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Militants Planned Attack On Indian Software Firms 599

Alien54 writes "Militants killed in an encounter in New Delhi on Saturday night planned to attack leading software companies in Bangalore in addition to the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun, Delhi police said on Sunday Indian police claim the men were members of Lashkar-e-Toiba - a Wahabi militant group fighting for an independent Kashmir. Apart from maps of call centers police also recovered 100 kilos of dynamite, 10.5 kilos of RDX explosive, 450 detonators, three AK-56 rifles and a satellite phone."
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Militants Planned Attack On Indian Software Firms

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  • by Capt'n Hector ( 650760 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @03:45AM (#11875056)
    "Dear GOD, where is my TECH SUPPORT?!?!! Nobody in the call center is answering!" Feel free to mod me -1 heartless bastard.
    • by AnFraX ( 809909 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @03:48AM (#11875068) Homepage
      No, you see. The militants then proceed to take over the call center, giving out bad advice and in general being mean spirited, causing much grief and sorrow. It is their new method of destroying Western society.
    • police also recovered 100 kilos of dynamite, 10.5 kilos of RDX explosive, 450 detonators, three AK-56 rifles and a satellite phone.

      They had the satellite phone to make sure they didn't mess the tech support calls, silly.
    • by MysteriousPreacher ( 702266 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:10AM (#11875146) Journal
      Having worked in a couple of call-centres, trust me. Some people really can be this heartless in real-life.

      In my previous job, I had someone pretend to be calling from the hospital with news that the manager's wife was dying in hospital in a bizarre attempt to speak to them. Note sure what they expected.

      Manager: Hi, my wife, how is she?
      Caller: Oh, I was just joking about that so I could speak to you. Now, here are some problems I'd like fixed. Hello?.... Hello?
  • by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @03:46AM (#11875061)
    Isn't that a little bit of an extreme reaction by the Kashmiris for losing their IT jobs?
  • by TelJanin ( 784836 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @03:53AM (#11875090)
    "Abdul! I tried to call tech support for the explosives, but all I got was one of those damn foreign Americans! Bloody outsourcing!"
  • by bcmm ( 768152 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @03:54AM (#11875094)
    Oh, wait. Physically attacking a software company? Where's the fun in that?
    • by DNS-and-BIND ( 461968 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @05:28AM (#11875424) Homepage
      Yeah...if the Islamic suicide bombers had reached their targets, killing large numbers of people, surely Kashmir would have become independent immediately!
      • by killjoe ( 766577 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @10:59AM (#11877677)
        If you have a small decentralized and poor army attacking hardened military targets would be useless execize. For terrorists it just makes sense to attack civillian economic targets. If anything it causes even more damage and of course increases the amount of terror. As a bonus it also forces undustry to implement extra security measures which increases their costs and erodes their competitiveness.

        The idea is to weaken the entire country and hurt/scare the general population who will eventually give in. I say eventually because terrorists are usually thinking in timespans that take generations.

        Whether it works or not is debatable. Terrorism was a key component of the establishment of Israel as a state. It also worked in Afghanistan against russia. In other places the record is spotty at best.
  • ...islamic militants are just as frustrated with tech support as the rest of us!

    many a time i wanted to throttle the fool on the other end of the phone in bangalore...
  • by Truth_Quark ( 219407 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:04AM (#11875119) Journal
    Surely an independent Kashmir is a damn fine solution to the bloody tug-of-war that India and Pakistan have been playing for the last 57 years.

    Just do it. It's got to be cheaper than the fisticuffs.

    Another brilliant post by Truth Quark! 60 years of conflict suddenly resolved!
    Now, about Palestine ...

    • Yep, that along with a united Ireland and peace between Palestine and Israel. For some reason, some people don't see it that clearly.
    • I second this. Kashmiris never wanted to be part of India and the intervention of the Indian army has caused atrocities there that only made their feelings worse. Let the people have their freedom and decide their own future.
    • by WIAKywbfatw ( 307557 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:35AM (#11875241) Journal
      Uh, I'm guessing you have no idea about the history behind the India-Pakistan conflict over Kashmir because, if you did, you'd know it's not that simple.

      When India was struggling to achieve independence, it became clear that the religious unrest would likely drive the country apart. The solution to this was partition, which divided India into two countries, India and Pakistan (literally "land of the pure"). Kashmir, which was then a kingdom, decided that it didn't like either choice, and its ruler declared Kashmiri independence for itself.

