Incident Summary:
06/08/2001: Four Muslim worshippers were killed and at least 50 others seriously injured in a grenade attack on the compound of Charar-i-Sharif mosque, one of the holiest shrines in India's Kashmir. The mosque is located in the central district of Budgam, 35 kilometers (21 miles) from the summer capital Srinagar. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Police blamed Islamic militants, but did not identify any particular group.
Overview
GTD ID:
200106080001
When:
2001-06-08
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Jammu and Kashmir
City:
Budgam
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Sufi Muslims in Kashmir |
Specific Description |
Worshippers, mostly women and children, gathered for a prayer in the compound of Charar-i-Sharif mosque, one of the holiest shrines in India's Kashmir |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Target Type: Religious Figures/Institutions |
Name of Entity |
Sufi, a sect of Islam, religious shrines and figures |
Specific Description |
The premises of Charar-i-Sharif mosque in Budgam and highly revered Sufi saint of Kashmir, Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Grenade |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Chrar-i-Sharief shrine, a Sufi mosque, was burned to the ground some years ago by the militant Mast Gul as a show of intolerance towards Sufism. Sufi shrines are reminders of Sufi Islam that has more adherents in Kashmir than followers of Deobandi or Wahabi Islam. Pakistan's Chief Executive, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, had slammed Pakistan's clergy and the Jihadi groups for their anti-India posture a day prior to the attack. The attack on Chrar may have constituted defiance of Gen. Musharraf, who is said to be something of a believer in Sufism. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
4 Fatalities / 50 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
4 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
50 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“AFP: 4 dead, 50 hurt in grenade attack near Kashmir mosque,” AFR, June 8, 2001. |
N.V. Subramanian, “Blast in Charar-i-Sharif shrine complex,” All India Radio Home News Service, June 9, 2001. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties