Jabron Hashmi

Jabron Hashmi

Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi in No2 Dress Uniform
Born (1982-04-23)23 April 1982
Peshawar, Pakistan
Died 1 July 2006(2006-07-01) (aged 24)
Sangin, Afghanistan
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 2004-2006
Rank Lance Corporal
Unit Intelligence Corps

Lance-Corporal Jabron Hashmi or Jibran Hashmi (23 April 1982 – 1 July 2006) was a British soldier who was killed in action in Sangin, Afghanistan.

Hashmi was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, and moved to Britain with his family when he was 12. He joined the army in 2004. After completing his training for the Intelligence Corps at DISC, Chicksands, he was attached to 14 Signals Regiment, of the Royal Signals in January 2006 before being sent to Afghanistan. He was killed on 1 July 2006, in Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan as a result of a rocket attack on a Platoon House. His family described him as a "committed soldier. He was fiercely proud of being British."

"He went to Afghanistan hoping to build bridges between the east and the west. He has always wanted to serve his country since he was a little boy. We were born just 40 minutes from the Afghan border so he was very excited to get back over there and experience the culture."

"He combined his love of Islam with the love of Britain and his main reason for joining the army was to make a difference. He certainly did that. Jabron was a cheeky confident and outgoing young man. He was very caring towards his family and friends and a very caring person."

His Commanding Officer said: "Enthusiastic, confident and immensely popular, Lance Corporal Hashmi displayed all the qualities of a first class soldier. His enthusiasm for the role he had been given was simply outstanding. He was brimming with confidence and hugely keen to take part in all the training prior to the operation.

"Once deployed in Helmand Province, his skills proved vital in support of the 3 PARA Battlegroup, providing protection for his comrades in the highly demanding working conditions of Southern Afghanistan. A fine young man, his sad loss will be felt by us all."

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) paid tribute to L/Cpl Hashmi saying that although the Afghan conflict was unpopular with many Muslims, soldiers could not pick and choose their battles. Inayat Bunglawala, the MCB spokesperson said, "This is far from the first time Muslims have given their lives in the service of this country, many did so in the two World Wars, but in recent years they have been under-represented in the Army."[1]

However, some Muslims called him a traitor and an apostate to Islam. Mahmud Abdul Baari, a follower of the exiled preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed, called Hashmi a terrorist, adding: "Although born Muslim [he] grew up to become an apostate traitor to Islam and professional terrorist who unlike members of al-Qa'eda took a salary".[2]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Britten, Nick; Petre, Jonathan (4 July 2006). "Proud to be Muslim, a soldier and British - Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  2. ↑ "British Muslim soldier a 'home-grown terrorist', extremist website claims". Mail Online (London). 5 July 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
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