      Everyone accepted Kashmir's position but shortly after independence and partition took place, Pakistan unilaterally invaded Kashmir claiming it for itself. Kashmir, with no hope of surviving by itself, and with no other help coming from elsewhere, asked India for assistance. This call for help put India in a bind, because it didn't want to provoke Pakistan unnecessarily (partition itself had been a bloody affair) and so it presented Kashmir with the only viable option: become part of the sovereign state of India.

      Kashmir chose India over Pakistan, and officially became part of India. Hence, legally at least, Kashmir is Indian territory. However, Pakistan didnt (and still doesnt) accept this, and refused to withdraw its claim on the region.

      Whether or not Kashmir should become independent is a very stickly question. Personally, I'd like to see it happen but, frankly, there's too much at stake - not least of all national pride - for either India or Pakistan to seriously consider it. So the status quo, with part of still Kashmir occupied by Pakistan, remains and probably will continue to do so for some considerable time. Certainly, until Pakistan readopts democracy, its unlikely to change.

      By the way, while the India-Pakistan division was based on religion, it's a fact that India now has a bigger Muslim population than Pakistan. And, apart from a few religious zealots on either side, most Hindus and Muslims (and Christians, Buddhists, etc) manage to co-exist peacefully in India.
      • > And, apart from a few religious zealots on either side, most Hindus and Muslims (and Christians, Buddhists, etc) manage to co-exist peacefully in India.

        One of the most pathetically funny things I've ever seen was a broadcast news story from a few years back, showing two rival groups of Buddhist monks fighting in the street over control of a temple. They were serious about it too; some of them were using what looked like quarterstaffs.

        I'm pretty sure it was on the Pacific Rim rather than in India, t

      • by Xross_Ied ( 224893 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @06:18AM (#11875563) Homepage
        Your version of history isn't entirely correct/complete..

        1. Yes the raja (roughly translates to king but is more like a local lord) of kashmir wanted to maintain his monarchy (didn't want either pakistan or india as both's political systems were shaping up to be purely parliamentary, i.e. no monarchy).

        2. Under the terms of partition (agreed upon by muslim and hindu political parties..
        a) in states where a popular majority (muslim or hindu) exists, that decides which country that state joins (geographical limitations allowing).
        b) in a state where no clear majority exists, the ruler of the state will decide.

        3. In the case of Kashmir..
        a) there was and still is a muslim majority.
        b) when the political reality of keeping kashmir as an independent monarchy wasn't possible, the raja choose india (against partition rules).

        That is one of the major seeds of discontent that has lead to two wars between the two countries. All this is history.

        For the last 20 years, in an attempt to stamp out terrorism as an excuse, the indian army has been targeting any muslims who raise a political voice; arrest, torture without plausible cause (sometimes leading to dead). It has only created a new generation of terrorists (freedom fighters) and only leads to lend weight to the calls for seperation from india.

        I can only dig up one reference right now:
        http://www.amnesty.org/results/is/eng?queryT ype=0& searchIn=0&query=kashmir&start=1&num=10&max=25&sor tBy=date
    • by pamri ( 251945 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @05:24AM (#11875411) Homepage
      The conflict in kashmir is more complex than you think and not all kashimiri's want independence or secede from india (esp those living in Ladakh and Jammu) or want to join pakistan. You have to remember that Kashmir is a ethnically & religiously diverse state comprising of Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists and even the Kashmiri muslims and hindus have much more in common with each other than with muslims or hindus from outside the regions. Personally, i feel an autonomous region with free moment among Kashmir, India & Pakistan to be a good idea. But whatever the solution, i want it to happen in my lifetime.

      To be on topic, the LeT [fas.org] is mostly comprised of Pakistani extremists and is a declared terrorist outfit by the USA and one of the first Kashmiri terrorists outfits to be banned by Pakistan. To end on a positive note, read this editorial in the pakistan newspaper Dawn [dawn.com].

