Feared Pakistani militant Maulana Masood Azhar resurfaces
It's time to resume holy war, says Pakistani Islamic hardliner blamed for the 2001 attack on India's parliament that left 15 people dead
The Pakistani Islamic hardliner blamed for an attack on India's parliament that brought the nuclear rivals to the brink of war has resurfaced after years in seclusion, setting off alarm bells in New Delhi.
Twice since the end of December, Indian authorities have issued an airport security alert, warning of an attempt by members of a Pakistan-based militant group called Jaish-e-Mohammad, or Army of Muhammad, to hijack a plane, with smaller airfields most at risk.
If a call is given the number of [fighters who are ready to die] will go up to 3,000
Indian officials have said the alerts followed reports of increased activity by Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the outlawed militant group.
Azhar was named by an Indian court as the prime suspect in a 2001 attack on India's parliament aimed at taking top political leaders hostage. Fifteen people were killed, most of them security guards as well as the five men who stormed the complex.
Tensions between the old enemies spiralled after the attack and up to a million troops were mobilised on both sides of the volatile border. Pakistan refused to hand over Azhar to India.
The portly and bearded cleric has remained mostly confined to a compound in his home city of Bhawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province for years, but three weeks ago, he addressed supporters and said the time had come to resume jihad, or holy war, against India.
"There are 313 fedayeen [fighters who are ready to die] in this gathering and if a call is given the number will go up to 3,000," he told the rally held in the city of Muzaffarabad by telephone. A journalist who was present said a telephone was held next to a microphone which broadcast his comments to loudspeakers.