Detail Of Terrorism Update

Unidentified militants killed eight security personnel at an Army camp near Wazirabad town in Gujranwala District of Punjab on July 9, officials said, hours after a protest march of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) passed through the area, reports Daily Times. The encampment was attacked from a bridge over the river Chenab. Hours earlier, thousands from the DPC coalition of right-wing groups crossed the bridge on a "long march" from Lahore to Islamabad to protest against the reopening of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan. "At least seven security personnel, including a police official, embraced martyrdom and five others were injured due to firing by unidentified assailants near Wazirabad," the military said in a statement. However, the number of dead reached eight when one of the injured soldiers succumbed to his injuries. A military rescue party had camped by the Chenab to look for the body of a pilot missing in a helicopter crash in May, the statement said, and the camp came under attack from a bridge.  

Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the killings. The TTP spokesman said the Punjab chapter of the outfit had carried out the attack. They would continue such attacks in the future also, particularly in Punjab, he added.

A former office bearer of Awami National Party (ANP), along with three other persons were killed in the separate incidents of target killing in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, on July 9, reports The Express Tribune.  

Unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a car near the Asghar Shah Stadium in North Nazimabad, killing ANP member Naseeb Khan. According to ANP, Khan was also a member of the Pashtun Action Committee (PAC).  

Separately, the body of a 19-year-old, identified as Inayatur Rehman, was found in a water tank of an under-construction building in block 22 of Federal B Industrial Area.  

Further, another body was found in the Bhains Colony area, while a body bearing torture marks was discovered in the SITE area.

A man, Muhammad Ibrahim, was on his way in RD 238 area of Jaffarabad town in the same District when he stepped on a landmine, killing him on the spot on July 9, reports The Nation.  

Separately, unidentified militants opened indiscriminate fire at Mastung bus stop and killed one Noor Ahmed, before being escaped from the scene.  

Meanwhile, Police recovered two dead bodies, one of them a woman, from a residence in Hub town in Lasbela District. The male one was identified as Abdul Khaliq.

The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres allegedly abducted two persons in Bandhugaon block in Koraput District of Odisha on July 8 night, for being Police informers, reports The Times of India. This follows the arrest of one of their sympathizers. While the arrested Maoist sympathizer is Kadraka Puala of Elangawalsa village, the two abducted fellow villagers are Kadraka Lachana and Kadraka Mali. "As no police complaint was lodged by the family of the kidnapped duo, we are yet to ascertain the incident. We are gathering intelligence inputs about it," said Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Bandhugaon Police Station, Abhay Behera. Sources said after Police arrested Puala on July 8, for his involvement in the killing of Enkana Naidu of Elangawalsa in January, for allegedly being a Police informer. Over three dozen villagers, including women, had gheraoed the Bandhugaon Police Station demanding Puala's release. Though the Police managed to pacify the agitating villagers, in the evening a group of Maoists swooped down on Elangawalsa and abducted five villagers but later freed three of them. Admitting that, Puala was arrested for his involvement in the murder and few other Maoist offensives, the Police officer said, "Puala was working as an over-ground element of the Maoists, He has confessed to his involvement in the Naidu murder case. The abducted villagers are not our informers."

The Security Forces (SFs) unearthed a major dump of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in the faraway Duggeru forest area in Makkuva mandal (administrative unit) of Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh on July 9, reports The Times of India. The dump contained more than 40 kilograms of explosive material and other weapons. Sources said the Greyhounds Forces found the dump between Modangi and Balugeda areas near Yerra Samanthavalasa, which was once People’s War Group (PWG) Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists (LWE)] stronghold in the District.

Meanwhile, the Alwal Police arrested four persons, including three former Naxalites, for their alleged involvement in extortion cases in Medak District. Police seized a 6 mm pistol, five live rounds and two bikes from their possession. The arrestees are identified as P Anjaiah (32), of Lakdaram village, Ramesh Reddy (34), of Rudraram, Harikrishna Reddy (35), of Dukampur and Srinivas (31), of Jakkampet of the District. While Srinivas was a pseudo Naxalite, the other three were surrendered Naxalites. According to the Alwal Police, Anjaiah worked with Girayipalli dalam (armed squad) and the other two worked with Dubbaka dalam in the 90s.