    • by northcat ( 827059 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @09:12AM (#11876469) Journal
      Bullshit. Being an Indian, I can tell you that Lashkar-e-Toiba is a Pakistani terrorist group, FUNDED by Pakistan and TRAINDED by ISI, the intelligence service of Pakistan. The terrorists are trying everything - from asking Kashmir to be a state of pakistan to making Kashmir an independent state. Once it becomes independent, the Kashmiri people will themselves "ask" to be merged with Pakistan and Pakistan will "reluctantly" "accept" the offer. Either that, or Kashmir will be an independent state only for name sake; in reality it will be in control of Pakistan. Just look at how Pakistan is controlling it right now. Don't believe everything General Musharraf says. In fact, don't believe ANYTHING he says. If you know the truth, you'll realise that every word Musharraf says is actually just blackmailing India (or extortion or threatening, if you want to be a language nazi).
  • by IvyMike ( 178408 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:08AM (#11875133)
    Bug 133925: Primary source code archives at Bangalore outsourcing site destroyed by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants.
    Priority: Critical/Stopper
  • ...wow (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Tethys_was_taken ( 813654 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:12AM (#11875156) Homepage
    11 of 25 posts so far have been about Call centres and outsourcing.

    I know most of it is humour (of some sort), but don't you think this is being just a bit insensitive? Mod me down if you must, but there must be a limit to self-centredness, even for Americans.

    </karma-suicide>

    • Re:...wow (Score:5, Insightful)

      by quarkscat ( 697644 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:53AM (#11875311)
      The correct term is "gallows humor". Apparently you missed the /. memo regarding the recommended 2nd degree for a Comp-Sci student: plumbing -- because it is one profession that will not quickly be offshore outsourced. That said, there is some "strategic" advantage to having a US-based call center, after all, like not having a swarm of Wahabist militants running around with explosives (, at least not yet).

      I wouldn't call it "a bit insensitive" if some of these MBA "salary and bonus-whores" running American corporations that are doing so much offshore outsourcing had THEIR jobs outsourced too. Imagine! - an Indian or Chinese CEO of an American company that was compensated at 6 - 10% of what their American counterpart demanded, and liked it! I would find such a situation deliciously ironic instead of "a bit insensitive".

      Instead, the USA actively promotes the "Peter Principle". How else to explain Carley Fiorina getting $45 Million USD in compensation after leaving HP in such a shambles? I understand that Fiorina is lined up for a sweet job in Dubya's regime (instead of a prolonged visit to Camp XRay for sabatoging a good chunk of American technological prowness).
      • The correct term is "gallows humor".

        No, "gallows humour" refers to making jokes about your own situation. when you make "jokes" about other people being killed, it's called "being an insensitive self-centred ignorant prick".

        The same thing happens every time there is some disaster not affecting Americans, eg, the bushfire in Canberra last year. Woe betide anyone who made jokes about the WTC bombing on the day it happened, but foreigners are fodder for jokes before they're cold in their graves.

    • Re:...wow (Score:5, Insightful)

      by onyxruby ( 118189 ) <onyxruby@ c o m c a s t . net> on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:53AM (#11875312)
      Really, only Americans have suffered at the hands of outsourcing in India? What about all those poor Europeans and Asians that have also suffered from Indian outsourcing? I know, another chance to bash America for something that has nothing to do with America. Damn intolerant bastards.
  • by Gopal.V ( 532678 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:15AM (#11875168) Homepage Journal
    The point of terrorism is exactly that - terror !. Once people are afraid, they have essentially achieved their target. These people are not just "militants" - but terrorists.

    Indian software industry is obsessed with Information security that it often does not expect an attack with a car bomb in the parking under ground. And Bangalore is a cosmopolitan city full of all kinds of people. You won't be watched by the entire crowd because you have a 3 inch beard.

    Security is an illusion - but it is a precious illusion for those who keep it.
    • Not only that, but Bangalore -- and the south generally -- hasn't really dealt with terrorism, unlike Delhi which has had high security everywhere since the early 1980s at least. Most places in Bangalore (or Chennai or other southern cities) aren't equipped to deal with terrorist threats.
  • by ttys00 ( 235472 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:26AM (#11875207)
    When work is outsourced to countries that are not very stable, or have terrorism problems, or civil wars, it makes portions of that country wealthy. Those wealthy portions become a target for the local Bad People, simply because it will hurt their enemies more than bombing the poor portions.
  • by dwipal ( 709116 ) * on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:31AM (#11875227) Homepage
    If you look into slight history, there were a series major bomb blasts occured in Bombay, the financial capital of india in 1993 in places like the Stock Exchange. These resulted into a lot of tension and communal riots between the people.

