Latest news with #Kalashnikovs
NDTV
an hour ago
- Politics
- NDTV
India Can Talk To Pak If It Takes Action Against Terrorism: Shashi Tharoor
Brasilia: The problem in holding talks with Pakistan is not the language but finding a common vision for decency and peace, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Tuesday, stressing that New Delhi can engage in dialogue with Islamabad if it takes significant action against the infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in the country. Mr Tharoor, who is leading an all-party parliamentary delegation to Brazil, also said his team successfully conveyed India's message against terrorism to the Latin American countries, including to those who may have had some misunderstandings. "This is what we keep telling our interlocutors. If Pakistan is as innocent as they claim to be, why do they give safe haven to wanted terrorists?... Why are they able to live peacefully, to conduct training radicalise further people, to equip arms and get people to practice their arms and Kalashnikovs...," Mr Tharoor told PTI Videos. He said the problem in talking to Pakistan is not the language but finding a common vision for decency and peace. "You crack down on this infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in your country. Then, of course, we can talk," he said. "We can talk to them in Hindustani. We can talk to them in Punjabi. We can talk to them in English. There is no problem in finding common ground with Pakistan. The problem is finding a common vision for decency, for peace. We want to be left in peace, to grow and develop. They don't want to leave us alone. They want to harass us. They want to undermine us," he said. "They want to cut us this whole bleeding to death India by 1,000 cuts. They're not going to bleed to death so easily. Better forget that idea," he added. On another question, whether India hopes that Brazil, which is hosting the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, may issue a statement on terrorism against Indian citizens, Mr Tharoor said, "I think, honestly, BRICS has a different agenda. I'm not saying that they may not want to express solidarity. I mean, that's really not my brief...I don't know, and I don't even know if it's in the draft that they're working on already". "As far as the other issues you're concerned, you know, international forums are not our preoccupation. Our preoccupation is honestly our bilateral relation to Pakistan and Pakistan's complete failure to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism in their country," he said. On a question whether nations have been recognising India's stance against terrorism, Mr Tharoor said his delegation has been to four nations—Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil- so far and "this has been very clear in all the countries we've been to". "And I would say in all four countries, we've had a very, clear success, if that's the word, I don't like to boast of success. That's for others to judge. But we have got our message through very clearly, including to those who may have had some misunderstandings," he said, referring to Colombia. Earlier, Congress MP Mr Tharoor had said Colombia withdrew a statement offering condolences to Pakistan for the loss of lives following India's military strikes in response to the Pahalgam attack after his delegation explained Islamabad's relentless support to cross-border terrorism. "And as a result of getting our message through, we have certainly been able, in my view, to come back feeling that these countries understand our situation better and express full solidarity with our struggle against terrorism, which is the main purpose of our trip," Shashi Tharoor said. The delegation concluded their visit with a meeting with Brazil Vice President Geraldo Alckmin. "The visit of the Indian parliamentary delegation concluded on a high note with a meeting with the Vice President of Brazil @geraldoalckmin. The delegation thanked him for Brazil's firm stand against terrorism and welcomed his emphasis on deepening bilateral ties in trade, defence, science & technology, and other key sectors," the Indian Embassy in Brazil posted on X. The Tharoor-led delegation will head to Washington DC from Brazil. On a question on the delegation's expectations from the Washington DC visit, Shashi Tharoor said, "My expectations are that it's going to be a challenging visit. We have a lot of different kinds of audiences," he said. "Judging by some of the information floating around, flying around, we get some interesting and perhaps challenging questions, which we will be very happy to answer," he added. Mr Tharoor in a post on X said the delegation had an intense day of meetings in Brazil that "gave us much to be pleased about — affirmations of solidarity and goodwill for India across the board, both from the highest echelons of government and from the legislature." The delegation held an excellent and highly productive meeting with Senator Nelsinho Trad, President of the India-Brazil Friendship Front and President of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. "Deeply appreciate his insightful understanding & strong endorsement of India's perspective on recent events. Such solidarity strengthens the bonds between our democracies! Brazil and India," Mr Tharoor said. The delegation also met the new Indian Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia. "At the Ambassador's lunch, had the great pleasure of meeting two venerable academic couples who have each held India's flag aloft in the Brazilian capital for more than half a century: Prof Vijayendra Kumar and his wife Devi, who herself taught Hindi to Brazilians; and Prof Haridas and his wide Padmaja, who hail from Palakkad district and have seen my ancestral home on a visit to Kollengode!" Mr Tharoor said. "Prof Kumar explained that aside from the diplomats, there are only five Indian families in Brasilia's 4 million population, something I find impossible to believe!", he said. The delegation also called on Amb Celso Amorim, Head Adviser of the Special Advisory to the President of Brazil, and discussed India's position of zero tolerance to terrorism.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Syrian man handed life sentence in Germany for war crimes
