empire is spread across South Asia, Middle-East, Africa, Australia and even in Europe. And thousands of people, including hundreds who may never know that they work for one of world’s most ruthless terrorists and drug lords, are employed by him around the globe.
In October 2003, the US Treasury Department had designated Dawood a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”, and the United Nations followed suit later. But the fresh investigations by the Americans, growing criticism of International Coalition against Terrorism’s failure to check further spread of terrorism, growing impatience of countries like India towards American double standards are all expected to have better effect this time.
But the investigations, which are part of a global effort to unravel the growing complex link between criminal syndicates and terrorism, are yet to show any impact on Dawood or his empire, according to sources.
In fact, in the past few weeks India’s most wanted criminal has been travelling to Africa and Australia where he has extensive investments in mining and other businesses, say sources.
The influential US News and World Report last week reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation are carrying out new investigations against Dawood. “US officials now have him at the centre of two investigations: one, by the Drug Enforcement Administration, looking at his ties to the heroin trade; another, by the FBI, tracing his assets and ties to terrorist groups through a top Pakistani CD counterfeiter,” said the US report.
Dawood is among the world’s leading crime lords providing logistical and financial support, believe US investigation agencies. “The boss of India’s top syndicate controls a criminal network that reaches into 14 countries, with a small army of contract killers, smugglers, and extortionists at his command. But there is another side to Dawood Ibrahim. The Muslim exile from Mumbai has thrown in his lot with Al Qaeda and other jihadists, according to the US and Indian governments, and has become one of the world’s most wanted terrorists,” says the report.
The report also points out that “in Pakistan, Dawood has ties to several terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Toiba.” Dawood has “allegedly met with Al Qaeda leaders and even made a deal to share his smuggling routes with Al Qaeda operatives,” the report further adds. Indian officials say they have been sharing these and more information regarding Dawood with the US, UK and other foreign nations. New Delhi’s efforts have led to the US and UN naming him a global terrorist and issuance of an Interpol notice but Dawood continues to have cozy existence in Karachi.
DNA sources say that there is irrefutable proof that Dawood, despite his well-publicised presence in Karachi, has been having a “free life”. In the past few weeks, after his daughter's high-profile marriage to cricketer Javed Miandad’s son, there is credible evidence of him travelling to Africa and Australia.
“What is worrying is that none of the global efforts including the move by UN and US to declare Dawoood a global terrorist have had any impact on the Pakistani administration,” says a senior security official watching the Don’s empire. In fact, he says their calculation that Pakistan would force Dawood to lie low after his daughter’s marriage irrefutably established his presence in Karachi have proved wrong. “The relation (between Dawood and Pakistani establishment) is more intense than what we know,” he said.
Indian agencies now believe that Dawood’s empire is spread across South Asia, Middle-East, Africa, Australia and even in Europe. And thousands of people, including hundreds who may never know that they work for one of world’s most ruthless terrorists and drug lords, are employed by him around the globe.
In October 2003, the US Treasury Department had designated Dawood a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”, and the United Nations followed suit later. But the fresh investigations by the Americans, growing criticism of International Coalition against Terrorism’s failure to check further spread of terrorism, growing impatience of countries like India towards American double standards are all expected to have better effect this time.
posted by Marko at 12/21/2005 06:54:00 PM
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