Author: Kavita Suri, Statesman
News Service
Publication: The Statesman
Date: October 20, 2001
SRINAGAR, Oct. 19. - With the arrest
of a woman guide along with four Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Kathua
district last week, security agencies in J&K have stepped up surveillance
on people suspected to be harbouring militants. Securitymen have been told
to monitor the movements of women covertly or overtly helping militants.
Last week, police arrested Shamshad
Begum from Kathua, who had been entrusted with the job of identifying safe
infiltraton routes for militants. Shamshad begum had played a vital role
in many an operation across the international border.
Being a woman, she had been operating
fearlessly and without drawing the attention of securitymen. She always
carried a wireless set and small weapons. Securitymen in Kashmir Valley
have now realised that women too can be an important part of militant outfits.
The Anantnag special superintendent
of police Mr Muneer Khan, said women were mostly used as couriers "They
take advantage of the fact that they are rarely suspected." Many women
in this south Kashmir district are under surveillance. Farida, who worked
for Hizbul Mujahideen in the Kokernag area, was killed by Lashker-e-Taiyaba
militants sometime ago. Money is the motivating factor that draws women
to militants, Mr Khan said.
Many women in south Kashmir were
under police scrutiny for suspected links with militants.
Officials said the new dress code,
forced upon women by a relatively new outfit, helped them in acting as
couriers, for they can easily hide improvised explosive devices, maps and
arms under a burqa.
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2001 worst year for ultras
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SRINGAR, Oct. 19. - More than 470
mercenaries, mostly Pakistanis, have been killed by security forces in
J&K this year. This is the highest number of ultras killed in a year
since Pakistan began aiding cross-border terrorism in 1990. The casualties
this year have been high because Pakistan has sent a large number of mercenaries
to the state. Another reason for the success is local people's help in
the fight against terrorism.
The spokesman said in September,
74 mercenaries had been killed. They include Abu Rafi, Abu Nazir Hazami,
Abu Tala Saif,
Abu Usman, Haider, Abu Abdul Rehman,
Sajid Iqbal, Abu Wa- qas, Abu Khalid Mardan and Abu Abdullah Hafiz (all
Lashkar-e-Taiyaba), Hamiduallah Khan, Azar Mehmood, Abu Shajian and Abu
Hafiza (all Jaish -e-Mohammed), Janbaz Afghani, Abu Ayub alias Gulfan,
Kanzar Mama, Abu Hafizi, and Khalid Hussain (all Al Badr).
