Why the Dawood-Lashkar link is not surprising

On Thursday, a video surfaced in which Talha Saeed, the son of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief is urging people to take up jihad in the name of Dawood Ibrahim. In the video, Talha is seen telling the crowd to take up jihad in the name of both Dawood as well as Burhan Wani.

[Budding jihadi in Pak: I want to be Dawood when I grow up]

Talha drops a hint saying that Dawood would actively take part in jihad against India. Many in the media did go to town with this news, but the question is what is new in this revelation.

Dawood's role in 26/11?

Talha drops a hint saying that Dawood would actively take part in jihad against India. Many in the media went to town with this news, but the question is what is new in this revelation. Dawood helped orchestrate the 1993 Bombay serial blasts at the behest of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. His role cropped up in the 2006 train blasts after investigators found that he had funded the same. His name had come up during the probe into the Mumbai 26/11 case too.

It was alleged that one of his henchmen had made arrangements for the 10 terrorists to stay in the city a day prior to the attack. It was also stated that Dawood's men may have told the Lashkar-e-Tayiba about the Nariman House, a location that was not too well known to many.

Dawood has always been a prime funder for the ISI. His roaring drug business has earned the ISI millions of dollars. According to the pact he has to cough up 40 per cent of his earnings to the ISI, who in turn provide a safe route for him to smuggle drugs.

[ISI tells D-Company to perform or perish]

Dawood's name had cropped up recently in the Bharuch double murder case of Gujarat as well. The NIA, which probed the case said that the D company was under immense pressure from the ISI to carry out strikes and cause disturbances in India. Dawood and his men have been under the protection of ISI for over two decades. While the Dawood gang hands over 40 per cent of its income earned through drugs to the ISI, investigations found that the Pakistan spy agency demands more.

The ISI's belief

The ISI feels that the D-company has a long reach in India is capable of causing disturbances in India.

With the strength of the Indian Mujahideen and SIMI dwindling, it had looked up to the D-gang to create trouble in India. The plot to kill Hindu leaders and create communal disturbances in India was planned by a key Dawood man, Javed Chikna. The NIA learnt that this was done under immense pressure from the ISI which has been seeking a return of the favour for harbouring the gang members.

OneIndia News