Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab a name that every Indian knows by heart, not cause we love him or adore him, but for the exact opposite reasons. We know in detail about how he came to Mumbai from Karachi, how he and his comrades held Mumbai hostage for over two days and how he was caught, tried and is then tried again and again by the Indian judiciary system. But little do we know about how a young restless soul from a small village in Eastern Pakistan turns into a mass murderer who brings shame not just to his nation or family, but to the whole of mankind, especially the youth.

Based on the information gathered by International intelligence agencies and journalists it is published that Kasab was born and brought up in humble circumstances of Faridkot, in Punjab, Pakistan. His father was a hawker who sold dahi-wada for a living and supported a family of six. Being brought up in a poor house-hold, in an isolated village that is not too far from a developed city Kasab had a frustrating child hood, with limited resources. After a small fight with his father who couldn’t afford him new clothes for Eid he left home in search of a better life. He took to crime as a means of livelihood, getting involved in petty crimes and then armed robberies to fulfil his desire for money and escape from the under poverished childhood he had in his isolated village. While buying weapons for a heist he ended up signing for full fledged training with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). 

Declared a non-state actor by our peace loving neighbours, he supposedly received training at a remote camp in mountainous regions of POK. Being trained by ex-military and ISI officers in Basic & Advanced combat, Commando training, Marine navigation and grilled through a rigorous Psychological routine in false interpretation of Islam and meaning of Jihad.

What followed the whole world witnessed in horror and disgust!

A 21 year old Kasab had become a Kasai and did what he was trained for....KILL.

He had no regrets and still doesn’t.

And neither do the LeT master minds that remained in touch with the group, till the very end asking them not to surrender, asking them not to succumb, asking them to kill till the end and then live forever as martyr.....exploiting their youth even to the last drop of blood in their bodies.

In reference to Jihad, Kasab himself has said on camera that "it [Jihad] is about killing and getting killed and becoming famous." "Come, kill and die after a killing spree. By this one will become famous and will also make Allah proud." But when asked if he had read the Quran and can confirm this as part of Islamic teachings, he showcased very little knowledge about the Islamic Religion and its tenet. He admitted later that he actually did it for the $4000 that he was promised his family would receive if he succeeded in his mission and fell as a martyr.

And this I believe is the most dangerous observation of 26/11.

Ten men, more boys than men, 20 something in age are willing to not only kill but die, just to escape the sense of being poor and powerless, under the pretext of something that they believe in completely, yet know very little about.

A Kasab becomes a Kasai not only because there are a handful training camps funded by ISI in Pakistan, yes that is a variable to be counted;

A Kasab becomes a Kasai not only cause there are religious fundamentalist out there cheating their beliefs;

A Kasab becomes a Kasai cause these kids are brought up in such circumstances that they are willing to do anything to escape it;

AND THERE IS INVARIABLY SOME ONE TO EXPLOIT THEM.

There is a kid in every street that wants quick money, there is a thug in every locality that is willing to steal it, there is robber in every city that is willing to kill for it, there is a murderer in every district that is willing to join organised crime, there is a mobster in every state willing to supply arms and ammunition and there is a nut-job fundamentalist (religious or political) in every country willing to pay the right price for it.

A small time robber turns into a famed International terrorist, not an ideal rags to riches story, but that is the real Ajmal Kasab, and that is one aspect of the bloody truth.

A Kasab becomes a Kasai because all of human race chooses to ignore the fact that poverty, hunger, lack of education and universal values are bigger enemies to National and International security than religious fundamentalism and political distrust. These kids that pick up arms and become non state actors/terrorist or whatever we call them, are firing a bullet without knowing that it is not the innocent man or woman in front of him that is responsible for his condition back home, it is the state non actors  that after rising to places of wealth and power, choose to do nothing.

It is a cry for help!

The global community must engage themselves to distribute the fruits of development from the developed regions to the developing ones and from the developing regions to the underpoverished. The youth must come to the front for this and ensure that in todays competitive arena we do not end up pushing some kids so far away that people can exploit their sentiments and youthful energy for such heinous crimes against humanity. And last but not the least we must not in a our desire to consolidate our well being isolate some one else.

Remeber the words of Edmund Burke the famous English statesman
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"