(moved here from islamic terrorists thread).
Update: ISKCON site has now clarified the attackers were thugs not terrorists -
2. http://news.iskcon.com/node/2048
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>ISKCON Bangladesh Attackers Local Thugs, Not Terrorists</b>
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By ISKCON News Weekly Staff on 31 May 2009
Last week, ISKCON News reported on a letter we had received from Chinmoydham Dasa of Chittagong in Bangladesh, detailing a May 14 attack on the ISKCON temple there.
Readers and other websites immediately jumped on the word âterroristsâ used in the report, assuming that the attackers were Islamic Jihadists. However, ISKCON News never stated this, and only included the word because no others were used to reference the attackers in Chinmoydhamâs letter.
We have since confirmed the truth with local ISKCON authorities: <b>âIn Bangladesh, the word terrorist is often used to refer to thugs,â says GBC Prabhavishnu Swami. âThey were not Islamic Jihadists.â</b>
Further investigation revealed that the attackers were goondas, or hired thugs, brought on as the result of a long-running local dispute.
According to ISKCON Bangladeshâs Joint-Secretary Jagatguru Gauranga Dasa, the dispute has now been resolved, and devotees hospitalized in the attack have since been discharged.
Jagatguru Gauranga has also allayed fears created by the initial report that attackers had targeted the deities at the Nandankanan Sri Sri Gour Nitai Ashram. âThe thugs destroyed the kitchens and devotee accommodation, but not the Gaura Nitai deities,â he told ISKCON News on Friday May 29.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
1. http://haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?P...743&SKIN=W
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Terrorists Attack ISKCON Temple in Chittagong, Bangladesh</b>
31/05/2009 02:03:43Â BY: ISKCON NEWS WEEKLY
May 23, CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH (INW) â On May 18, ISKCON News Weekly received a distraught message from an obviously emotional monk at ISKCONâs Nandankanan Sri Sri Gour Nitai Ashram in Chittagong, the main seaport of Bangladesh.
<b>On May 14 at 3pm, the devotee said, he and his peers were busy preparing for a weekend festival when fifty to sixty terrorists burst into the temple, brandishing knives and iron bars. They first destroyed the kitchens, devotee accommodation, and Gaura Nitai deities. Then, as the devotees ran into the temple courtyard in a panic, the attackers poured boiling water on them from the balcony, badly burning many.</b>
The terrorists also stole ten to twelve thousand taka (Bangladeshâs monetary unit) from the temple donation box, as well as a further ten thousand from individual residents. Devotees phoned the nearby police station again and again, but to no avail.
âTheir negligence of duty came at a terrible cost,â Chinmoydham Dasa said in his message to ISKCON News. âMany devotees were injured and had to be brought to the hospitalâs emergency room.â
By the time the police finally arrived, the terrorists had caused 80,000 taka worth of damage. Neither did they seem remotely intimidated by the presence of law enforcement. And it was soon clear why. When the terrorists threatened the devotees, âYou must all leave now and hand the temple over to us!â the police remained silent, not voicing any defense.
âFor this crime of the police, thousands of devotees took to the streets to protest,â Chinmoydham said. He explains that after this, the police eventually took out a case against the attackers.
Chinmoydhamâs report was in broken English, and it is unsure what group the terrorists belonged to, or what exactly happened when the police arrived, although it appears that the temple remains unsafe for the devotees. More detailed news on the attack and current situation will be reported as it comes in.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Update: ISKCON site has now clarified the attackers were thugs not terrorists -
2. http://news.iskcon.com/node/2048
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>ISKCON Bangladesh Attackers Local Thugs, Not Terrorists</b>
Post a Comment Send to friend Printer-friendly version Download a PDF version of this page.
By ISKCON News Weekly Staff on 31 May 2009
Last week, ISKCON News reported on a letter we had received from Chinmoydham Dasa of Chittagong in Bangladesh, detailing a May 14 attack on the ISKCON temple there.
Readers and other websites immediately jumped on the word âterroristsâ used in the report, assuming that the attackers were Islamic Jihadists. However, ISKCON News never stated this, and only included the word because no others were used to reference the attackers in Chinmoydhamâs letter.
We have since confirmed the truth with local ISKCON authorities: <b>âIn Bangladesh, the word terrorist is often used to refer to thugs,â says GBC Prabhavishnu Swami. âThey were not Islamic Jihadists.â</b>
Further investigation revealed that the attackers were goondas, or hired thugs, brought on as the result of a long-running local dispute.
According to ISKCON Bangladeshâs Joint-Secretary Jagatguru Gauranga Dasa, the dispute has now been resolved, and devotees hospitalized in the attack have since been discharged.
Jagatguru Gauranga has also allayed fears created by the initial report that attackers had targeted the deities at the Nandankanan Sri Sri Gour Nitai Ashram. âThe thugs destroyed the kitchens and devotee accommodation, but not the Gaura Nitai deities,â he told ISKCON News on Friday May 29.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
1. http://haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?P...743&SKIN=W
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Terrorists Attack ISKCON Temple in Chittagong, Bangladesh</b>
31/05/2009 02:03:43Â BY: ISKCON NEWS WEEKLY
May 23, CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH (INW) â On May 18, ISKCON News Weekly received a distraught message from an obviously emotional monk at ISKCONâs Nandankanan Sri Sri Gour Nitai Ashram in Chittagong, the main seaport of Bangladesh.
<b>On May 14 at 3pm, the devotee said, he and his peers were busy preparing for a weekend festival when fifty to sixty terrorists burst into the temple, brandishing knives and iron bars. They first destroyed the kitchens, devotee accommodation, and Gaura Nitai deities. Then, as the devotees ran into the temple courtyard in a panic, the attackers poured boiling water on them from the balcony, badly burning many.</b>
The terrorists also stole ten to twelve thousand taka (Bangladeshâs monetary unit) from the temple donation box, as well as a further ten thousand from individual residents. Devotees phoned the nearby police station again and again, but to no avail.
âTheir negligence of duty came at a terrible cost,â Chinmoydham Dasa said in his message to ISKCON News. âMany devotees were injured and had to be brought to the hospitalâs emergency room.â
By the time the police finally arrived, the terrorists had caused 80,000 taka worth of damage. Neither did they seem remotely intimidated by the presence of law enforcement. And it was soon clear why. When the terrorists threatened the devotees, âYou must all leave now and hand the temple over to us!â the police remained silent, not voicing any defense.
âFor this crime of the police, thousands of devotees took to the streets to protest,â Chinmoydham said. He explains that after this, the police eventually took out a case against the attackers.
Chinmoydhamâs report was in broken English, and it is unsure what group the terrorists belonged to, or what exactly happened when the police arrived, although it appears that the temple remains unsafe for the devotees. More detailed news on the attack and current situation will be reported as it comes in.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->