Dhaka Restaurant Attack: Another False Flag Operation

By Sajjad Shaukat

The militants attacked on the Holey Artisan Bakery (Restaurant) in the diplomatic district of Dhaka on July 2, this year and killed at least 20 hostages and two police officers. It includes nine Italians, seven Japanese and one American.

The Islamic State group (Also known as Daesh, ISIS, ISIL) claimed responsibility for terror attack on the restaurant. But, without any investigation, Home Minister of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Khan blamed home-grown Islamist terrorists and Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI for the restaurant assault by adding, “There is no IS or al-Qaeda presence in Bangladesh…the hostage-takers were all home-grown terrorists and not members of IS or any other international Islamist outfits.” His statement was contrary to the country’s top officials who have claimed that ISIS exists in Bangladesh. ISI has accepted responsibility for a number of past attacks in Bangladesh. On July 7, 2016, terrorists killed two policemen and a woman in an attack at Eid congregation near Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj, Banladesh. The incident came, a day after the ISI video on social media in which, three Bangladeshi youths appeared, threatening more attacks in the country, as the sources of Bangladesh disclosed. It also proves that Bangladesh’s home-grown militants have connections with the ISIL. However, availing the opportunity of the Dhaka restaurant attack, Indian media also began a campaign, accusing ISI.

Western analysts opine that ISIL was behind the recent terror attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bangladesh and Iraq which killed scores of people. These analysts said, “ISIS, now under pressure in its core territory of Iraq and Syria from where their militants are on flee owing to the successful military operations led by Russian-supported forces. The group has started missions elsewhere in the world.”

In fact, there is a co- relationship of the double game and false flag operations. Indian secret agency RAW which is in connivance with the intelligence agencies of Bangladesh, and has been using the ISIL terrorists, is behind the restaurant attack of Dhaka in order to distort the image of Pakistan and ISI. Therefore, it was a false flag operation.

As regards the false flag operations, shooting at the night club in Orlando may be noted as an instance. In this context, on June 28, 2016, The New York Times wrote, “The mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12 included a curious phrase: false flag…The victims in the shooting? They were “crisis actors” hired to promote the story as a pretext to impose tighter gun restrictions, the theory goes…the term false flag relates to naval warfare when a ship would fly a flag that would conceal its true identity as a way to lure an enemy closer. Today, it is commonly a shorthand for an act of deception…conspiracy theorists have applied the label to high-profile attacks, including the shootings by a husband and wife last year in San Bernardino, Calif, that killed 14…the phrase has even been used to doubt the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.”

Some other developments also endorsed the false flag operation of the Orlando club. In an interview with Brazilian TV on June 14, 2016, the ex-wife of the Orlando shooter Omar Mateen Sitora Yusufiy revealed that American FBI pressurized her to keep quiet about his homosexuality. Since the attack, Mateen has been dubbed an Islamic terrorist by the politicians, senior officials and commentators in the US, following reports he had pledged allegiance to the ISIL, as they wanted to downplay the personal and self-hating nature of the assault so as to obtain several secret aims of America, Israel, India and some European countries against Russia, Pakistan and Syria where these US-led entities are also supporting the ISIL militants to oust the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Hence, American CIA and Israeli Mossad and Indian RAW are in collusion with the ISIS militants to obtain the collective and individual interests of their countries against Pakistan, China, Iran and other Muslim countries.

Besides, Israel, India and Zionist lobbies which are clandestinely assisting America’s anti-Muslim, pro-Israeli and pro-Indian Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee want to see him as the president of the United States.

Dhaka restaurant attack is also part of some other interrelated developments in the region which also need attention to know the double game. On January 13, 2015, at least seven personnel of the Afghan security forces died during the suicide attack which targeted the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. The ISIL claimed responsibility for the terror assault which coincided with efforts to restart the suspended peace process with Taliban insurgents. Pakistani sources suggested that Indian RAW was behind this terror attack to thwart these peace talks. On May 21, 2016, the CIA-operated drone strike killed the Chief of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Nushki, Balochistan province of Pakistan. After the incident, Afghan Taliban leaders refused to participate in the US-sponsored talks with the Afghan government. While, in the recent past, with the help of Pakistan, a series of meetings were held in Islamabad and Kabul among the representatives of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the US to develop an understanding for the earliest possible resumption of stalled talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban with view to ending nearly 15 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan. This latest strike by the US predator in Balochistan gave a greater setback to peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework.

However, it shows that America is playing double game with Islamabad. Undoubtedly, secret agents of CIA, Mossad and RAW which are well-penetrated in the ISIS, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are using the militants of these terrorist outfits to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan, Pakistan’s province of Balochistan and Central Asia. In this connection, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is their special target.

