SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
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Cautious Engagement The doves
in America are gradually transforming themselves into hawks,
even as the most vocal opponent of the proposed Iraq campaign
within the US Administration - Secretary of State Colin
Powell - emerges among its strongest advocates, and opinion
polls report 'hesitant domestic support for Bush's policies.'
As the clouds of war deepen, there is an increasing tendency
to polarisation - a 'with us or against us' orientation
that excludes the many shades of grey, and the legitimate
misgivings that many still have on the impending war.
The Criminal-Terror
Nexus, Again
In the
second such incident since December last, on February 3,
2003, Dubai arrested and subsequently released a number
of high profile organised criminals linked with international
terrorism, despite Interpol red corner notices against many
of these, and despite the fact that India had again handed
over a list containing the details of some of these criminals
to the United Arab Emirate (UAE) authorities as recently
as on January 28, 2003.
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Weekly Fatalities: Major conflicts
in South Asia
|
  |
Civilian
|
Security
Force Personnel
|
Terrorist
|
Total
|
BANGLADESH |
0
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
INDIA |
17
|
5
|
28
|
50
|
Assam |
1
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
Jammu & Kashmir |
5
|
4
|
25
|
34
|
Left-wing Extremism |
5
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
Tripura |
6
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
PAKISTAN |
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
SRI LANKA |
0
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
* Provisional
data compiled from English language media sources.
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Acting
Pakistan High Commissioner expelled on charges
of funding Kashmiri separatists: The Indian
government on February 8, 2003, expelled Pakistan's
Acting High Commissioner Jalil Abbas Jilani
and four non-diplomatic staffers for "involvement
in activities incompatible with their official
position". Jilani had earlier been named by
the Delhi Police in the First Information Report
registered after one of the two arrested All
Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) activists
on February 6 alleged that he funded separatist
activities in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Anjum
Zamrooda Habib, chief of Muslim Khawateen Markaz,
a Hurriyat constituent, who along with Delhi-based
Hurriyat spokesperson Shabir Dar were arrested
on February 6, confessed before a designated
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court in
Delhi that Rupees 3.07 lakh recovered from her
was given by Jilani to be passed on to the APHC
chairman Abdul Gani Bhat as a Nazrana
(gift). She reportedly also revealed that Dar
was frequenting the Pakistan High Commission
for receiving money for an unnamed terrorist
outfit. Meanwhile, in an apparent retaliatory
move, Pakistan ordered on the same day the expulsion
of India's Acting High Commissioner Sudhir Vyas
and four non-diplomatic staffers from the country.
Hindustan
Times, February 9, 2003; Daily
Excelsior, February 7, 2003.
Premier Vajpayee suggests unified command
to tackle Naxalite violence: Speaking at
a Chief Ministers' conference on internal security
in Delhi on February 8, Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee suggested the creation of a
unified command structure by the nine States
affected by left-wing extremist - Naxalite -
violence. While expressing serious concern over
Naxalite violence in the regions from the Indian
border with Nepal to Andhra Pradesh, he said,
"I would like to emphasise the need to remove
all shortcomings in intelligence-sharing and
mounting well-coordinated anti-Naxalite operations
by the concerned States. If necessary, this
should be done under a unified command." Times
of India, February 9, 2003.
Dubai shuts down local LeT office; deports
cadres to Pakistan, indicates report: According
to a media report, authorities in Dubai on February
4, 2003, shut down the office of Pakistan-based
terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and deported
some of its cadres to Pakistan. Reportedly,
the crackdown was personally ordered by General
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al Maktoum, Defence
Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
crown prince of Dubai. India
Monitor, February 5, 2003.
Russia bans three Pakistan-based terrorist
groups: Russia has outlawed three Pakistan-based
terrorist groups, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba
(LeT), and launched legal procedures for impounding
their assets in the country. Besides LeT, the
Jamaat-e-Islam and Hizb-ut-Tahri al Islami have
been included in Russia's Federal Security Service
(FSB) blacklist of 15 international terrorist
groups submitted to the Prosecutor General's
office for imposing a judicial ban and confiscation
of their assets in Russia, the state-run Russia
TV network said on February 4, 2003. Besides
the Al Qaeda and Taliban, the Russian terrorist
black list also includes various Islamist groups
based in Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Egypt and Kuwait.
Indian
Express, February 5, 2003.
Dubai arrests Pakistan-based Mafia don Dawood
Ibrahim's brother and others, indicates reports:
According to a media report, Dubai authorities
detained five close associates of Pakistan-based
Mafia don Dawood Ibrahim including his brother
Noorul Haq alias Noora, Mohammed Dossa and Aftab
Batki on February 3, 2003. While Noora and Dossa
are wanted in connection with the 1993-Mumbai
serial bomb blasts case, Batki is alleged to
be involved in various cases of counterfeit
currency. Separately, another report said that
15 persons were arrested by the Dubai Police,
including Mumbai bomb blasts accused Mustafa
Majnun Dossa, Ejaz Pathan, top aides of Dawood
associate Chhota Shakeel, Salim Talwar and Tariq
Parveen. Further, a report of February 6 has
indicated that an unspecified number of associates
of Dawood Ibrahim might have been released in
Dubai. They have also reportedly been asked
to leave United Arab Emirates (UAE) immediately.
Times
of India, February 3 and 7, 2003.
