Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: July 27, 2007
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/207099.html
If the revelations made by six Al-Badr men
arrested in Kutch two weeks ago are anything to go by, some Pakistan-based
terror groups are planning to set up base in the coastal areas of Karnataka,
including Karwar. The area houses INS Kadamba, a strategic Naval base.
Al-Badr was reportedly also in the process
of circulating fake currency in the area and in later stages planned to transport
weapons before setting up base in the region.
On July 13, the Coast Guard in the south Gujarat
area of Kutch nabbed six Al-Badr men, who were transferring fake currency
and weapons. Investigations by Central intelligence agencies and Coast Guards
revealed that they were targeting coastal Karnataka to carry out monetary
and weapons transactions.
"The men revealed that Kutch was a test
run, while their actual target was Karnataka, especially Karwar, as they were
plotting to set a base there. They wanted to circulate fake currency, bring
in weapons, RDX, ammunition and establish a network. Karnataka seems to be
a soft target because of the weak security system in the coastal areas,"
said S C Thyagi, Chief of Staff, West Coast.
The gang was allegedly planning to smuggle
in more than Rs 1 crore in fake currency, arms and explosives into Karnataka.
They had earlier smuggled in Rs 24 lakh in fake currency notes to Kutch in
March.
Central intelligence sources said terrorist
modules have been trying to get to three sensitive areas, including Karnataka,
Mumbai and Goa. The aim was to destabilise the booming economy, said a source,
adding that Karnataka provided excellent areas for covert operations of both
crime syndicates and subversive groups.
Other than Karwar, Puttur, Bantwal and Bhatkal
were places where a large number of fake currency was in circulation. According
to officials in the military intelligence, the usual route taken was though
Malappuram in Kerala to Karwar.
"They travel in boats that have been
illegally imported and carry fake currency of denominations of Rs 500 and
Rs 1,000. These men have been provided with
Global Positioning System (GPS) devices by the ISI," said the officer.
According to military intelligence officials,
Pakistani terror groups have entered the coastal areas, got married to locals
and have set up sleeper cells for LeT and Al-Badr. They are also into real
estate dealings in a big way, he said.
When contacted, DG and IG of Police K R Srinivasan
said he was not aware of the recent developments. However, the state intelligence
was in touch with the central intelligence agencies and they were tightening
patrolling along the coastal lines, especially Karwar.