By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN (Reuters) -A German court sentenced a Syrian man to life in prison on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes it said he had committed as a leading member of a Hezbollah-backed militia during Syria's civil war. The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart found the 33-year-old man guilty of leading a militia that carried out brutal attacks on Sunni Muslim civilians in his home town of Busra al-Sham in southern Syria. It did not name the man. In 2013 the militia beat three people with Kalashnikovs and handed them over to the military intelligence of Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad, which tortured them and kept them in appalling conditions, the court found. In a 2014 raid, the group also forced a 40-year-old man and his family from their home. The man was tortured and later found on the street unable to walk due to his injuries, the court verdict said. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Iranian-backed Shi'ite group, played a major role propping up Assad during the civil war in Syria. German prosecutors have used universal jurisdiction laws that allow them to seek trials for suspects in crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world. Based on these laws, several people suspected of war crimes during the Syrian conflict have been arrested in the last few years in Germany, which is home to almost one million Syrians. In a landmark case in 2022 a German court jailed Syrian ex-intelligence officer Anwar Raslan for life for murder, rape and crimes against humanity, in the first ever conviction for state-backed torture committed during Syria's civil war. In January this year, a high-ranking member of the Islamic State militant group, a Syrian national identified as Ossama A., was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Germany, partly for alleged involvement in a genocide against the minority Yazidi community. The trial of the man sentenced on Tuesday began last October and lasted for 42 court days. It included 30 witnesses, most of whom were Syrian nationals now living around the world, testifying over multiple sessions. The court also consulted expert witnesses and reviewed extensive image and video evidence, some of which was made available after Assad's fall from power last December, including images of detention facilities and looted homes. The court said the verdict could be appealed.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
Syrian man handed life sentence in Germany for war crimes
BERLIN, June 3 (Reuters) - A German court sentenced a Syrian man to life in prison on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes it said he had committed as a leading member of a Hezbollah-backed militia during Syria's civil war. The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart found the 33-year-old man guilty of leading a militia that carried out brutal attacks on Sunni Muslim civilians in his home town of Busra al-Sham in southern Syria. It did not name the man. In 2013 the militia beat three people with Kalashnikovs and handed them over to the military intelligence of Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad, which tortured them and kept them in appalling conditions, the court found. In a 2014 raid, the group also forced a 40-year-old man and his family from their home. The man was tortured and later found on the street unable to walk due to his injuries, the court verdict said. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Iranian-backed Shi'ite group, played a major role propping up Assad during the civil war in Syria. German prosecutors have used universal jurisdiction laws that allow them to seek trials for suspects in crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world. Based on these laws, several people suspected of war crimes during the Syrian conflict have been arrested in the last few years in Germany, which is home to almost one million Syrians. In a landmark case in 2022 a German court jailed Syrian ex-intelligence officer Anwar Raslan for life for murder, rape and crimes against humanity, in the first ever conviction for state-backed torture committed during Syria's civil war. In January this year, a high-ranking member of the Islamic State militant group, a Syrian national identified as Ossama A., was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Germany, partly for alleged involvement in a genocide against the minority Yazidi community. The trial of the man sentenced on Tuesday began last October and lasted for 42 court days. It included 30 witnesses, most of whom were Syrian nationals now living around the world, testifying over multiple sessions. The court also consulted expert witnesses and reviewed extensive image and video evidence, some of which was made available after Assad's fall from power last December, including images of detention facilities and looted homes. The court said the verdict could be appealed.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- General
- Straits Times
Syrian man handed life sentence in Germany for war crimes
