British plot puts Indian Muslims in terror focus

By Y.P. Rajesh - Analysis

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India had long boasted its huge Muslim population had never provided recruits for global Islamic extremist groups, but that belief seems shattered after Indian Muslims were arrested in an attempt to bomb Britain.

The country is home to more than 140 million Muslims, the world's third largest Islamic population, and George W. Bush was reported as saying two years ago that its democratic credentials were proven by the fact that none of them had joined al Qaeda.

Even when that comment was made, the writing was apparently on the wall.

Islamic radicalism, which had spread from Afghanistan to Pakistan and Kashmir, was finally finding root in India.

Some blame Pakistan for fanning the fire, but just as important was the alienation many Indian Muslims felt after communal riots in the western state of Gujarat in 2002.

At the same time, television was beaming images of conflicts around the world where Muslims seemed to be victims of the West.

"Every concentration of Muslims in the world today is being actively targeted for recruits by Islamist radicals," said Ajai Sahni of New Delhi's Institute for Conflict Management.

"Each nationality would have come into play at a certain point of time in history and this is our turn, that's it. Why should anyone be surprised?".