Detail Of Terrorism Update

Four more people, including a senior Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) cadre, were killed in the continuing target killing and violence in Karachi, the provincial metropolis of Sindh, on June 25, reports Daily Times.  

A senior cadre of SSP, Imran alias Bata (29), was shot dead while he was standing at a bus stop in Godhra Colony in New Karachi. He was shot multiple times. Police officials said that his killing was a sequel of the current sectarian violence.  

Separately, bodies of two People’s Amn Committee (PAC) cadres were found from Swat Colony and 24-ki-market of Baldia Town. The victims were identified as Naveed Hanif (36) and Ghulam Nabi (24). The victims, residents of Lyari, were abducted while on their way to Winder of Balochistan. Police suspected that deceased were killed by the Arshad Pappu group. One of their companions was missing till filing of this report. 

Another body of a youngster was found from Ramaswami within the limits of Garden Police Station. Police officials said that he was shot thrice and left in a gunny bag.   

Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) claimed to have arrested an alleged target killer, Furqan alias Tunta, associated with PAC, during a raid conducted at a house situated in 500-Quarters, Mauripur. He was associated with the Ustad Taju group of Lyari gangster.

A terrorist was killed and another received injuries in an encounter in Gula Bera area near Junglekhel of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on June 25, reports Dawn. Sources said that a Policeman was also injured in the encounter. Police said that they were tipped off by intelligence agencies about entry of two terrorists from Hangu into Kohat. The slain militant was identified as Sahibur Rehman, a resident of Hangu District while Shaukat, a resident of South Waziristan Agency (FATA), was arrested in injured condition. The injured Policeman was identified as Gul Sher.  

Separately, Police shut down an arms factory in Industrial Estate on Kohat Road, saying it was involved in weapon smuggling. They seized arms and ammunition and arrested three suspects. Police acted on a tip the Haroon Enterprises factory was involved in smuggling arms to Punjab, Rehmatullah, a Bhanamari Police Station officer, said. “We raided the factory and seized more than 300 unregistered pistols, 20 shotguns, two Kalashnikovs and more than 500 cartridges and other accessories,” he said. Only 79 pistols in the factory were registered, he added.

Professor Muhammad Hussain of the Balochistan University of Information Technology Management and Sciences (BUITMS) succumbed to his injures on June 25, taking the death toll of Samungali Road suicide bomb blast of June 18 to six, reports Daily Times. As reported earlier, five students of the BUITMS were killed and 70 others, including Policemen, women and children, were injured in the suicide bomb blast near Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) office at Samungli Road in Quetta. 

Meanwhile, Security Forces (SFs) foiled a terror plan by recovering a cache of explosives and communication equipment during a routine check up on Zarghoon road in Quetta, reports Dawn.

At least 50 persons, including 10 Policemen, were injured in clashes that erupted between Police and protesters following gutting of over 200-year old Dastageer Sahib Shrine at Khanyar in Srinagar in the morning of June 25, reports Daily Excelsior. The shrine and adjacent Masjid (mosque) was completely destroyed in fire. However, the main relic inside the sanctum sanatorium was retrieved safely. 

The Muthida Majlis-e-Ulam (United Forum of Islamic Scholars) called for one day strike on June 26 (today) and it was supported by other organizations including the All Party Hurriyat Conference-Mirwaiz (APHC-M).

Kanglaonline reports that three vehicles were damaged during a grenade explosion at the residence of a special contractor Okram Megha at Khongman Okram Chuthek in Imphal East District at around 10:55 pm on June 24. He said he had received threats some time back from a militant outfit. It was the second time grenade attack launched at Megha’s house. 

In another incident, another hand grenade hurled by some unidentified persons exploded near ABC godown, Khoyathong at around 10.15 pm, reports The Sangai Express. There is no report of any casualty. 

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles (AR), on June 23, handed over one National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) cadre identified as Jonathan Thangal to Imphal police station after he was arrested from Kalapahar, Senapati District on June 22 with one 9 mm pistol loaded with three live rounds, reports Nagaland Post. While handing over, AR claimed that Thangal was in-charge of finance, involved in extortion from residents of Kalapahar and Sekmai area along the National Highway-39.  

