Pakastan: The next State to realize how evil some Islam is

Pakistan's Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, on July 20th, 2005 confirmed 200 Islamic activists have been rounded up in a renewed crackdown on religious extremists, but denied any links with the London bombings. He had earlier conferred with senior police and intelligence officials from throughout Pakistan for several hours. President General Pervez Musharraf had last week instructed security agencies to proceed against religious groups involved in sectarian and militant activities.

The directives followed reports from London that three of the four London bombers were Britons of Pakistani origin and at least one of them had visited a seminary by the militant group Lashkare Taiba (LeT) that had been fighting Indian troops in the Himalayan state of Kashmir. LeT was among the six outfits that Musharraf outlawed in January 2002 for their radical and militant outlook and activities in Kashmir and Afghanistan, where the Taliban had sheltered some of the fugitives wanted by Pakistani authorities on various charges.

Pakistani security agencies on Tuesday raided various mosques and Islamic schools across the country in the latest swoop against religious extremists, which continued on Wednesday. At least three propaganda editors have been arrested and police are still looking for people linked to about 15 religious political publications, believed to be fanning sectarian discontent and hatred in the country. According to interior ministry sources, prominent religious members of outlawed militant and sectarian groups are also being monitored.

Leaders of religious parties and schools have condemned the latest drive, saying it is aimed at "pleasing the West only".