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Jalaluddin Haqqani with his son Nasrudin. |
Jalaluddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani Network and patriarch of the family, has issued a eulogy for his son, Narisruddin, a top facilitator and leader in the group who was gunned down in Pakistan on Nov. 10. In the statement, Jalaluddin praised “the martyrdom of our Mujahideen in their fight against the aggressors” and reiterated that the Haqqani Network operates under the command of Mullah Omar.
The Taliban, and Jalaluddin, emphasize the Haqqanis’ role in the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” the official name for the Afghan Taliban’s shadow government. Jalaluddin’s eulogy for Nasiruddin was released today on the Afghan Taliban’s official website, Voice of Jihad. It is titled “The Message of Mawlawi Jalaluddin Haqqani – a member of the Islamic Emirate’s Leadership Council and a scholar and Mujahid of Afghanistan – to the valiant Afghan nation on the occasion of Doctor Nasiruddin Haqqani’s Martyrdom.”
Jalaluddin acknowledges his son’s death, and offers congratulations from Mullah Omar and the “Mujahideen” for Nasiruddin’s martyrdom.
“First of all I would like to congratulate the esteemed Amir ul Mu’mineen (hafidhahullah) [Mullah Omar, the “commander of the faithful”], the courageous Mujahideen and myself on the Martyrdom of a valiant and audacious Mujahid, Shaheed Nasiruddin Haqqani,” Jalaluddin says.
He then launches into a lengthy defense of martyrdom and says that numerous Haqqani family members have been killed while waging jihad.
“Shaheed Nasiruddin Haqqani was neither the first martyr from our family nor will he be the last. In fact the entire Haqqani family is dedicated to jihad and martyrdom. Seeking martyrdom through the campaign for the supremacy of Islamic government and the defense of our beloved nation is the Haqqani family’s most ardent desire,” he says.
“Muslims love to attain martyrdom as ardently as the non-believers love the comforts of this world,” Jalaluddin continues.
The Haqqani Network emir also stresses that the “the supremacy of Islamic government in our land” is the primary goal, and that operating under the command of Mullah Omar is key to achieving this end state.
“We can only respect their [martyrs’] sacrifices and martyrdoms by working to bring about the implementation of Islamic government and by following the commands of the sublime Islamic Law. And by keeping our battle fronts united around the leadership of Amir ul Mu’mineen Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid, by obeying the commands of our leaders, and by working for the prosperity of our wronged nation,” he says.
Jalaluddin also calls on Allah to “protect us and all the Muslim Ummah from such deviations and splintering.”
Despite attempts by Western officials and analysts to de-link the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network, top leaders of the two groups have consistently maintained that the Haqqani Network operates under Mullah Omar’s command [see LWJ report, Afghan Taliban condemn the killing of Nasiruddin Haqqani, for details].
Circumstances of Nasiruddin’s death remain unclear
Neither the Taliban’s statement condemning Nasiruddin’s death nor Jalaluddin’s eulogy addressed how he was killed. The Afghan Taliban said only that he was killed “in a cowardly terrorist attack of the enemy ….” The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, the military intelligence service that often backs jihadist groups, of killing the Haqqani Network commander.
Nasiruddin was gunned down outside a bakery run by Afghans in the Bhara Kahu area of Islamabad, an area known to host Afghan and other jihadists. The unidentified shooters were riding motorcycles when they attacked him.
Four days after the attack, no group has claimed credit for killing Nasiruddin. A range of actors, including the CIA, Afghan Intelligence, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, rival jihadist groups, and criminals, have been accused of assassinating Nasiruddin.
Although it is not known who killed Nasiruddin, Pakistani police and the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate appear to have attempted to cover up his murder by removing evidence, according to the BBC. Pakistani security forces also facilitated the removal of Nasiruddin’s body from Islamabad to North Waziristan.
“A relative of Mr Haqqani told BBC his body had been spirited from Islamabad to the town of Miranshah in North Waziristan – roughly six hours drive across two provinces and one federal tribal territory, all dotted with heavily-manned military and police checkpoints,” the British news service reported.
The murder of Nasiruddin in Islamabad is embarrassing for the Pakistani government, military, and the ISID. While the Pakistani state has long been known to support the Haqqani Network, the government and security forces have denied such claims and said the group is an Afghan entity. Pakistan has rebuffed US and Western pleas to take action against the group in North Waziristan, where the Haqqani Network is headquartered.
Nasiruddin served as a key financier and facilitator for the group. He also served as an “emissary” to al Qaeda, and often traveled to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates between 2004-2009 to carry out fundraising for the Haqqani Network, al Qaeda, and the Taliban [see LWJ report, US adds Haqqani Network, Taliban leaders to list of designated terrorists, for more details on Nasiruddin and his terrorism designation]. Additionally, he is believed to have served as a liaison between the Haqqani Network and other jihadist groups, such as the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, that are operating in the tribal areas.
