Who is the surviving Mumbai terrorist?

Mon, 12/01/2008 - 10:09am

Pop quiz: What's the name of the lone surviving attacker from Mumbai?

It's a bit of a trick question. Reports in the Indian press and elsewhere have ascribed various names to the terrorist captured along the Mumbai waterfront, who seems to be the same fellow captured in this chilling photo:

Here's my count of the names in use:

  • Ajmal Mohammed Amir Kasab
  • Amjad Amir Kamaal
  • Ajmal Amir Kamal
  • Ajmal Qasab
  • Ajmal Amin Kamal
  • Ajmal Amir Kasab
  • Mohammad Ajmal Qasam
  • Azam Amir Kasav
  • Mohammed Ajmal Mohammed Amir Kasav

Some of these are just differences in transliteration (Kasab vs. Qasab, for instance), but the rest would seem to be the product of a sloppy media culture and bad press management by Indian officials.

All the reports I've found, however, agree that he is from Faridkot, Pakistan, he is 21 years old, he admitted being a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and he has only a fourth-grade education.

Blake Hounshell | Permalink | | Comments? Login or register
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bullsh*t alert!

by kidzib on Mon, 12/01/2008 - 2:16pm

There are three Faridkots in Pakistan, only one claims anyone who has any of those names (but the person most certainly isn't 21), and none of them are the kinds of places that recruit jihadis. Additionally, the captured terrorist speaks flawless English, which would be quite an accomplishment for someone supposedly from a farming community. The media is failing to mention that the most famous Faridkot is not in Pakistan but rather India. 1) nobody should assume that anything the Indian government or media is saying is the least bit true (this is election season, after all...), and 2) don't feed the Pakistan hate without good cause. They have enough trouble already without having to be embroiled in this latest fiasco.

More on Faridkot here: http://www.dawn.com/2008/12/01/top8.htm