Author: Siddhartha D Kashyap & Tarachand
Mhaske
Publication: The Times of India
Date: July 23, 2006
Introduction: There are 146 cells in Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Over 80 modules have been set up in
the southern states
At least 256 modules of Pakistan's Inter-Services
Intelligence are working nationwide, recruiting youth and commissioning sleeper
cells over and above those in Jammu and Kashmir, intelligence reports say.
"These include 146 cells in Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Over 80 modules have been set up in the southern
states," a senior official of one the central intelligence agencies told
TOI, quoting a recent report submitted to the Centre, detailing the growing
tentacles of such groups in India.
The report said at least six such modules,
"each headed by a leader, referred to as amir", were operational
in Maharashtra. These modules were among the 11 operating In Maharashtra,
Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Intelligence agencies also said the ISI was
making efforts to outsource some of its channels to groups in Bangladesh and
Nepal "This is a sinister design, aimed at protecting Pakistan's direct
involvement in terror-related activities here," the official said.
He said: "The amir, who works covertly,
is specifically entrusted with the task of roping in new recruits, particularly
unsuspecting people like college students and school drop-outs."
Another intelligence officer agreed and said:
"Some suspects arrested after the RDX seizure in Aurangabad and Malegaon
are also members recruited by ISI modules."
He also said an estimated 200-plus youth,
drawn from various parts of Maharashtra, who had been for arms training across
the border in the past 12 months, were part of these modules. Interrogation
of some of the arrested members revealed that amirs have been able to cash
in on religious sentiments following the Gujarat riots.
