Taliban vow to kill Pakistani blogger who survived assassination attempt

 (CNN) -- The family of a Pakistani teen activist who survived an assassination attempt at the hands of the Taliban is "counting on all the prayers of the nation" to help her recover, her uncle says.

Malala Yousufzai, 14, remains in critical condition a day after surgeons removed a bullet lodged in her neck. Taliban militants shot Malala and two other girls Tuesday as the girls headed home from school in Pakistan's conservative Swat Valley. The two other girls were not seriously injured.
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for targeting Malala, who enraged the militant group by writing about her daily battle with the extremists who used fear and intimidation to force girls to stay at home instead of going to school. Malala's online writing earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize in November.
Education a focus on International Day of the Girl
 Activist 'inspires Pakistan students' Teen activist in 2011: My people need me
The Taliban have vowed to kill her if she survives.
On Thursday, Malala was flown by helicopter from a military hospital in Peshawar to a military hospital in Rawalpindi, outside Islamabad, in order to give her the best medical care.
She is suffering from severe cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain, said Lt. Col. Junaid Khan, the head of neurosurgery at the Peshawar hospital.
"The next 36 to 48 hours are critical for Malala now and we are hoping for an improvement," said Gen. Asim Bajwa, the Pakistani military spokesman. "She needs to rest and she is in no condition to be moved."
Her recovery coincides with International Day of the Girl, created by the United Nations to celebrate, address and help advance "girls' lives and opportunities across the globe" -- goals that Malala risked her life to pursue.
Malala's uncle, Faiz Muhammad, said his niece hadn't been conscious or responsive in the more than 24 hours after the surgery to remove the bullet.
Muhammad, who is at the hospital with Malala, said the family is "very worried" about her condition.
Opinion: Cowards shot this brave girl
"We are counting on all the prayers of the nation," he said. "The prayers are with us, so, God willing, everything is going to be fine."
The attack has captured the attention and drawn the rage of governments and people across the world.
Former U.S. first lady Laura Bush, writing in the Washington Post on Wednesday, said the girl is inspirational "because she had the courage to defy the totalitarian mind-set others would have imposed on her."
"Her life represents a brighter future for Pakistan and the region," Bush wrote. "We must speak up before these acts occur, work to ensure that they do not happen again, and keep our courage to continue to resist the ongoing cruelty and barbarism of the Taliban. Malala Yousafzai refused to look the other way. We owe it to her courage and sacrifice to do the same."
The singer Madonna spoke for millions during a Wednesday night concert in Los Angeles when she slammed the attack and dedicated a song to Malala.
"This made me cry," Madonna said. "The 14-year-old schoolgirl who wrote a blog about going to school. The Taliban stopped her bus and shot her. Do you realize how sick that is?"
"Support education! Support women!" she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As Madonna performed a striptease, "she turned her back to the audience to reveal the name 'Malala' stenciled across it."
"This song is for you, Malala," she said, and then sang "Human Nature."
When Taliban gunmen stopped the van carrying Malala and the two other girls Tuesday, they asked which one was Malala Yousufzai. When the girls pointed her out, the men opened fire, striking all three girls.
A day later, police took the van driver and another person into custody for questioning. They say they've identified the culprits, but so far none have been arrested.
The Taliban issued a statement Thursday defending the attempted killing on religious grounds, saying that anyone who "campaigns against Islam and Sharia (Muslim law) is ordered to be killed by Sharia."
The Taliban denied targeting the teen activist because of her demands for an education.
"That's absolutely wrong, and a propaganda of media," the group said. "Malala is targeted because of her pioneer role in preaching secularism and so-called enlightened moderation."
The Taliban accused Malala of "playing a vital role in bucking up" the Pakistani government and "inviting Muslims to hate mujahedeen."
Opinion: Make schools safe for girls everywhere
Malala wrote about her life in Swat Valley, a hotbed of militant activity.
The valley near the Afghanistan border once attracted tourists to Pakistan's only ski resort, as well as visitors to the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area. But that was before militants -- their faces covered with dark turbans -- unleashed a wave of violence.
They demanded veils for women, beards for men and a ban on music and television. They allowed boys' schools to operate but closed those for girls.
International Day of the Girl: Advice from leading women
It was in this climate that Malala reached out to the outside world through her blog posts.
"I have the right of education," Malala said in a CNN interview last year. "I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to talk. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up."
Malala also encouraged other young people to take a stand against the Taliban -- and to not hide in their bedrooms. "God will ask you on the day of judgment where were you when your people were asking you, when your school fellows were asking you, and when your school was asking you that I am being blown up?"
Read more: 14-year-old girl wins Pakistan's first peace prize
Mian Iftikhar Hussein, Swat Valley's provincial information minister, said he was declaring a bounty of $100,000 for the capture of the culprits in the attempt on Malala's life.

---

Posted: at 11-10-2012 08:52 PM (11 years ago) | Upcoming

These Talibans and their friends the Boko Haram are the lowest form of human life. They are just one step away from the apes on Darwin's evolution tree. They are so disgusting that writing about them makes me feel like throwing up. Mstcheeewww!!!

Posted: at 15-10-2012 02:21 PM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac