Sunday, March 9, 2008

"The jihad in 'God's Own Country'"

The Hindu carries in today's edition a report on Islamist activity in Kerala, under the heading "The jihad in 'God's Own Country'". It says Islamist groups are gaining both followers and influence in the State.

The headline appears to be a little far-fetched inasmuch as the report says Kerala hasn't seen a terrorist strike. In fact, it says Kerala is "an exception among the major southern States" in this respect.

The Thiruvananthapuram-datelined story is by Praveen Swami. His name is familiar to regular readers of The Hindu and Frontline as they have carried innumerable despatches from him on Islamist activity in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

Swami rarely identifies his sources but it is not difficult to make out that the information he dishes out comes from the Intellgence agencies. If he had checked the material fed to him carefully he would not have talked of a Kondotty district in the State.

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