The Government Murari Chand College of Sylhet was closed for an indefinite period on July 9 following violence between the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), reports The Daily Star. At least 20 people were injured after the clashed on the college campus.  The Police arrested 12 ICS cadres, five for their alleged involvement with the arson and seven were picked up from different parts of the city for questioning.

Meanwhile, a box-like object triggered a bomb scare on July 7 in Dinajpur, along the border with India's West Bengal state, disrupting railway services on two routes in northwest Bangladesh, reports IBN Live.

Police on July 7 arrested two senior militants of Swat chapter of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), identified as Iqbal alias Qari Basit, a resident of Shangla District, and Ijazullah, a resident of Torghar District, from Battagram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Daily Times. Police sources said that they are planning attacks on targets in the Battagram District.  Police recovered a number of suicide vests and other lethal weapons from the possession of the arrested militants. Qari Basit was accused of planning a suicide attack on public meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-Nawaz) leader Amir Muqam in 2011 in Battagram, killing several people.

The Telegraph reports that an alleged United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) from West Garo Hills District while he was trying to enter neighbouring Bangladesh on July 8.  Three other untrained cadres who were with the arrestee, however, managed to flee. The arrestee has been identified as “sergeant” Ratul Pathai alias Rahul (34), hailing from Assam’s Barpeta District. The BSF team recovered INR 800, a mobile phone with a SIM card and a bag from him. During preliminary questioning, Rahul said he was going to Bangladesh to meet ULFA leader Dristi Rajkhowa.

Anti-Talks faction of faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-ATF) has sent an extortion note of INR five million to Golokganj Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and Parliamentary Secretary (Environment and Forest) Abu Taher Bepari, reports The Sentinel on July 9. The letter bears the signature of hardcore militant Drishti Asom [Rajkhowa] and it came by post 10 days back. It is suspected that the letter was posted in Goalpara District. Police investigation into the incident is on and on preliminary investigation Police apprehended that the demand note is not a fake one. Assam Tribune further adds that the extortion note also states that the MLA has to pay INR two million every year from now onwards.

Meanwhile, ULFA-ATF slammed the State Government and blamed it for attacking Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi in Nalbari District, reports Times of India. Akhil Gogoi was attacked on July 6 in Nalbari District when he was surveying flood-affected areas of Purni village in Dharmapur constituency. Police has arrested a Congress worker Tapan Barman for his alleged involvement in the attack

Separately, senior arrested Maoist leader Pallab Barbora has revealed to National Investigation Agency (NIA) the fact that the Central Committee of Maoists had instructed its counterpart in Assam to intensify their presence and involvement into the local mass movements instead of armed operations, reports Asian Age. Barbora further revealed the Maoists had recently organized a training camp of nearly 50 new recruits in Arunachal Pradesh. The news report quotes Security sources saying that Maoists cadres have also planned several seminars and debates in Barak Valley to propagate their theory of exploitation by the state.

Pakistan is doubling the capacity for NATO trucks at a key border crossing, officials said on July 9, to speed up processing for an expected influx of supplies for troops in Afghanistan, reports Daily Times. Customs officials at Torkham border crossing said that work had begun to expand dedicated parking space for NATO containers. "After expansion the parking capacity for NATO trucks will be doubled," Obaidullah Khan, a Customs official at Torkham, the closest border crossing to Kabul, told AFP. "Prior to the closure the terminal had a parking capacity of 250 vehicles and now we are expanding it to 500." Khan said work was also underway on two dedicated rooms for Customs officers dealing with paperwork for NATO vehicles, to speed up their transit into Afghanistan.

A bill has been submitted in the Senate as part of efforts by Presidency to tame the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) through parliamentary oversight and to make it answerable to Parliament and the Government, reports Times of India. The 19-page draft bill was submitted in the Senate or Upper House of Parliament by Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman for President Asif Ali Zardari, a few days ago and may be taken up during a session beginning on July 9. Sources in the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) said that the important legislation had been discussed with partners in the federal coalition. The proposed ISI Agency (Functions, Powers and Regulation) Act of 2012 suggests that the powerful spy agency should be answerable to Parliament and the Prime Minister. It recommends internal accountability within the agency and a better discipline system to end enforced disappearances and victimisation of political parties.  