Separately, the NSCN-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) has categorically denied involvement of its cadres in the recent Haochong killings of June 21 in Tamenglong District, reports Kanglaonline. Earlier NSCN-K had alleged that the incident took place after the NSCN-IM attacked

Also, conveying deep anguish over the fratricidal killings at Haochong village and at Tamenglong headquarters on June 21, the Naga Women’s Union has appealed to all Naga armed groups not to inflict any more harm on innocent people.

The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)cadres damaged a telephone tower by blasting it under Khaparakhol block (administrative division) in Bolangir District of Odisha on June 25, during their 24-hour bandh (shutdown strike), reports The Hindu. The Chhattisgarh-Odisha State Committee of the CPI-Maoist on June 25 called a 24-hour bandh call demanding halt to Operation Green Hunt. The bandh affected normal life in Bolangir, Bargarh, Nuapada and other western Odisha Districts. 

Separately, the Maoists also set ablaze Kendu leaf godown in Khaparakhol block during the bandh.  

Meanwhile, a primary school teacher was arrested in Ganjam District on June 23 for his alleged links with Maoist leaders, including Sabyasachi Panda, reports The Times of India. The arrestee was identified as Jhikania Sabara of Jharakona village under Badagada Police Station area in the District. Police have seized a Maoist poster, two photo identity cards of his with different father's names, a VHF set, charger, mobile set, several other papers and a new motorcycle from him. Sabara was working as a teacher in Barada, near his village, since the past seven years, the Police said. He was working as an over-ground worker and transporter for the Maoists in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal Districts and was a courier to top Maoist leader Sabyasachi, the Police said. Sabara was working for Maoists, including supplying grocery items and medicines to them, for the past three years, the Police added. 

"There is a sizeable incriminating evidence linking him to Maoist activities in the area. We are planning to interrogate him further," said Gajapati Superintendent of Police Sarthak Sarangi. "We came to know during preliminary interrogation that Jhikania is not his real name. He was working as a teacher in the name of a person who had died in 1994," the Police said. His real name is Alia Sabara, the Police said.

The Times of India reports that suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)cadres attacked three trucks and set them ablaze after pouring petrol on them on New Delhi - Kolkata NH-28 near Dumaria ghat under Dumaria Police Station in East Champaran District of Bihar in the wee hours of June 25 during the one-day Tirhut and Saran division bandh (shutdown strike) call given by the north Bihar Maoist Zonal committee. The bandh call evoked mixed response in East Champaran District while there was little impact of bandh in western parts of the District.

Separately, the Maoists also set ablaze three vehicles including a bus at two different places in Vaishali District in the wee hours. Police said Maoists intercepted a bus carrying a 'baraat' (wedding) party at village Asatpur Satpura on NH-77 under Bhagwanganj Police Station at around 1.30 am. The bus had come to Bhagwanpur in Vaishali District from Sitamarhi and was returning to Sitamarhi when it was stopped by the Maoists. They asked the 'baraat' party members to get down from the bus and then set the vehicle afire. Police said the Maoists also set ablaze a truck there on the spot. 

Meanwhile, Sadar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashok Prasad said the Maoists left three pamphlets on the spot demanding that Sitamarhi jail superintendent should be hanged for his alleged atrocity against a woman Maoist in jail. He said the pamphlets also demanded political prisoner status to the arrested Maoists in jails. The SDPO said the same Maoist group while retreating set ablaze a dumper at Parmanandpur under Lalganj Police Station in the District. He said the dumper was returning after unloading sand from Fakuli when it was intercepted by the Maoists.  