It is of particular attention the since Bangladesh’s Awami League came into power, by following Indian directions, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid has started a deliberate propaganda campaign against Pakistan, its army and particularly Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

In this context, on the direction of India, unlike the past years, a ceremony was held in Dhaka on March 24, 2013, with full pump and show to honour ‘Foreign Friends of Bangladesh Award,’ in relation to the crisis which led to the separation of East Pakistan in 1971. For the purpose, Awami League and its leader, Prime Minister Hasina are propagating against Islamabad through a well thought-out media plan in order to spread venom against Pakistan, its armed forces and all those Bangladeshi nationals who were loyal to the state during 1971 crisis.

Nevertheless Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who follows pro-Indian policies, had also refused to attend D-8 conference in Islamabad in December, 2012 unless Pakistan tendered apology for the alleged genocide of Bengalis. Therefore, in connivance with the judiciary, she hurriedly executed Abdul Qadir Mullah-leader of Jamaat-e-Islami because of his loyalty to Pakistan.

The tragedy of dismemberment of East Pakistan was aimed at creating a compliant country through Indian trained and financed terrorists (Mukti Bahini) who had killed thousands of Pakistanis in cold blooded activities. In this connection, while addressing a ceremony during his Bangladesh tour, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly stated on June 7, 2015 that Indian forces helped Mukti Bahini to turn East Pakistan into Bangladesh. He elaborated that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an active role in separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, and he had also come to Delhi in 1971 to participate in the Satyagraha Movement, launched by Jana Sangh as a volunteer to garner support for the Mukti Bahini members.

Reviving old animosity, media of Bangladesh and India also started highlighting issue of 195 Pakistan Army officers allegedly involved in killing of Bengalis in 1971 war. Although they were repatriated to Pakistan after tripartite agreement between Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in 1974, yet Prime Minister Hasina Wajid intended to file cases against them at International Crime Tribunal (ICT).

While, a famous Bengali journalist Sarmila Bose authored a book, “Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War” after thorough investigation. Her book was published in 2011. While countering exaggerations of the Indian and Bengali Journalists, Bose argues that the number of Bengalis killed in 1971 was not three million, but around 50,000, while Bengalis were equally involved in the bloodshed of Punjabis, Biharis, Pashtoons and Balochis.

Majib was already in collusion with India for separation of East Pakistan. Therefore, when East Pakistan was occupied by Indian Army in 1971, he stated with pleasure that his 24 years old dream of an independent Bangladesh had been fulfilled.

By neglecting Islamabad’s positive approach, Bangladesh government has continued its anti-Pakistan approach to please India. It could be judged from the statement of Prime Minister Hasina Wajid who has vocally said, “Bangladesh has no room for the people loving Pakistan.”

For her second tenure, with the support of RAW, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and leader of the ruling party, Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wajid won the general elections 2014 in wake of bloodshed due to her dictatorial steps. In this regard, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia who was leading the alliance of the opposition parties protested against the rigging, deliberately practised by the Awami League, was placed under virtual house arrest during the election-campaign. The country’s largest religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami was also banned from taking part in the elections.

However, Bangladesh’s ruling party, under Sheikh Hasina Wajid maintains an anti-Pakistan posture by keeping the Indian-backed “hate Pakistan” agenda alive, while, her government has failed to deliver the goods to the people.

Undoubtedly, Prime Minister Hasina Wajid acts, as if she is an Indian national. Her sole aim is to remain in power and New Delhi has assured her that she will never lose political power, if she follows a strong anti-Pakistan posture. While, Prime Minister Hasina has badly failed in providing good governance and relief to the poor and maintains her relevance in Bangladesh only by propagating against Pakistan and making the latter a scapegoat of her dirty politics.

Notably, Hasina Wajid is anti-Islam and hates her own country’s Muslim majority as much as she hates Pakistan. So, the people of Bangladesh will soon recognize her real face and she will again be rejected by her own people.

No doubt, a majority of Bengalis are against pro-Indian policy of the government of Banladesh at the cost of Islamabad, the real perpetrator is New Delhi which desires to see a permanent rift between Islamabad and Dhaka.

Regarding false flag operations, it is also of particular attention that Indian RAW had arranged the Mumbai terror attacks of November 26, 2008 and assault of the Indian parliament of December 13, 2001, and without any enquiry, Indian high officials and media had started deliberate blame game against Islamabad by alleging that Mujahideen and the banned Lashkar-e-Tayba based in Pakistan and ISI were behind those terror events.

While, on July 19, 2013, the Indian former home ministry and ex-investigating officer Satish Verma disclosed that terror attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws.

Similarly, on January 2, this year, Indian intelligence and security agencies had arranged the terror attack at Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot in order to implicate Pakistan’s ISI, linking this spy agency with some banned militant groups. Afterwards, this orchestrated drama was also exposed, as Indian police and other security agencies did not cooperate with Pakistan’s joint investigation team which visited India in this respect.

Nonetheless, as part of anti-Pakistan rhetoric, every time, these conspirators come up with new strategy to implicate Pakistan and its security agencies. In these terms, terror attack at Dhaka restaurant is another false flag operation, conducted by Indian RAW with the cooperation of intelligence agencies of Bangladesh so as to distort the image of Pakistan and ISI.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com