Author: Shri Man Mohan, Times News
Network
Publication: The Times of India
Dated: September 13, 2001
New Delhi: Besides the US, Russia
and many Central Asian nations are also worried about Saudi millionaire-terrorist
Osama bin Laden's "army".
According to Commonwealth of Independent
States' (CIS) diplomatic sources here, Bin Laden's 'terrorist army' is
estimated to be a 35,000-strong force. The CIS nations' border guards
chiefs recently met in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi to discuss Bin Laden's
organisation's activities.
"They had recently noted a rise
in Bin Laden's activities in the Central Asian region," a senior CIS diplomat
said. Russia and the CIS nations have, of late, been preparing their
"quick reaction strike forces" in Central Asia to deal with the emerging
threat from Bin Laden's outfit, which has launched a jehad, especially
against the US.
"It is a misconception that Bin
Laden's only enemy is the US. He has raised his personal 'army' also
for incursion and terrorist activities to destabilise Russia and the CIS
nations," the diplomat said, adding, "Its men, as per our information,
are also operating in Jammu and Kashmir, targeting Indian security forces."
Anticipating a massive incursion
of Islamic militants in Central Asia in the coming months, Russia and its
regional allies have begun holding military exercises. The Kazakhistan
army recently conducted an exercise to 'liberate villages occupied by Islamic
militants". According to border guards chiefs' report, the diplomat said,
major camps of international terrorists, including Arabs, Chechens and
Filipinos, were located in the Taliban - held areas of Afghanistan along
the borders with the CIS countries. These camps reportedly receive
generous aid from Bin Laden.
