Thousands being recruited in Pakistan for ‘Jihad’
From Lean Left
“And for another story from the 2+2=4 department… Via: Gulf-news.com Despite official pledges of action to stop militancy, the ‘jihad’ movement in the country seems to be growing. This appears to be especially true in the Punjab and also the NWFP,
Despite official pledges of action to stop militancy, the ‘jihad’ movement in the country seems to be growing. This appears to be especially true in the Punjab and also the NWFP, where it is said “more people have linked up to jihadi forces in the post-Iraq war scenario than at any other time in years.”
“Jihad is spreading like wildfire in Pakistan,” claims an official in the country’s Interior Ministry. He says that according to several jihadi publications between January and June 2003, Islamic groups recruited over 7,000 young boys aged between 18 and 25. “Some of the largest separatist outfits – Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) andJaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) – claim to have recruited more than 3,350 and 2,235 boys respectively during this period,” says the official. Jihadi groups are finding the Pakistani environment particularly receptive after the U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq. They use publications, web sites, local prayer leaders, cassettes, CDs, and souvenirs like file covers, badges,T-shirts and so on to lure recruits.”