    This one seems to be kindof similar to them, just targetting a little more high-tech organizations. These militants just cant see a country prosper and the people getting happy. If you cant do well, dont let anyone do well.
  • Wahabis (Score:5, Insightful)

    by panurge ( 573432 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:35AM (#11875240)
    It's quite significant that these are Wahabis, the dominant sect in Saudi Arabia, and that presumably the "Independent Kashmir" they want would be a Taliban run Afghanistan type of place, not a place that most Kashmiris would want to live in. Because the Wahabis are obscurantists, attacking manifestations of the modern world - like software companies - would fit in fine with the overall strategy. It's inevitable that people here will make jokes about Dell technical support - but it will not be funny if it is your turn next.

    It is a pity that words like "Militant" are used for these groups. We really need a word that summarises "Organised criminal gangs that want to steal entire countries". Of course {flamebait} this word would be useful because we could apply it to the Bush/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Rice/Blair/Berlusconi gang as well as the insurgents in Iraq, the part of the IRA that is opposed to the peace process, and the Taliban.{/flamebait} But words like "militant", "terrorist" and "insurgent" conceal rather than illuminate reality.

  • "militants"? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by haggar ( 72771 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:52AM (#11875303) Homepage Journal
    For heaven's sake, when did Slashdot become Politically Correct (TM)?

    Call them what they are, terrorists. Or if "terrorists" is not acceptable, then how about "necromancers festering on people's grief and death"? That's pretty accurate.
    • Re:"militants"? (Score:2, Insightful)

      English-language media in Europe has recently begun referring to them as "dissidents".

      You know, Sakharov, Ghandi, Osama bin Laden, Nelson Mandela, those types of guys.

    • Militants isn't a politically correct term, is it?
    • Re:"militants"? (Score:3, Insightful)

      by delete ( 514365 )
      Perhaps this is because terrorist has become such a loaded term? It has been applied so frequently and in such arbitrary ways that it has lost its original meaning, just as communist is frequently used as a term of abuse rather than in reference to someone who specifically adheres of the theory of communism.

      This is not to suggest that the murderers involved in this appaling act are not deserving of the highest level of scorn, but rather that the devaluation of the word terrorist makes it rather meaningles
  • by mbkennel ( 97636 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @04:54AM (#11875313)
    From: ()S/\M/\ (47/M/cave)
    To: infidel@localhost
    Reply-To: 72virgnluvr@hotmail.com

    where are the well-covered NUB1LE H0USEW1VES in
    my area who wanted to meet me?

    i declare it a pagan and Crusader lie!!!!!!

    DEATH TO HVHAKAK@18j987.bdx.com.in!!!!

  • by cablepokerface ( 718716 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @05:01AM (#11875334)
    Remember how they set IniTech on fire ? Awful, awful people.
  • I wish... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by vistic ( 556838 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @05:25AM (#11875416)
    ...that I had mod points today to mod down these stupid annoying Funny posts.

    I guess even an American can get sick of the typical American attitude sometimes...
    • Re:I wish... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by gl4ss ( 559668 )
      it's not just 'american' to make jokes about _anything_.

      and really, why not? it's not like it's out of someone elses pocket if there's little laughter.

      you can make a funny joke about just anything, and hell, i'd laugh at it. as long as it's a good joke.

      you can make funny jokes about hitler, about winter war, about swedes, about finns about canadians, about liberalists, about capitalists, about terrorists, about tchechenyan freedom fighters and whatever.

      here's one: "what's a moscow elevator? one tchechen
  • by whizzter ( 592586 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @08:03AM (#11875944) Homepage
    i was reading through his articles yesterday after seeing the article posted on slashdot yesterday.
    and one of them was touching this subject: http://www.ranum.com/security/homeland_security/ed itorials/outsource_baghdad/index.html [ranum.com]
  • Why wouldn't the militants outsource the insurrection to those very same software companies?! Don't armed militants have to save money too?
  • by northcat ( 827059 ) on Tuesday March 08, 2005 @09:20AM (#11876540) Journal
    Being an Indian I can tell you that Lashkar-e-Toiba is a Pakistani terrorist group. Read my other comment here [slashdot.org].

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell

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