Detail Of Terrorism Update

Unidentified terrorists in combat uniform shot dead nine Nepalese and Bihari labourers and a soldier in broad daylight near Yaripora in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district on June 12. Official sources told Daily Excelsior that a group of eight terrorists abducted a newly-recruited Kashmiri soldier, Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh, along with 13 Nepalese and Bihari labourers working on the construction of his house. According to residents, Sheikh and the labourers were taken to Darshalina where the gunmen and all the abducted persons boarded vehicles and finally reached Budora. After physical torture, the gunmen beheaded Sheikh and also subsequently shot dead nine labourers and injured four others. Sources said that out of the nine slain labourers, one was from Bihar and all others hailed from Nepal. After the massacre, the terrorists looted at least two weapons from the police post at Mujmarg. No group has claimed responsibility for the massacre thus far.  

In another incident, terrorists killed two police personnel, Bashir Ahmed and Hilal Ahmed, at Sopore in the Baramulla district. Further in Baramulla, unidentified terrorists hurled a hand grenade towards the house of Abdul Rashid Sofi, a Municipal Councillor, at Bandipora killing one person, identified as Abrar Sofi. 

Meanwhile, a civilian was killed and 29 others were injured when terrorists lobbed three grenades in quick succession at the General Bus Stand in Jammu town. The terrorists, who were believed to be at least two in number, managed to escape after throwing the grenades in a time span of one and a half minutes on the Banihal route buses from the roof top of a hotel and shops near Shiv Mandir overlooking Banihal route bus stand. The blasts occurred at a time when security arrangements had been strengthened for the annual Amarnath Yatra (a Hindu pilgrimage), which commenced on June 11.

According to Independent, ten militants reportedly belonging to the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) were killed in a one hour-long fierce gun battle with a joint force of Army and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Sajek border area under Baghaichhari sub-district in the Rangamati district on June 12. According to army sources, an estimated number of 60 to 70 NLFT militants were staying at border area Sajek for the last few days and were confronted by a joint team of Army and RAB-7 led by Lieutenant Colonel Anisur Reza and Major Mahiuddin. Following the gun battle, the NLFT militants managed to escape leaving behind ten dead bodies of their colleagues. The identity of the killed militants could not be known immediately and their bodies were kept under Army custody. The joint force also recovered an unspecified quantity of arms and ammunition from the NLFT hideout.

Five people were killed and 17 sustained injuries in a bomb blast at a hotel in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, on June 12, according to Daily Times. An improvised explosive device weighing four kilograms and placed under a bicycle reportedly exploded at Gul Balochistan Hotel on the Sariab Road at 10:35am. Mir Shoaib Nausherwani, the Balochistan Home Minister, blamed the Balochistan Liberation Army for the blast. However, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the Balochistan National Party President, accused intelligence agencies of masterminding the blast in order to defame the Baloch leaders.

Troops allegedly killed Batticaloa Kudumbimalai Political Coordinator of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), ‘Captain’ Ramanitharan, in the Murakkoddanchenai area on June 10, reports Tamil Net. 

One soldier was killed and a civilian sustained injuries in a LTTE-triggered claymore mine attack in the Nelumkulam area of Vavuniya district on June 12. 

Five civilians, including a Government official, were injured in a LTTE claymore mine attack in the in the Nedunkerni area of Mullaittivu district. 

Separately, one home guard was injured in an LTTE attack in the Serunuwara area of Trincomalee district. Another home guard was injured by the outfit in the Tempitiya area of Ampara district. Similarly, on June 12, a soldier was injured in a LTTE attack targeting security forces (SFs) in the Urumpira area of Jaffna District. 

Elsewhere, LTTE cadres hurled a hand grenade towards an Army point near the St. John Bosco Pre-school, creating panic among the children. However, no casualties were reported. 

A day earlier, LTTE cadres robbed office equipment belonging to GTZ, a German Non-Governmental Organization engaged in Tsunami construction works in the Valachchenai area of Batticaloa district. 

Suspected LTTE cadres lobbed a hand grenade at a boutique behind the Puttur Police Post in Batticaloa district. Elsewhere, troops repulsed LTTE grenade firing in the Welioya area. Separately, troops retaliated LTTE fire in the Bakkiella area of Ampara district. However, no casualties were reported in these incidents. 

In a similar incident, on June 12, troops retaliated when LTTE cadres fired upon them in the Kankasanthurai area of Jaffna district and subsequently recovered one T-56 weapon with a magazine. Elsewhere, on June 11, troops retaliated LTTE-fire in the Inuvil area.  

Meanwhile, troops recovered 9-mm pistol along with one 9-mm bullet from the Kopai area of same district.

A security force (SF) personnel, identified as Bircharan Singh, who was among the three injured in the grenade attack on a patrolling vehicle at Makum in the Tinsukia district on June 11-evening, succumbed to his injuries on the same night, according to Sentinel. 

Elsewhere in the district, suspected militants triggered a powerful time device killing one person, identified as Shiv Shankar Verma, and injuring 11 others at Bazar Chariali in Digboi on June 12, according to Sentinel.  

Another bomb was triggered near an Army camp on the National Highway 31 at Taraibari in the Goalpara district. However, no casualties were reported. 

Meanwhile, Indira Goswami, the negotiator representing the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) backed People’s Consultative Group (PCG), cautioned that the violence would derail the ongoing peace process. 

Further, a leading civil society organization working on citizen’s rights, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati, has reportedly appealed to the ULFA to stop violence.

Indian Express reports that at least two Maoist cadres were killed in an encounter with police personnel at Mulundmatha area in the Gadchiroli district on June 11. According to police sources, the encounter occurred as Maoists fired upon a police party, which retaliated.

An extremist leader belonging to the Janajuddha faction of the Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Howlader alias Dakat Rafiq, was killed during a shootout between the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and his accomplices in Joykhan area under Mongla sub-district of Bagerhat district on June 12, according to Daily Star. RAB personnel had arrested the extremist at Sonaitola on June 11. One pipe gun and six bullets were recovered from the encounter site.

According to Press Trust of India, on June 12, a police personnel, Basant Netam, was injured in an ambush by Maoists in the Dantewada district. 

Zee News reports about 150-armed Maoists attacked a police station at Durg Kondal in the Kanker district. Police sources said Maoists opened indiscriminate fire at the police and Central Reserve Police Force party. Nobody was injured in the encounter.

Security force (SF) personnel arrested a United National Liberation Front (UNLF) cadre, Arangbam Satrajit alias Naopet, from Khurai Nandeibam Leikai in the Imphal city on June 12. 

Earlier on June 11, one Islamic National Front cadre, Mohammad Tamijur, was arrested from Hatta Golapati under Porompat police station limits in the Imphal East district along with some incriminating documents. While a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadre, Aribam Lalit, was arrested from Kokchai under Lamlai police station limits in the Imphal East district. 

Sangai Express reports that in protest against the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) monetary demand ranging between INR 50,0000 and INR 1 lakh from shopkeepers and villagers of Wangoo Sagang Bazaar and Borayangbi in the Bishnupur district, a sit-in-protest was staged at Wangoo Sagang Bazaar on June 12. 

According to a delayed report, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland–Khaplang (NSCN-K) cadres open fired at the private residence of Chandel Deputy Commissioner Norbert Disinang at Neikalong in Manipur on June 8. However, there was no report of casualty.

Indian Express reports that on June 10, two Maoists were arrested following an encounter at Karlapat under the Gudari police station in the Rayagada district. The encounter occurred as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) party was conducting a search operation in the area after being tipped off the Maoist presence.

Security forces neutralised a Maoist hideout in the Jhumra hills between Aman and Beltharwa village and reportedly recovered a diary, that contained information about the donors and supporters of the ‘Red brigade’, along with Rupees 1.37 lakh, detonators, gelatine sticks and Maoist literature. The Police also seized six letters written by senior Maoists leaders, at present in jails, demanding levy from various people including contractors, businessmen and politicians.

Nepal News reports that the Government has decided to withdraw all cases filed under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Ordinance (TADO) as part of the concessions being made to the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) and aimed at fostering the peace process. The decision to withdraw TADO was tabled by the Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula at the cabinet meeting held on June 12. This development follows the talks between Sitaula and CPN-M leaders Prachanda and Dr Baburam Bhattarai at Siklesh on June 11 in which both the sides agreed to take the peace process forward. The withdrawal of TADO is expected to be followed by the release of Maoist political prisoners. This will also result in the withdrawal of charges against the rebels who are either in prison or underground. 

Himalayan Times reports that the CPN (Maoist) has claimed that the party has not taken any donation forcefully in the past one-and-half year. Speaking to reporters at Chitwan on June 12, Ghan Shyam Dahal alias Abinas, secretary of the Maoists' Chitwan district unit, said the party has not collected any donation as it has being published in the media. 

Leader of the Maoist talks team, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, said in Kathmandu on June 12 that the Government and Maoist leadership have become flexible in their stance on giving continuity to the parliament and holding a “broad political conference”.

According to Daily Times, the alliance of seven agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on June 12 rejected President Pervez Musharraf’s proposal of appointing army officers as agency administrators and strengthening political agents. “The president and NWFP [North West Frontier Province] governor should empower the elected agency councilors, who have been powerless since they took charge three years ago, instead of giving further incentives to the political agents,” Taj Mahal Afridi, secretary general of the FATA Agency Councilors and a member of the FATA Grand Alliance Coordination Committee, told a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club. 

Afridi said that funds from the National Finance Commission Award should be allocated for FATA and the national and international funding for FATA and revenue collected from FATA should be made public. The alliance’s representatives said that peace would be restored to the tribal areas after the withdrawal of the army and the end of military operations. They also said that the tribesmen have become “slaves” under the Frontier Crimes Regulations.

The President Mahinda Rajapakse has appointed a committee to serve in an advisory capacity to the committee of representatives, from all parties to be appointed to work out the formalities for a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict, reports Daily News. A President's Office release said that the Advisory Committee, headed by H. L. De Silva, an eminent civil and constitutional lawyer, comprises 12 members selected from various fields of discipline. These appointments have been done in pursuance of a decision taken at the fifth All Party Conference held on June 2. 

Meanwhile, the head of the Government Peace Secretariat, Palitha Kohona, told media, “The government will go ahead with the peace process and direct talks. We are disappointed that LTTE, having come to Oslo, decided not to talk to us.”

Nagaland Post reports that the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) on June 12 has asked the Superintendent of Police (SP), Dimapur, Bidhu Shekhar to leave Dimapur district within seven days and warned that he would be held responsible for any untoward incident in failing to heed to its diktat. The diktat comes in the wake of a notice issued by the SP (the same of which was also issued by SPs of other districts in Nagaland) that appeared in the press on June 12, ordering all armed underground cadres to vacate civilian populated areas including towns and villages of Dimapur district within seven days.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is reported to have taken decision to complete fencing along the India-Bangladesh border by the end of 2007, according to Telegraph. Reports added that nearly 400 km of Tripura’s 856-km-long border with Bangladesh has already been fenced and the target is to complete fencing of 736 km by the end of December 2007. “The Union home ministry has taken a serious view of the obstructionist tactics and ma-de it clear to a delegation from Tripura that fencing would be completed at any cost,” a source said. The MHA had reportedly sent a proposal to the Union Finance Ministry for the sanction of Rupees 1200 crore in order to install floodlights along the entire stretch of the border with Bangladesh. 

Separately, the Union Government has decided to reject Justice Jeevan Reddy’s report on scrapping the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) following Army’s decision against dilution of its powers in the North East India.