A Delhi court on July 9, remanded to 10 days Delhi Police custody two suspected militants of Indian Mujahideen (IM), identified as Kafil Akhtar and Kamal Hasan for their alleged involvement in reviving the banned outfit, reports twocircles.net. The two were presented in court by Bangalore Police after a production warrant was issued against them last month. The accused were required for interrogation on their alleged role in providing logistics to other accused involved in various bomb blasts and shootings, including the September 19, 2010 firing near Jama Masjid. Asian Age adds that the Police charge-sheet in the case said the IM militants were operating on the instructions of Ahmed Siddhibappa and Iqbal Bhatkal, Riaz Bhatkal and Amir Reza Khan who are the founder members of IM and are based in Karachi (Pakistan).

Bruce Riedel, Senior Fellow Foreign Policy at Brookings Institution, considers Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to be more dangerous than al Qaeda, by Hindustan Times reported on July 10. He commented, "With al Qaeda on the ropes, LeT, with the help of its Pakistani backers, is now probably the most dangerous terror group in the world”. According to him, the November 26, 2008 (26/11) attack by ten LeT terrorists on multiple targets in Mumbai was the most significant and innovative terrorist attack since 9/11. The Mumbai attack, he wrote, marked the maturation of LeT from a Punjabi-based Pakistani terror group targeting India exclusively to a member of the global Islamic jihad targeting the enemies of al Qaeda.

Regarding Abu Jundal, Reidel noted, "He (Abu Jundal) is already confessing to his role and implicating Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate directly in controlling the attack as it went down… If the press reports about Abu Jundal's accusations are confirmed then the ISI was involved directly in the decision to murder Americans”.

Kanglaonline on July 9 reported that a contractor identified as Irungbam Irabanta of Maphou Dam who was abducted by suspected National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) cadres along with a Maruti Gypsy and large sum of money has remained traceless for more than a month.  Irabanta’s wife, Sagolshem Ningol Modhubala stated that her husband works as a supplier of sand and stone for the construction of Maphou Dam. He was called by the NSCN-IM for a talk regarding the supply works on May 27 and his whereabouts remains unknown till date.

Meanwhile, denouncing the bomb attack at Khurai Laishram Leikai and planting of bomb at Sagolmang area on July 8, sit-in demonstrations were staged at these two places of Imphal East District on July 9, reports The Sangai Express.

Separately, in a delayed report of July 8, the Zeliangrong Baudi (apex body of the Zeliangrong Nagas), Assam, Manipur, Nagaland in its consultative meeting held on June 22 at Longmai-III village community hall, Tamenglong District adopted a number of resolutions including the ongoing Naga peace process. A statement issued by the Baudi’s president Raitu Chawang and general secretary K Elu Ndang said the consultative meeting reaffirmed support to the ongoing political negotiations for solving the Naga issue. Terming the peace process that has consumed 15 years as ‘a little too long without any tangible result’, the statement said, “Zeliangrong people who had suspended their movement for re-integration of their (Zeliangrong) territories into a single administrative unit in the larger interest of the Naga Nation would be constrained to reconsider their support to the Naga peace process, if the Nagas’ right to territorial integration of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland is not made a non-negotiable criteria in the ongoing negotiations.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhary on July 9 said that every third missing person in Balochistan was picked up by the Frontier Corps (FC), reports Daily Times. He said the issue of missing persons needed to be addressed to solve the problem of Balochistan. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court resumed hearing of a petition on the law and order problem and human rights violations in Balochistan at the Quetta Registry of the apex court. The hearing was also attended by Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zehri, Balochistan Police Inspector General Umer Khitab and counsel for the FC Raja Mohammad Irshad.  

During the hearing, Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani informed the court that “four out of 135 missing persons had been recovered”. The chief justice remarked that recovery of only four missing persons indicated that the provincial Government was not taking the issue seriously. He reiterated that security situation in the province was alarming and remarked that the Advocate General should inform the court on the Government’s behalf in writing that it could no longer control the situation. He directed the Advocate General to get the list of missing persons and provide compensation to their families.   

Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VFBMP) Chairman Nasrullah Baloch told the bench that a commission on missing persons, headed by Justice (retd Javed Iqbal, had said in a statement that 30 missing persons had been recovered. The chief justice remarked that they had been sitting there from morning until night but could see no progress. He told the FC’s counsel that they did not say that all 50,000 FC personnel were bad, adding that just 50 officers were black sheep involved in unlawful activities.

The Telegraph reports that the Union Home Ministry has taken serious note of frequent loss of arms and ammunition in the State as the Government is making efforts to modernize Police force. Recently Police had arrested a Police officer from Zunheboto District for the loss of over 90 weapons which was reportedly sold to Naga militant groups.