In addition, four persons, including three hardcore Maoists, were arrested from various places in Rohtas District, reports IBN Live. Acting on a tip-off, the Police raided a hideout near Gouraila hills area and arrested three Maoists identified as Phulendra Sah alias Navinji, Alok Mehta and Dharmendra Mahto, Superintendent of Police (SP) Manu Maharaj said. "The ultras, members of CPI (Maoist) state committee, were planning to collect money from brick kiln on instruction of their jailed leaders to strengthen their organisation," SP Maharaj said. They were wanted in at least 15 cases of Maoist-related crime in the District, he added. An ex-Maoist cadre-turned-criminal Vindhyachal Kumar was also arrested with a country-made rifle and four ammunitions from Mati village, Maharaj said.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on motorcycles opened fire at the offices of local news channel Aaj TV in Karachi on June 25, injuring two persons, including a security guard, reports Dawn. The TTP claimed responsibility for the shooting, and threatened attacks against other television channels that did not feature the Taliban point of view. “We had informed the management of Aaj TV to include our view on issues, but the channel had become a mouthpiece of the government,” Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the TTP said. “Geo TV is going to be our next target if they do not change their behaviour towards us. They have been using very bad language against the Mujahideen.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has ordered for provision of security to all TV channels.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has rejected a INR 5 Billion development package offered by the Nagaland Government in lieu of a separate State demanded by this banner organisation of six tribes inhabiting four eastern Districts, reports The Sangai Express on June 24. The ENPO said it would stick to its demand for creation of a “Frontier Nagaland,” comprising Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire and Longleng Districts, carved out of the State. 

Separately, the Centre is taking the frequent desertion by Police personnel to join Naga rebel outfits seriously, reports The Telegraph on June 25. This was stated by inspector-general of police (intelligence) C. Sangtam while commenting on the recent desertion by two Nagaland Armed Police (India Reserve) personnel with arms to join a rebel outfit. Sangtam confirmed that the two deserters had joined a Naga outfit but did not disclose the identity of the outfit. But sources said on June 6, havildar Hotrong Chang deserted with one 9mm pistol, 10 live rounds and one radio set and on June 18, havildar Neiphukhrie deserted with one AK rifle, 47 rounds of live AK ammunition and some rounds of 9mm ammunition and a radio set. The sources said the duo had joined a certain outfit based near Dimapur. In the past, several Naga police personnel had deserted with arms and ammunition to join militant outfits. In April, Assam Rifles arrested police constable Enyimi Chakhesang for allegedly supplying ammunition from the police central store, Chumukedima, to members of the NSCN-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). The subsequent special investigation team probe led to implication of six Police personnel, including a superintendent of Police.

A People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) ‘sub-zonal commander’ who was involved in at least 20 cases of extortion and killing was arrested from Kutasi village on the Koel river in Gumla District by a Police team on June 24, reports The Times of India. The arrested extremist has been identified as Gobardhan Singh alias Rajendra, a resident of Kedli village in Basia, in Gumla.           

Meanwhile, Seraikela-Kharsawan Police are co-opting villagers in the fight against Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) by handing out traditional arms to rural vigilantes, reports The Telegraph. Seraikela-Kharsawan Superintendent of Police (SP) Upendra Kumar gave out kits containing a bow, 10 arrows, shoes, socks and a torch to around 100 members of rural vigilante group Dalma Anchalik Suraksha Samiti (DASS) on June 25.

Police on June 23, arrested a Nepalese national, Sohan Singh with Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) with face value of INR 20,000 from Bhelari Nahar chowk on the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar's East Champaran District, according to Business Standard.

Two top Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)cadres, Vijay Kumar Arya and V Subramaniam, who were lodged in a high security cell in Bhagalpur central jail, were taken to Hyderabad on June 25 by Andhra Pradesh Police after obtaining their transit remand from a court in Katihar District of Bihar, reports PTI.

The bandh (general shutdown strike) call given by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) on June 25 received partial response in this District, reports IBN Live. The markets in Dhanora and Korchi, both Maoist-affected talukas, remained closed. Vehicular traffic was missing and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) did not ply buses in these talukas, causing inconvenience to people. However, no any untoward incident was reported during the bandh, Police sources said. The bandh was, however, not effective in south Gadchiroli. The bandh was called by Maoists to protest the anti-Maoist offensive "Operation Green Hunt" and "police excesses" on tribals.

Police have recovered Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)The Hindu. The pamphlets, both hand-written and printed, were found in the forest near Songudda Police Station under Baihar sub-division of the District, Police sources said on June 25. Issued by the Maoist Malajkhand Dalam (squad), the pamphlets say “the sacrifice of Sugna will not go in vain”. Balaghat Superintendent of Police Sachin Atulkar confirmed the recovery of pamphlets but said the identity of the deceased could not be verified.

Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Jindal (Jundal), who is in Delhi Police's custody, has confessed his active role in the November 26, 2008 (26/11) Mumbai attacks, saying that Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed was present in the Karachi (Pakistan) control room when the 26/11 masterminds were controlling the events, as reported on June 26, by IBNLive. According to officials, Jindal was one of the five handlers present in the control room in Karachi. He was directing terrorists carrying out 26/11 attacks at every step. He also coached the 26/11 terrorists to pose as members of fictitious terrorist organistaion- Deccan Mujahideen to misguide the investigation, according to The Times of India.

According to IB sources, during the interrogation, Abu Jindal has admitted to handling the attack on Nariman House during 26/11, reports IBNLive. Jindal reportedly told the Police that he was the one who trained the 10 terrorists. As per the details, he was actually involved in guiding and directing the terrorists at every step during 26/11 attack. Jindal has also admitted of travelling along with Ajmal Kasab (the lone terrorist arrested) and other terrorists on the same boat to the Indian border. Kasab's testimony, earlier to Mumbai Police, names Jindal for seeing off the 10 attackers at Pakistan shore. Abu Hamza, Abu Qaafa and Lakhvi were the others.  

According to NDTV, Jindal has 10 aliases and was sent to Saudi Arabia by LeT to gather funds for another major operation after 26/11. 

The Times of India quoting sources said, "Abu Jundal knows the Bhatkal brothers - Riyaz and Iqbal, bosses of Indian Mujahideen based in Karachi very well. He claims that the Bhatkal brothers used to come to joint meetings of Lashkar and IM. For the Jama Masjid attack, the Bhatkal brothers asked Jundal to provide a man, an expert in firing”. 

Further confirming the arrest, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on June 25, “The person who goes by the pseudonym of Abu Jundal has been apprehended and has been remanded to the custody of law enforcement agencies”, reports Telegraphindia.com.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) admitted for the first time that they are using the Afghan soil as a springboard for launching attacks on Pakistani Security Forces (SFs), reports The Express Tribune. The acknowledgment gives credence to Islamabad’s claims that the TTP has found safe havens in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces bordering Pakistan. Pakistani officials believe that the top TTP cadres – including Maulana Fazlullah, Maulvi Faqir and Waliur Rehman – and hundreds of their loyalists had fled a string of military offensives in Swat, and Bajaur and Mohmand agencies since 2008 to seek shelter in Afghanistan. “Maulana Fazlullah is leading TTP attacks from Afghanistan’s border provinces and is in touch with fighters in Malakand division,” Sirajuddin, the spokesperson for TTP’s Malakand chapter, told The Express Tribune over phone from an undisclosed location. “We regularly move across the porous border,” he added. He claimed that Fazlullah was commanding over a thousand diehard fighters.

According to Police, the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI_Maoist) have come back to the villages taking advantage of the monsoon rains, holding meetings and threatening leaders of rival political parties, reports Deccan Herald. “Maoists are trying to launch recruitment and training programmes, as movement of security forces inside the forests during monsoon is restricted and there is lesser vigilance. However, we are working on counter strategies,” IG, Western zone, Gangeshwar Singh told Deccan Herald.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh on June 25 said that there was no move to release any of the hard-core Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, involved in any serious crimes such as murder, through the high-powered committee reviewing the cases of all under-trials languishing in prisons of the State, reports The Times of India. "The three member committee was set up following an agreement reached for the release of collector Alex Paul Menon, who was abducted by the Maoists. The committee is reviewing cases of all under-trials, including a large number of poor who are in jail just because none had come forward to bail them out", he said while talking to newsmen. "Many poor, including a number of tribals, who were booked for petty offences and are in jail, would be release on the recommendations of the committee. It's not that Naxalites facing serious charges would get any reprive", he asserted.

