Editorial
Commendable RAB operation in the capital
Extremist structure must be stamped out
The operation carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion against suspected militants in the capital the other day appears to have yielded yet more information on what religious extremists in the country might still be up to. For RAB, it was certainly commendable to have gone into such a crowded area as the one the alleged militants lived in and neutralise them. We occasionally hear of extremists being apprehended and nabbed along with a good amount of arms and ammunition. It is a sign once again of the degree of alertness that has come into the security forces. Such a relentless pursuit of criminal activities must clearly continue with a view to ensuring peace and security in the country.
In the present instance, it is extremely worrying that the men inside the tin-shed house fought so long and hard with the RAB personnel. The amount of ammunition and apparent skill with which they fought the security forces speak of the supply of arms and intensity of training these men obviously have received from their mentors. A clear message goes out to the authorities from this episode, which is that there are yet points in the capital as well as the rest of the country where extremism continues to be nurtured and promoted in various clandestine ways. That is a big reason why operations against such hideouts need to be intensified in the days ahead. There can be no room for complacency here. The fact that a few ring leaders of the extremists have been tried and hanged ought not to be a reason for anyone to sit back and think that everything is finally well and back to normal.
The point to note is investigations into extremist incidents have hardly ever produced any result, largely because of partisan bias. In the past, investigations had been abandoned halfway through or scuttled when smacking of names of people in power. Recently, the probe into the lethal 21st August bomb blast at the AL rally has been advancing well with new facts coming to light. This process should not be allowed to be obstructed; in fact, it must be carried forward to its logical end.
We believe the occasional apprehension of suspected terrorists or the dramatic capture of armed groups may seem to deal a blow to their cause but they only go to show the tip of the iceberg. And unless they are eliminated root and branch, the vestigial remnants can regroup and multiply. So long as the entire structure of extremist operations is stamped out, we cannot rest easy.
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