Author: G.D. Sachar
Publication: Organiser
Date: April 15, 2007
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=179&page=15
The mentors of terrorism are still engaged
in strengthening their network. The reports from across the LoC reveal that
the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) has established many new madrasas in the areas,
which were badly affected by the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005,
in which many government schools were destroyed and the people were rendered
destitutes.
In Jammu & Kashmir over 1,500 terrorists
are still active. Nearly 50 per cent of them are Pakistanis and others are
foreigners. In addition to this, the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan
or Pakistan-occupied areas is still intact and mentors of terrorism are engaged
in strengthening their grip in certain areas by establishing their links with
Talibans of Afghanistan.
According to a survey conducted by the Army
and some other security agencies in the wake of the demand being pressed by
the People's Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad
Syed, a major partner in the Congress-led coalition of the state, for demilitarisation,
there are over 470 highly trained terrorists who are active in Jammu region
and this number in the Kashmir Valley is over a thousand.
During the past few years the presence of
terrorists in the state has considerably come down as many of them, including
over 150 dreaded commanders, have been killed. A good number of them have
surrendered and several others have mysteriously disappeared from different
areas. It is being construed that some of them have crossed over to PoK/Pakistan
and others are in hibernation in different parts of the country.
The incidents of terrorist violence have also
decreased by about 50 per cent in comparison to the previous years. The local
support to the terrorists has also marked a significant decrease for one reason
or the other. The number of overground workers and guides of foreign terrorists
is also on the decline although they are being offered more wages. The fresh
recruits are too not easily available for training and joining the terrorist
ranks.
Despite this some new dangerous trends are
emerging. The mentors of terrorism are still engaged in strengthening their
network. The reports from across the LoC reveal that the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT)
has established many new madrasas in the areas, which were badly affected
by the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005, in which many government
schools were destroyed and the people were rendered destitutes.
In these areas in absence of the Pak administration
LeT and other outfits were engaged in distributing foreign assistance to the
quake victims. A report said that in these areas the Lashker and other outfits
have also adopted the children of earthquake victims and are imparting education
and training in their own-controlled madrasas and schools to make them jehadis.
The new dangers are also emerging including
the exploring of new routes of infiltration by the terrorists. Earlier after
the fencing of the LoC they had been using the routes of Nepal and Bangladesh
borders. But recently three dreaded Pakistani terrorists linked with LeT were
apprehended from border areas of Poonch during the checking at a bridge. These
terrorists made quite sensational disclosures. Their interrogation has revealed
that they had entered India via sea route by using the boats. After entering
India the local guides took them to Mumbai. They were a group of eight Pakistanis.
The module at Mumbai divided them into different groups of two and three.
Their group of three was sent to Chandigarh where their stay was managed in
a hotel.
At the behest of a commander operating in
Mendhar area bordering LoC, Zaffah Shah, they were brought to Manjakote, in
a bus by the two local guides including an ex-serviceman where all of them
were apprehended during the checking at the bridge by the security forces.
The police are still engaged in searching
their other colleagues. So far, only one of them has reportedly been arrested
near Jammu Railway Station. The five other Pakistani terrorists are still
to be traced out whom the police of Chandigarh and Mumbai are still searching.
Many are intrigued over the pressurising of
New Delhi by PDP and some others to withdraw troops as the terrorists are
still active and can make a hell of the life of local people especially those
who had been extending their sport to the forces. Moreover, in the absence
of the troops the stay of the minorities in these far-flung areas would become
more difficult.
