Peshawar terrorist’s tattoo ‘not a big deal’

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Security officials on Monday said the ‘demonic’ tattoo found on the back of a terrorist killed in the Peshawar operation two days ago held no significance, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Talking to Pakistan Today on condition of anonymity, a senior security official said the security agencies weren’t placing any importance on the tattoo found on the body of one of the 10 terrorists who targeted the Peshawar airport on Saturday night.

“The tattoo was at least 10 to 15 years old. There is a strong possibility that he got the tattoo before his indoctrination with terrorist elements. Such tattoos are common in countries like Uzbekistan from where this particular suspect is believed to have belonged,” he said.

However, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told a TV journalist on Monday evening that all terrorists who took part in the Peshawar airport raid were Pakistanis. “The terrorist with the tattoo on his back was a Pakistani. It’s quite possible that he got the tattoo during a foreign visit,” said Ehsan.

Commenting on the demonic tattoo, Ulema Council Pakistan Chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi said he doubted that the tattoo was made before the suspected terrorist joined the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“So what if the tattoo was made before the terrorist joined the TTP?” he asked. “A man calling himself a Mujahid would have had it covered once he joined jihad.”

Ashrafi said that this was not the first time tattoos had been found on a terrorist. “The men nabbed in Swat had tattoos as well,” he said.

He added that there were rumours that the killed terrorists were not circumcised, adding that this was similar to the case of the men nabbed in Swat.

He was of the view that foreign elements were seeking to destabilise Pakistan, saying that it was no coincidence that only the army, the air force and the naval bases were being targeted.

“These are foreign elements attempting to weaken the state of Pakistan,” he said. “Afghanistan has a lot of interest in Pakistan’s affairs and I would not be surprised if they had a role in this recent attack.”

Earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain  said in a statement that “international powers” were behind the attack. He claimed that the killed terrorists belonged to an international outfit and bore tattoos on their bodies for identification.

However, the KP minister’s claim runs contrary to the fact that only one of the 10 attackers had tattoos on his body.

The tattoo on the back of the suspected terrorist hit the headlines because it appeared to be a rendition of a Boris Vallejo sorcery-fantasy character. The tattoo was unfinished with one entire limb, strands of flowing hair and a sorcery-monster missing.

Tattoo experts said the tattoo was representative of “evil and rebelliousness”. They also expressed their doubts that a religious person would get such a tattoo.

23 COMMENTS

  1. these taliban or whoever they are called are devils themselves,whole nation must unite against this fitna and pakistan should be cleaned of these shiateens. the so called religeous leaders are scared of them and therefore always try to defend them

  2. Army should do a big clean up operation against these elements and kill them all.Anybody supporting them or trying to defend them on media must be punished.

      • @ Anon

        Let me define: Any Taliban who kill hindus is a good taliban. You need to keep running with your tail between your legs bcoz if we catch you, we will avenge the killings done by your Indian army against kashmiris, bengalis, biharis. You can run but you can not hide.

  3. Why is our own electronic media so anti pakistan,there should be laws and media must be disciplened.Some of these news channels must be banned.

    • .
      Pakistan don't need laws …
      .
      They just need some 'good talibans' under the military to keep media, kashmir, afghan, US and everything else in line …
      .

      • Yes, you are already shivering in your shoes. Go and join 800 million of your fellow indians defecating in the open making India the world's largest cesspool. You are as filthy in your body as in your mind.

  4. ye sub us ki begerati hai kon country hamry sat larna chahta to samny ane ki kosheh kry gedaro ki tarha larty hai pakstn zenda bad

  5. Hi Realist,

    I have several questions for you. Please bear with me.

    a) Do you know the person who wrote this article, personally? How is she/he reporting from abroad? How did he/she get their interviews? Why is Pakistan Today even employing people who live abroad?

    b) I don't know how well well-versed the reporter is on the subject. But since you claim that they do not know the ground realities, enlighten me. What are the ground realities?

    c) What is wrong with being secular? Way better than running amok with rockets, I'd say. Wouldn't you?

    Cheers!

    • You are so badass! I think I told you that yesrdteay too! Love, love, LOVE your idea! Nice and simple, is something you can build on, and relates to your other tattoo, which I also love, by the way. Do stars hold a special meaning? I’ve wanted to get something to signify Ian and the boys, but haven’t been able to come up with anything. But I’ve also known that when I run my first marathon next year, I’ll be getting a new tattoo also!

  6. Is it possible to that somebody who wasn’t a good muslim before n had that tattoo done then. It looks very old due to dullness of it. N the article said it too. But now he has come back to his senses n trying to fight the western bought army (Pakistani army) in order to bring sharia in Pakistan? I know some reverts who are practicing muslim but have tattoo which are too big to remove unless by professionals. That is very expensive.

  7. Hi Realist.,

    a) I completely understand your first point. However, I had been following the tattoo on terrorist story since it broke. I was taking this as a follow up of this story: http://tribune.com.pk/story/480719/attackers-demo

    The reporter definitely did not break any news. He/she only added on to the existing information by getting information from the security official mentioned in the story. It does not show any bias to me. Don't get me wrong, I am not defending the reporter here. But I don't see any agenda being pushed – not from this story, at least.

    I am not a supporter of the drone attacks and this comes out of my pue liberal (and secular) tendencies. I have spoken vehemently against them publically. We do not know if this reporter supports them or not and it frankly is none of our business if they do.

    The links you gave me – again, I know this, of course, but how does this add to the story? The reporter went with a particular angle here, I get that. It is not their job to add EVERY single angle there to this – especially when all they did was point out that the security officials are not making a big deal out of this (as the media is, i daresay). There are international fighters in Pakistan, fair enough. But you think the security agencies dont know this already?

    This is my take on this. I am looking at the story, not the reporter. The rest of course, if your call.

    Best.

  8. Dear Nasir
    It is not matter of practicing muslims. What does Islam say about tattoo that matter and Islam Prohibit tattoos. so they are not obeying Islams law. So it is two different things. We should not say them Pakistani either a muslim. they are killing innocent people so they should thrown out of this country. And we all know this better that this is a foreign western agenda.

  9. Tattoo only proves that TTP is bunch of paid mercenaries, they do not have any affiliation to Islam as portrayed by TTP. Even a non practising Muslim may have a tattoo, but even a non practising Muslim will not go for this kind of tattoo.

    Be an Uzbek or any other, TTP is group of mercenaries who only in for money and nothing else. they are hired guns and target and operate under command of their masters!

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