12 Comments
OK, here’s my two rupees worth:
The U.S. knew that Hakeemullah Mehsud had a villa in Miranshah, and Haqqani conducted business in an Afghan enclave in Islamabad. They also knew he was the Afghan Taliban spokesman.
The U.S. desperately wanted to scuttle any further “peace accords” with the Taliban, knowing that it could put an end to the drone program and was a sham anyway. So, they took a shot at Mehsud, knowing that his death would indeed stop negotiations. They also knew that Pakistan’s Interior Minister would complain publicly about the drone program.
So, they took a shot at Haqqani, specifically in Islamabad in order to embarass the Pakistani government and get the peoples attention directed toward the corrupt public officials, much like the Bin Laden incident. They couldn’t use the drones there, so they contracted two killers.
The end result has gone their way; negotiations are scuttled, the Pakistani officials are now on their heels trying to explain Haqqani’s presence in Islamabad and finally, two bad guys got to bite the dust. Life is good at Langley……
“Muslims love martyrdom as ardently as non-believers love comforts of life.” Thus spake Jalaludin Haqqani, DR. Nasirudin Haqqani’s father. All I can say is, “BEAUTIFUL. PLEASE DO NOT EVER CHANGE YOUR GREAT ISLAMIC BELIEFS AND TRAINING.”
We, The Marines and Seal Team, are doing our BEST to help you meet your goals. May Allah grant you your wish and ALL YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS MEET SUCH GLORIFIED MARTYRDOM. ALLAH BE PRAISED.
A QUESTION? Dr Nasirudin Haqqani??? What was his Doctorate in?? Debauchry, illiterately Bred and breeding, murder, rape, kidnapping, selling Cocaine and killing little innocent Muslim girls who want education?
jayc
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the Pakistani officials are now on their heels trying to explain Haqqani’s presence in Islamabad
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I don’t think Pakistani officials are going to worry too much about what the rest of the world and especially the U.S. thinks of their country.
After the U.S. took out bin Laden, the Pakistanis devoted tremendous effort to understand how the U.S. found and took out bin Laden.
They devoted very little effort to investigating why bin Laden was able to live near their military academy in Abbottabad.
I would expect something similar if the Pakistani decide to investigate why Narisruddin Haqqani was able to live where he did in Pakistan.
Thanks to jayc for pointing out the value of this hit.
But I’m always confounded how Mullah Omar and Ayman al Zawhahiri still breath oxygen. What a better world we would live in with those two killed.
If someone has a good theory on how these two still live, I’m sure everyone would like to hear it.
How is it that they have no gray hair?
Bard207, I agree with you in the respect that Pakistani officials can’t see the forest for the trees, but I just wanted to point out that these were magnificently staged hits, intended for maximum effect and for a specific point.
The hit on Haqqani quelled any further blathering from the pakistanis concerning the drone program. They, in fact, all but admitted the shelving of any upcoming “peace” negotiations after the Mehsud hit. And yes, they will have to give some type of “lip service” to the Americans if they want to keep the millions of dollars in aid rolling in. By the way, they didn’t have to investigate why Bin Laden was where he was. They KNEW.
I, too, wonder how Omar and Z remain. Especially since both of them, especially Z, get messages out at least as often as OBL did.
Here’s hoping that the location(s) have had mockups with training for weeks now, as was done in preps for taking care of OBL.
For the ISI to have killed Naisruddin Haqqani would be like killing one’s own parent, in a manner of speaking. They wouldn’t do that to old man Jalaluddin, their bosom buddy and loyal operative of so many years.
There’s been friction between the Taliban factions, but I don’t recall the in-fighting rising to a major assassination.
But wasn’t bin Laden’s early mentor assassinated? I don’t recall his name, but do recall conjecture that Ayman al-Zawahiri might have been behind it.
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Pardon me, but … I don’t think the CIA is capable of something like this. At one time, yes, but not anymore.
And I don’t think the Mossad’s Kidon Unit would have reason to be operating in Pakistan.
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There is another possibility. What if Naisruddin had dealings with ordinary gangsters and defrauded them? Or what if he was screwing someone’s wife?
(Or son?)
I too congratulate him on his martyrdom and I urge his comrades to do the same. I still contend it would have been much more satisfying had he died in a hellfire strike…but this hit still serves the purpose or illustrating a long reach capability. Hope it was agents of America that pulled this off.
Thanks for your devotion Devendra.
To Bill
Don’t forget about Haqqani lieutenant Mullah Sangeen blindfolding POW Bowe Bergdahl in a video even though the Taliban were the ones who captured Bowe.
Great post.
I don’t think Pakistani officials are going to worry too much about what the rest of the world and especially the U.S. thinks of their country.