Dawood Ibrahim
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| Dawood Ibrahim | |
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 Wanted Dawood Ibrahim by Interpol
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| Born | December 31, 1955 Ratnagiri, Maharashtra India  |
| Spouse | Zubeena Zareen (Mehajabeen) |
Dawood Ibrahim (also known as Dawood Ebrahim and Sheikh Dawood Hassan, birth name Sheikh Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar), born in Ratnagiri, India was the former Don of the organized crime syndicate D-Company in Mumbai, which operated as a notorious terrorist organisation. He is currently on the wanted list of Interpol for terrorism, organised crime, counterfeiting, and Crimes against Public.[1]
He is accused of heading a vast, sprawling illegal empire, acquiring money and political clout. His name has become a byword in political, business and law enforcement circles in the manner of Al Capone and Osama Bin Laden. After the Bombay Blasts in 1993, which Ibrahim organized and financed, he became India's most wanted man. He is said to have moved from the UAE to Pakistan during the ensuing controversy. In 2003, the United States Government declared Dawood Ibrahim a "Global Terrorist" and pursued the matter before the United Nations in an attempt to freeze his assets around the world and crack down on his operations after significant diplomatic lobbying by the government of India. The Bush Administration, under advisement from the Indian Government, has imposed sanctions on Ibrahim[1]. Although Pakistan denies any knowledge of his existence, Interpol has provided a list of his Pakistani addresses and passport numbers [2].
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[edit] Background
Dawood Ibrahim, the son of a police constable Ibrahim Kaskar, was born in Ratnagiri in the Indian state of Maharashtra on December 31, 1955 [3]. He is said to have begun his career in Bombay working for the Karim Lala gang, exploiting the bust in the Bombay textiles industry to his advantage [4]. He soon shifted his residence to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and has business interests there, in India, and Pakistan. His career developed in the Persian Gulf states and in the bylanes of Nagpada and Dongri in Bombay, India. His brother, Anees Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel are believed to be his key aides.
[edit] Involvement with Terrorism and Narcotics Trafficking
Ibrahim is widely believed to have masterminded the 1993 Bombay Bombings, a series of terrorist attacks carried out in the city on March 12 of the year. He later absconded from India and is now believed to be hiding in Pakistan[citation needed], which the Pakistani government denies[citation needed].
In 2003, the Indian and United States governments declared Ibrahim a "Global Terrorist". The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani described it as a major development and that India stands "vindicated". Ibrahim is currently on India's "Most wanted List" [5].
The United States Department of Treasury has also designated Ibrahim as a terrorist as part of its international sanctions program — effectively forbidding U.S. financial entities from working with him and seizing assets believed to be under his control. The Department of Treasury keeps a fact sheet on Ibrahim which contains reports of his syndicate having smuggling routes from South Asia, the Middle-East and Africa shared with and used by terrorist organisation al-Qaeda. The fact sheet also said that Ibrahim's syndicate is involved in largescale shipment of narcotics in the United Kingdom and Western Europe. He is also believed to have contacts with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-Laden. In the late 1990s, Ibrahim traveled in Afghanistan under the Taliban's protection. The syndicate has consistently aimed to destabilize the Indian government through riots, terrorism and civil disobedience.[6].
Washington added that they will request the United Nations to list Ibrahim "in pursuance of relevant Security Council resolutions". The UN listing will require that all UN member states freeze Ibrahim's assets and impose a travel ban. Juan Zarate, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, said that they are committed to identifying and attacking financial ties between terrorism and the underworld [7].
Dawood is also suspected to have connections with terrorist organisations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba. Recent information indicates that Ibrahim has been helping finance increasing attacks in Gujarat by Lashkar-e-Toiba.[8]. New Delhi handed over to Islamabad a list of 38 most wanted criminals, including Ibrahim [9].
Dawood Ibrahim heads an organization known as the D-Company which carries out billions of dollars of operations in Bombay alone[citation needed], he is believed to control much of the 'hawala' system, which is the very commonly used unofficial system for transferring money and remittances outside the view of official agencies. Much of the organisation's operations are in India, allegedly with the support of Govt. of Pakistan and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)[citation needed].
Dawood Ibrahim is currently one of India's most wanted in connection with the blasts in Bombay. Dawood Ibrahim has been indicted in India for financially supporting Islamic terrorist groups.
In 2005, it was reported that Ibrahim's daughter married the son of legendary Pakistani cricketer, Javed Miandad[citation needed]. However, Ibrahim did not attend the ceremony in Dubai, which was closely monitored by intelligence agencies. The post wedding ceremony ( Valima ) was held in Karachi, Pakistan. None of the government officials attended the ceremony even though they were all invited by Javed Miandad.
In a major blow to Ibrahim, ten members of his gang were arrested by Bombay Crime Branch on November 21, 2006. They were extradited from the United Arab Emirates, from where they had been deported[10].
His ties with Sicilian mafias and other international orgnizations are not confirmed yet, but it is believed that the base supply of drugs and its raw materials are managed by him. Being close to Afghanistan gives him an advantage, since raw materials are made in Afghanistan. His gang members are active in Europe and other continents. The supply goes to Europe and from there to the U.S and other countries.
[edit] Links with Pakistan
The Indian government accuses out the Pakistani central bank when it was reeling under heavy debts and was on the verge of collapse.