ISI directs Lashkar-e-Toiba to use toy planes
in J&K, indicates reports: According to
media reports, to ensure a "mini replica" of
the 9/11 attacks in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K),
Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the
Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), has directed
terrorists, especially of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT),
to use "toy planes" to target army posts and
prominent personalities in the State. Quoting
an interrogation report of a LeT cadre arrested
recently in the State, official sources said
that ISI had handed over a "fleet" of four dozen
such planes, capable of carrying 10-15 kilograms
of RDX, to LeT for carrying out attacks on army
posts or helicopter gun ships of the Indian
Air Force. These sources also said that two
such planes were recovered on an unspecified
date from the Rajouri district of Jammu region.
These "toy planes" which can be operated by
a remote control, take a set trajectory and
hit a target within a range of 300 metres. The
arrested Lashkar cadre is reported to have confessed
that the plane was displayed at a recent LeT
congregation in Pakistan. He also revealed that
the ISI was also planning to destroy certain
forward Indian positions at the Line of Control
and International Border using these toy planes.
The planes were reportedly being assembled in
the LeT dominated area of Muridke in Pakistan.
Indian
Express, February 3, 2003.
Al Qaeda is
a terrorist outfit, Federal government informs Lahore High Court:
The Federal government on February 7, 2003, informed the Lahore
High Court (LHC) that it considers the Al Qaeda a terrorist
organisation in accordance with United Nations Security Council
resolutions and anyone who harbours its members is breaking
the law. Deputy Attorney General Sher Zaman outlined the government's
view of the Al Qaeda to the LHC in response to a petition challenging
the detention of a doctor and his family accused of hiding four
top Al Qaeda operatives at their Lahore residence. "Al-Qaeda
has been globally declared a terrorist organisation by the United
Nations Security Council Resolution number 1373 which makes
it mandatory for all member states of the United Nations to
implement it," Zaman said, quoting from an Interior Ministry
statement. Dr Javed Ahmed Khawaja, his brother, two sons and
nephew were arrested during a raid at their residence on December
18, 2002, and are accused of having links to the Al Qaeda. Nation,
February 8, 2003.
Government lodges protest against Indian allegation of Pakistani
High Commission funding Kashmiri separatists: The Pakistani
government on February 7, 2003, lodged a protest with the Indian
government, when it summoned its Acting High Commissioner Sudhir
Vyas to the Foreign Office against what it described as "ridiculous
and baseless" allegations against its Acting High Commissioner
Jalil Abbas Jilani in New Delhi. Jilani is alleged to have paid
a woman activist of the secessionist All Parties Hurriyat Conference
(APHC) Rupees 3.07 lakh to be passed on to terrorist groups
in Kashmir. A Foreign Office spokesperson said, "The government
of Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with the Indian government
over the ridiculous and baseless allegation made by Indian authorities
accusing Pakistan's acting High Commissioner Jalil Abbas Jilani
of providing money to the representatives of the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference." "Registering an FIR [First Information
Report] against acting High Commissioner under POTA [Prevention
of Terrorism Act] law is the worst example of diplomatic depravity,"
he told reporters in Islamabad. Jang,
February 8, 2003.
President Musharraf disputes US claims on Iraq Embassy's
Al Qaeda links: President Pervez Musharraf on February 6,
2003, denied US claims that Iraq used its Islamabad Embassy
as a liaison with the Al Qaeda network. He made these remarks
while referring to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's claim
before the United Nations Security Council on February 5. "I
haven't heard entirely what he said. I have to analyse it. But
if he said it, it is certainly not the truth," Musharraf told
reporters in Moscow. "Certainly in Pakistan we think no such
activity took place... We don't have any information or intelligence
on this. If he (Powell) has the intelligence or information,
we need to analyse whatever information he has." the President
said. Musharraf also added that anti-war sentiment was on the
rise in Pakistan and a war in Iraq could unleash a wave of unrest
in the country. Daily
Times, February 7, 2003.
Three LTTE
cadres aboard arms carrying boat commit suicide: In a serious
violation of the cease-fire agreement, three cadres of the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) reportedly blew themselves up in
a boat carrying arms and ammunition off the island of Delft
on February 8, 2003. The Sri Lanka Navy in a statement on February
8 said the incident occurred after a Navy Fast Attack Craft
(FAC) on routine patrol covering the area south of Delft island
off the Jaffna Peninsula detected a trawler being towed by an
LTTE boat on February 7. Several attempts by the Sri Lanka Navy
to search the LTTE boat in the presence of the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) representatives failed. A permission to search
the trawler was granted on February 8 after discussions with
the LTTE Naval Commander. The LTTE cadres asked the cease-fire
monitors on board who found arms on the boat to jump off before
setting fire to the vessel and committing suicide. Sunday
Observer, February 9, 2003.
Berlin peace talks conclude with LTTE agreeing to work with
UNICEF on child soldiers: At the fifth round of peace talks
held in Berlin, Germany, on February 7-8, the Sri Lankan government
and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) negotiators agreed
to work out safeguards to prevent the February 8 type of sea
incidents (three LTTE cadres blew themselves up together with
an arms-laden trawler off the island of Delft) from happening
in the future, agreed to establish three committees in the Eastern
Province to address local land and other issues and also agreed
to request Amnesty International's Ian Martin to prepare for
discussion a roadmap of human rights issues. The LTTE is reported
to have also agreed to work with the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) on an action plan for child soldiers, a Norwegian
embassy press release said on February 8. Tamil
Net, February 9, 2003.
The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region. SAIR is a project of the Institute for Conflict Management and the South Asia Terrorism Portal. |
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