Meanwhile, National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) has expressed strong resentment over the 29th Assam Rifle (AR) personnel’s attempt to photograph the private residences of its leaders, reports Nagaland Post. Talking to Nagaland Post on July 9, cease-fire monitoring cell (CFMC) convenor, Vikiye Sumi alleged that around twenty armed AR men in a full combat uniforms arrived at his residence around 9 a.m. in a mini truck under the pretext that they have been instructed by “top level” officers to take photographs of his private residence. However, CFMG chairman, Major General (retd) N. George on being contacted said that he had “no clue” about the incident and added that if such an incident had occurred then it was not based on an order from the AR hierarchy. “It is impossible to pass such kind of order” he said.

Separately, against the backdrop of factional clashes between the rival NSCN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) and NSCN-Khole-Kitovi, the Naga Mother’s Association (NMA) has conveyed its appreciation to the NSCN-K leadership for their declaration to shun violence and stop all forms of factional violence, reports The Sentinel. NMA in a press release issued by ‘president’, Abeiu Meru, and advisor, Rosemary Dzuvichu, appealed to the NSCN-Khole-Kitovi leadership to respond positively to the peace gesture of NSCN-K and stop all forms of factional violence against each other. NMA reiterated that as mothers, the “spate of killings has hurt and caused us great sorrow and anguish”.

The Maharashtra Government told the State Assembly on July 9, that several places of religious importance in the state are on the terror hit-list, reports Zee News. Replying to a question in the Assembly, the State Government said that banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) is believed to be behind the terror plan. Following the input from the central intelligence agencies, the Maharashtra Police has formulated a special operation procedure to take on the threat.  

Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra on July 9, said that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in the valley were directly taking orders from their bosses in Pakistan, Hafiz Saied and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, residing in Pakistan, reports IBNLive. He commented, "Entire Lashkar operatives may not be operating on their own... There are handlers... there is a network. All their handlers are from across the border. Some of the people may be here as top commanders but instructions flow from across the border. Whether Lakhvi is in jail or outside, the entire LeT is operating and Hafiz Sayeed is happily moving around”. "They have been launching their cadres... They have been recruiting people and training them and sending them to launching pads... All these are very active….. No terrorist activity can take place in our country without the support of the actors from across the border….There are state actors headed by the ISI," he further claimed.

State Director General of Police (DGP) J.N. Choudhury while talking to The Sentinel on July 9 stated that Left-wing extremism is increasing in different areas of Assam and about 200 Maoist cadres are working jointly with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) linkmen and other local rebel groups to spread their tentacles in the State.  “It’s a strategy of the Maoist groups in Assam. They are taking the help of the local militant groups to know the region in a better way,” said Choudhury, adding, “Aditya Bora, a Maoist leader, is presently leading the Maoist operation in upper Assam.” He said the Maoists were targeting the people in the rural areas and brainwashing them. “The Maoist groups everywhere in the country target the villagers and incite them to go against the government. These groups take the advantage of the backwardness of the area and the poor condition of the people living in such area,” added the DGP. DGP further said that Maoists are running a cell in Guwahati for facilitating transit of their top leaders from other parts of the country to Assam or vice-versa. “Chandan Barman, a Maoist who was arrested recently in Guwahati, admitted that he helps in the transit of Maoist leaders in the State,” he said.

In addition, DGP Choudhury on the issue of Godapani Pathak murder case, the DGP said the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) was involved in the kidnapping and murder of Godapani Pathak. “The KLO abducted him for ransom. The outfit needs money to give its cadres training in Myanmar.”

A senior Army official on July 9, said there was no move to reduce the number of troops deployed in the Jammu and Kashmir as it might lead to problems for security forces engaged in counter terrorist operations for over two decades, according to The Times of India. He commented, "No, there is no such proposal... We have to carry on the pressure on terrorists. If you let anything loose, then we may have problems”. Sources said "anti-peace" elements were still active in the valley and constant vigil has to be maintained there to continue the present atmosphere. The Army's stand on the issue comes against the backdrop of demands by various groups to remove the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain parts of the state in view of the improved security scenario there.