A hoped-for peace deal ending the war in Afghanistan will likely remain out of reach unless both the United States and Taliban put more clear and consistent offers on the table, Mohammad Sadiq, Islamabad’s ambassador in Kabul said on June 25, reports Daily Times. “We don’t think all these issues can be solved by fighting. There must be a political process, but the parties need to be serious about it,” Mohammad Sadiq, said during an interview to Reuters. “There is a lack of clarity on both sides,” Sadiq said, referring to the US and Taliban negotiating positions. The role of Pakistan, with deep historic ties to Taliban, will be pivotal in US efforts to broker a peace deal between the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the terrorist group, whose leaders are believed to be based in Pakistan.

Ranjan Daimary faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-RD) ‘publicity secretary’, B. Naijab, on June 25 said that there was no alternative but to form a separate Bodoland, reports The Telegraph. Owing to the State Government’s [Assam] failure to protect the entire indigenous belts and blocks from the illegal possession of the non-indigenous, this has forced the Bodos and other tribals to take up arms to regain their ancestral land, said B. Naijab. Naijab expressing his displeasure over the role of the State and the Central Government said that even after they declared [NDFB-RD] the ceasefire there was no positive move from both the Governments.

Meanwhile, Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA) one of the five Adivasi militant groups [ACMA, Birsa Commando Force (BCF), Santhal Tiger Force (STF), Adivasi People's Army (APA) and All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA)] that surrendered its arms on January 24, 2012 is not happy with the Government’s response to the peace overturns made by the outfit, reports Times of India on June 25."The government has been cheating us. We have been pressing for the peace talks and a fruitful result but if the delay continues then it will be difficult to keep all our boys from joining an arms revolution again," said an unnamed ACMA group leader. 

In addition, All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) staged demonstration across the State in different district headquarters expressing resentment over the inordinate delay in granting Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Adivasis, reports Assam Tribune. “We believe in democratic principles but this does not imply that we should wait for years,” AASAA ‘president’ Raphale Kujur warned. 

Elsewhere, Police are yet to find the 18 labourers abducted by Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) from Lunglit mini hydel-project site in Karbi Anglong District, reports The Telegraph.

Claiming that the Government would conduct the fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) polls on the declared date on November 22, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai dismissed the opposition parties' demands for resignation from his post, said that he would hand over power only to an elected Prime Minister, reports Nepal news. "The government will be handed over to the Prime Minister elected from the parliament," Bhattarai said on June 25. He made it clear that he would not resign just because some people 'wail' for it.

Earlier, acting Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission Neelkantha Upreti on June 24 said that election to the Constituent Assembly could be held on November 22 if the political parties are able to forge consensus to end the existing political stalemate and also agree on election programmes. Speaking at an interaction programme with employees of District Development Committee of Parbat District Upreti, however, said that the CA election could also be held within April 13, 2013, if it is not possible on November 22 this year.

Kanglaonline reports on June 25 that the next round of Indo-Myanmar Regional Border Committee meeting will be held between representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Government of Myanmar on June 26 (today) and 27 in Kolkata (West Bengal) to discuss security, militancy and narcotics related issues. This will be the first official delegation meeting after the Myanmar visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on May 27 and 28 last. These meetings are aimed at cementing the friendly bonds between the two countries and increasing cooperation to tackle problems of militancy, drug trafficking etc. 

The Kolkata meeting is scheduled to discuss the steps taken by both sides to reduce border crimes and movement of drug peddlers, the presence of anti-Indian militant outfits along the 1,643 kilometres long, mostly unfenced, Indo-Myanmar international border, exchange of intelligence inputs and sharing of interrogation reports of arms smugglers caught in Myanmar.