The Treasury said the Ganj Madrassa in Peshawar was being used as training and recruiting base by the two militant groups. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The US Treasury on Tuesday set economic sanctions on a Pakistan Islamic school it branded a “terrorist training centre” supporting al Qaeda and the Taliban.
The Treasury said the Ganj Madrassa in Peshawar was being used as training and recruiting base by the two militant groups, as well as the radical Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeJ) blamed for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.
The head of the madrassa, Fazeel-a-Tul Shaykh Abu Mohammed Ameen Al-Peshawari, known as Shaykh Aminullah, has been a US and UN-designated terrorist since 2009, for his support for al Qaeda and the Taliban.
But it was the first time a madrassa has been the target of sanctions, which forbid any Americans from having any business interaction with it, and freeze any of its assets that come under US jurisdiction.
“Today’s action is the first designation of a madrassa that is being abused by terrorist organisations,” the Treasury said in a statement.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2013.
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@unbelievable. I remember watching an interview by Lyce Doucet (BBC) and Musharaf when in power. When Doucet pointedly reminded Musharaf that she herself had seen the offices of these Jihadi type outfits very close to where this interview was being held, he (Musharaf) point blank refused to believe and refuted her. This then can be considered a plain lie, an act of ignorance, or plain self denial. This mind set of not accepting ground realities is not peculiar to any one person or group it is endemic in Pakistan. This is why politicians cannot agree on how to go about this issue. They cannot even admit to their existence. Just imagine. 40,000 to 50,000 killed, many more injured, many kidnapped, this has been going on for years and years and yet we play deaf and dumb, hear nothing, see nothing, do nothing, that should sum up Pakistan's policies.
Pakistan leaders always talks about how it's fighting terrorism but this is a good example of why non Pakistani's tend to believe that Pakistan is the nexus of terrorism.
How can Pakistan claim that terrorism has been thrust upon them. There are thousands and thousands of Madrassa's in this country, how can they be monitored? This is an impossible task, and the people who run these institutions, have been doing so for many years. It is no wonder that this nation is very badly indoctrinated, Pakistani's can no longer think straight, talk straight or act straight. Open any talk show on the t.v. and soon the talk veers of into religiosity, The pulpit is taking over from government agencies, the Law enforcement agencies, the armed forces, just be prepared for the worse, because the worse is yet to come, my dear Pakistani's.
If America realy wanted to stop this they should ALSO have their friends the KSA stop the funding of such institutions around the Islamic world.
@FYI Its Carotid Artery.
Almost every Madrassa in Pakistan is a terrorist training camp.
Could india and Pakistan live in peace? i don't think so. ( Hope i am proved wrong over time.) Talk is cheap. All politicians talk about peace while preparing for war. While large scale war is not possible, because both sides have nuclear weapons, the war of a " thousand cuts" is being conducted by Pakistan. Keep sending terrorists, detonate IEDs, fake currency transfers, terror training camps etc. Will they have immediate effect, yes definitely. What could india do about it beyond complain? Not much. Defense costs more than offense. Absorb the costs, forget about trade and exchanges. Both countries live isolated, grow their own way and keep talking peace. That is less expensive.
@C.M.Sarwar: Do you think it escaped notice? No. It was deliberate. It is part of the strategy to create assets for strategic depth in Afghanistan and to bleed India with a thousand cuts. PTI government is even reintroducing jihad in school textbooks that ANP reforms had removed.
@Abbas Khan: And then PTI wants to reintroduce jihad in school curriculum with the disingenuous claim that they are just referring to the internal jihad. Such disingenuity fools no one. Everyone knows exactly how the subject is introduced in consonance with shahadat and what is the message that is sought to be taught.
The US Treasury has given a strong statement which India kept repeating again and again and again. Now I am sure talks are suspended till terrorism is eradicated from Pakistan. Which will be in the best of its own interest. Navaz Sharif has some serious issues to handle first. Jugular Vein may have to wait for treatment by Dr. Manmohan Singh.
What do KP/Federal Govt.have to say about this? If this is correct how did this escape the notice of provincial/federal intelligence agencies? If US action is unjustified will our Foreign Office record some protest?
There are similar Madarsaas in Swabi region also. Locals are aware of the Jihaadi campaigns of such schools. Still surprised no action is being taken by govt agencies there ;/ while these places keep churning out Militants.
The sad thing is, most villager parents who can't afford good education/life for their kids send them there and then the lack of accountability from parents lead the kids into the hands of these Mullahs.
pakistan's shining education system.... :)