HVK Archives: ISI alarming N-E Muslim settlers
ISI alarming N-E Muslim settlers - The Telegraph
Oinam Sunil
()
3 January 1997
Title : ISI arming N-E Muslim settlers
Author : Oinam Sunil
Publication : The Telegraph
Date : January 3, 1997
Insurgency in the Northeast is likely to take a new turn with
Bangladeshi refugees acquiring sophisticated weapons from across the
border.
According to intelligence sources, Muslim fundamentalists, who crossed
over the border as refugees, acquired a large number of arms recently
with the help of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
Sources said the ISI was targeting Muslim fundamentalists to disrupt the
civil administration in the region, particularly in Assam. The Indian
intelligence network also confirmed the supply of arms to Bangladeshi
refugees by the ISI. According to reports, Dhubri and Nalbari districts
in Assam, and Tura in Meghalaya have been identified as important areas
of ISI activities. The Muslim-dominated villages in these districts are
the focal points. A number of sophisticated arms including light machine
guns have already reached the Muslim immigrants. The transit zones for
supply of arms are Mancachar, Mahendraganj and Fakirganj ghat in Dhubri
district.
Intelligence reports cite that the large number of illegal Muslim
settlers in the region pose security risks as they are soft targets for
smuggling, operating trans-border gangs and collecting information for
militant groups.
The migrants who continue to flood the Northeastern states as "economic
refugees" are insecure because of the anti-foreigners' wave sweeping the
Northeastern states. According to sources, the ISI is cashing in on the
situation by singling out the Islamic fundamentalists from among the
migrants to launch an anti-India campaign. The fundamentalists are
procuring arms for "self-defence." With stockpiling of arms, the
fundamentalists have started dictating terms to the civil administration
in many areas of Assam, sources said. Some ISI agents have reportedly
sneaked into the-region along with the refugees.
The Union home and defence ministries are aware of the developments and
are taking a serious note of it. As a preventive measure, the entire
stretch of the Meghalaya border along Tura district was sealed in July
this year.
Back
Top
|
