Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: December 9, 2001
Militant groups operating in Jammu
and Kashmir have lately been hit by shortage of arms and funds prompting
them to make distress calls to their mentors across the border in Pakistan,
defence sources said on Sunday.
Security agencies had intercepted
conversation between militant cadres based in the state and their leaders
in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the last fortnight.
Defence sources also said that the groups were under pressure due to the
killing of terrorists by security forces in the state and on the border.
"Colleagues require stores and faloose
(funds)", was one of the distress messages sent by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants
in the state to the outfit's leaders in PoK on December 5.
A Lashkar leader in PoK was heard
responding, "everyone is demanding that. But there is shortage of funds.
We cannot do anything".
A similar conversation intercepted
on December 4 between Hizbul Mujahideen operatives in Kashmir and their
leaders in Pakistan also indicated the "demoralisation" within the cadres
on account of shortage of arms and funds, they said.