- See also: Indo-Pakistani relations
[edit] Gang Wars
Sometime between 1990-1992, there was a rift between onetime close associates and aides Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan. This rift grew and both of them became sworn enemies. An outright Gang War started in the city of Bombay. During this period, it was a common sight or news to hear that some rowdy or history sheeter has been found dead. Their enmity increased the anxiety of citizens as well. A competition of extortion, murder, smuggling, kidnapping took place between the two gangs. Rajan is suspected to be hiding in Dubai or the U.S. but there has been evidence that the Indian government itself is sheltering Rajan.
Any interference of matters by members of one gang with other would often result in bloody shoot-outs, sometimes with no apparent reason, except that they were rivals, in the slums and docks of Bombay. Reasons for rift have been many:
- Religious Reasons: Dawood was Muslim and Rajan was Hindu. This may have been one of the reasons because Dawood had a considerable number of Hindu mobsters in his gang before the blasts, and Rajan has a similar number of muslim mobsters in his gang.
- Financial Reasons: Dawood's gang members often enjoyed more royaltites than Rajan's members as a result of which both gangs grew wary of each other. Money sharing and dividing may also have been a reason
- Accidental Reasons: Many believe that there was a misunderstanding between the two gangsters which led to the split. Some also say the split was engineered by the police in order to track them quicker.
Aside from the major dispute between Rajan and Dawood, the 1993 Bombay blasts created a huge blow to Dawoods underworld market in India. Dawood acquired many enemies after the blasts from his own mob. Many of Dawoods members, who were Hindu, felt insulted after the bomb blasts and many became enemies of Dawood. Arun Gawli, a Hindu from Uttar Pradesh, took advantage of this act by trying to convince Dawoods Hindu members against him. Gawli succeeded mainly in the south where Dawood had just begun to branch out to. Other dons of South India such as Singhania Rao Nanthipathee alias 'Banda' Ganesh and his brother from Andrah became sworn enemies to Dawood after Dawood killed one of there brothers over a casino feud. The Nanthipathee brothers are suspected of hiding in the U.S., Dubai or in Malaysia.Dawood is also believed to be at odds with Abu Salem who, like Rajan, is also a former aide and with Arun Gawli.Though Abu Salem and Dawood were previously united after Dawood and Rajan split, it is believed that Abu Salem had a powerful music baron Gulshan Kumar killed without Dawood's permission and this caused them to split with each other. Arun Gawli's rivalry with Dawood has existed since the very beginning. Both these enemities have petered out as Abu Salem was arrested recently in Portugal and extradited back to India and Arun Gawli has now entered politics. With 3/4 of Dawoods mob against him, as well as the government, Dawood was forced into hiding in Pakistan
[edit] The Dawood-Miandad Marriage
In July 2005, it was reported that Ibrahim, allegedly hiding in Pakistan, had further strengthened his Pakistani connection by getting his eldest daughter Mahruk Ibrahim married to Junaid Miandad, the eldest son of former former Pakistani cricket captain Javed Miandad. They tied the knot in Karachi in mid July 2005, followed by a reception in the Gulf emirate of Dubai in July 2005.
It was much talked about that Dawood Ibrahim was not present at the wedding. Javed Miandad also gave interviews to the press saying that his son and Dawood's daughter started things when they were studying together in UK.
[edit] Decline and Ill Health
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The past few years have seen a dramatic decline in Dawood's fortunes from the heady heights of the life depicted in "Portrait of a Don" - the ground breaking expose by Ghulam Hasnain in 2001 [11].
Firstly came the death of Sharad Shetty, Dawood's financier and long term confidant, this was carried out by Dawoods most feared rival, Chotta Rajan, and showed a shift of power between the two dons [12]. This is the first and perhaps greatest blow; from which Dawood has never fully recovered. Then came the US treasury department report declaring Dawood a global terrorist [13]. Although once alies, he has been progressively out manoevered by the MQM in Karachi to the point where he has liquidated his remaining interests there [14].
Dawood's current impotence has been demonstrated by the death of Shoib Khan in 2005 [15]. This close aide was removed without the normal retaliation that would have occurred in his hey day.
Fearing for his life from the notorious Chotta Rajan, he has been forced to relocate to Islamabad as his influence diminishes further [16].
Recently his health has started to suffer with reports that he has had a heart attack [17]. This occurs at the same time as his organisation is being further squeezed with arrests and deportations in Dubai [18].
It also appeared in the press that around December 2006, Dawood Ibrahim had plastic surgery done on his face.
[edit] Dawood Ibrahim in Popular Culture
D a film by Vishram Sawant, (Starring Randeep Hooda, Chunkey Pandey, Yashpal Sharma etc.) is loosely based on life of Dawood Ibrahim. Though the makers deny it.
Company starring Ajay Devgan as 'Malik' with Vivek Oberoi, Manisha Koirala, Seema Biswas and others has a very detailed plot on the internal rift between Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Rajan that led to subsequent gang wars in Bombay and abroad.
Malik in company is infact Deshu in D (making D a prequel to Company)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Interpol site stating Dawood as wanted.
- At Home In Exile
- BBC Profile on Ibrahim
- Dawood's ISI Link
- Dawood Ibrahim - Fact Sheet
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Wikipedia articles needing factual verification | Cleanup from March 2007 | All pages needing cleanup | Indian criminals | Indian mobsters | Muslims | Living people | Terrorists