BERLIN - A German court sentenced a Syrian man to life in prison on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes it said he had committed as a leading member of a Hezbollah-backed militia during Syria's civil war. The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart found the 33-year-old man guilty of leading a militia that carried out brutal attacks on Sunni Muslim civilians in his home town of Busra al-Sham in southern Syria. It did not name the man. In 2013 the militia beat three people with Kalashnikovs and handed them over to the military intelligence of Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad, which tortured them and kept them in appalling conditions, the court found. In a 2014 raid, the group also forced a 40-year-old man and his family from their home. The man was tortured and later found on the street unable to walk due to his injuries, the court verdict said. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Iranian-backed Shi'ite group, played a major role propping up Assad during the civil war in Syria. German prosecutors have used universal jurisdiction laws that allow them to seek trials for suspects in crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world. Based on these laws, several people suspected of war crimes during the Syrian conflict have been arrested in the last few years in Germany, which is home to almost one million Syrians. In a landmark case in 2022 a German court jailed Syrian ex-intelligence officer Anwar Raslan for life for murder, rape and crimes against humanity, in the first ever conviction for state-backed torture committed during Syria's civil war. In January this year, a high-ranking member of the Islamic State militant group, a Syrian national identified as Ossama A., was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Germany, partly for alleged involvement in a genocide against the minority Yazidi community. The trial of the man sentenced on Tuesday began last October and lasted for 42 court days. It included 30 witnesses, most of whom were Syrian nationals now living around the world, testifying over multiple sessions. The court also consulted expert witnesses and reviewed extensive image and video evidence, some of which was made available after Assad's fall from power last December, including images of detention facilities and looted homes. The court said the verdict could be appealed. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
News18
13 hours ago
- Business
- News18
'Talks Can Happen Only If...': Shashi Tharoor Lays Out Conditions For India-Pakistan Dialogue
Last Updated: The problem in holding talks with Pakistan is not the language but finding a common vision for decency and peace, Shashi Tharoor said Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party parliamentary delegation to Brazil, said on Tuesday that New Delhi could engage in dialogue with Pakistan if it takes significant action against the infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in the country. The problem in holding talks with Pakistan is not the language but finding a common vision for decency and peace, the Congress MP said, adding that his team successfully conveyed India's message against terrorism to the Latin American countries. 'This is what we keep telling our interlocutors. If Pakistan is as innocent as they claim to be, why does it give safe haven to wanted terrorists? Why are they able to live peacefully, to conduct training camps…and radicalise further people, to equip arms and get people to practice their arms and Kalashnikovs," Tharoor told PTI. 'You crack down on this infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in your country. Then, of course, we can talk," he said. 'We can talk to them in Hindustani. We can talk to them in Punjabi. We can talk to them in English. There is no problem in finding common ground with Pakistan. The problem is finding a common vision for decency, for peace. We want to be left in peace, to grow and develop. They don't want to leave us alone. They want to harass us. They want to undermine us," he said. Tharoor Vs Bhutto In US? The delegation led by Shashi Tharoor, comprises Sarfaraz Ahmad, Ganti Harish Madhur, Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, Tejasvi Surya, and Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu. It will head to Washington DC from Brazil. Bhutto's nine-member delegation comprises former Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, ex-Information Minister Sherry Rehman, former Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, and former Foreign Secretaries Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua. Tharoor On Global Response On being asked whether countries have acknowledged India's position on terrorism, Shashi Tharoor said his delegation had visited four nations—Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil—so far, and added, 'This has been very clear in all the countries we've been to." 'And I would say in all four countries, we've had a very, clear success, if that's the word, I don't like to boast of success. That's for others to judge. But we have got our message through very clearly, including to those who may have had some misunderstandings," he said, referring to Colombia. Earlier, Tharoor had said Colombia withdrew a statement offering condolences to Pakistan for the loss of lives following India's military strikes in response to the Pahalgam attack after his delegation explained Islamabad's relentless support to cross-border terrorism. 'And as a result of getting our message through, we have certainly been able, in my view, to come back feeling that these countries understand our situation better and express full solidarity with our struggle against terrorism, which is the main purpose of our trip," Tharoor said. On a question on the delegation's expectations from the Washington DC visit, Tharoor said, 'My expectations are that it's going to be a challenging visit. We have a lot of different kinds of audiences," he said.