Syed Zaibuddin Ansari aka Abu Jundal, the key handler of November 26, 2008 (26/11) attack was given eight different aliases by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) leadership since his induction in the outfit till his stay in Saudi Arabia, which also suggests that the organisation used more than one Quniyat (nickname) for its militants, as reported on July 10, by The Times of India. During his stay in Pakistan, Ansari's alias was 'Daud'. Sources say that Ansari had two accommodations in Karachi's Hyderabad Colony and Rawalpindi's Sama Garden area where gunmen were posted in his security, to make him look like a gangster was living in the area. 

According to the sources, Ansari's name for the training programmes of LeT was 'Abu Jundal' and when he became a favorite in the organisation his first identity card was made in the name of "Asis Asrar". For his stay and travelling, he was given the name 'Daud' and ISI officers also used to call him by this name. In 2007, when he visited a gulf country and then went back to Pakistan via Dhaka (Bangladesh), one ISI officer received him at the airport, who reportedly gave him the name 'Daud', said a top source. 

After 26/11, his name was changed to 'Abu Ikrama' but since there was a sudden crackdown on LeT militants, he was asked to hide and given a new alias 'Bhatti', said the source. In 2009, his passport and National Identity Card was made in the name of 'Riyasat Ali', showing him a resident of Sheikhupura in Muridke of Pakistan.

For his activities, he needed to be in touch with Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and ISI officers from Saudi Arabia, so he was given a new name 'Azam Khan', especially for the email conversations and his email ID, say sources. Sources add that Ansari stayed in Qatar as well for a while where he used the alias 'Rashid'.

In another development, the Delhi Police will be writing to Interpol asking for details of Ansari's Pakistani SIM card. A source said "we will seek SIM card of Jundal from FIA of Pakistan through Interpol. This SIM card was in the name of Riyasat Ali and he used the same during his stay there in Pakistan". Delhi Police had already obtained details of three SIM cards which he used in Saudi Arabia through diplomatic channels.

The Union Government on July 9, revealed the whereabouts of Fasih Mohammad, a suspected terror accused, and said he is in custody of the Saudi Arabia Police, reports dnaindia.com. Additional Solicitor General Gourab Banerjee told a bench of justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi that as the Saudi Arabia Police has officially announced that Fasih was in its custody, the habeas corpus petition filed by his wife Nikhat Parveen has become infructuous, according to Business Standard.

Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) are flooding the Pune (Maharashtra) market in a big way, leading to concern. As a result, banks are worst affected by FICN circulation, reported on July 10 by Indian Express. As per details obtained by Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from Pune city Police, 166 complaints of FICN (under section 489 of IPC) were registered between January 2008 and April 2012. Of these, 141 were by banks in the city. C V R Rajendran, executive director, Bank of Maharashtra said, “FICN of over Rs [INR] 12 lakh were found in our banks last year. The money cannot be recovered the bank is at a loss.”

Earlier, in January, Narayan Peth branch of the HDFC Bank lodged a complaint at Vishrambaug Police Station against unknown persons for depositing FICN of around INR four lakh before December 2011. There were 54 FICN of Rs 1,000 denominations, 728 of INR 500 denomination and 38 of INR 50 denomination. 

Investigators said superior quality FICN are printed by enemy nations and smuggled into India. They said it is also used to raise funds for terror activities. The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) had in December 2010 arrested Indian Mujahideen (IM) militant, Shabbir Gangawali from Janwadi area of Pune, and found 250 FICN of INR 100 denomination in his possession. He was sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment in November 2011.

Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda on July 9 defended his party’s line of peace and constitution, stating that the signing of the 12-point understanding in 2005 was “fundamentally correct”, reports ekantipur.com. This was stated during the presentation of a political document in UCPN-Maoist’s Politburo meeting. Prachanda also acknowledged India’s supportive role, which he said, was crucial to the ongoing peace and constitution writing processes. Dahal further said that the party must stand firm on the line of peace and constitution, while correcting “past mistakes”, including the handling of the Rookmangud Katawal case, the election of the President and the Vice President and the recent split in the party. The Maoist government in May 2009 fired Katawal, the then Army chief, accusing him of disobeying orders.

Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa addressing a workshop for Sri Lankan diplomats in overseas missions at Diyatalawa Military Academy on July 8 said that opportunity will be given to North and East youth and also ex-cadres of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during enlistment to man police stations which are being established, reports Daily News. He said that they could join hands with the Civil Security Force personnel in the development drive while doing a prestigious service and assist in the development of their areas. Speaking of the police, the Defence Secretary said that 11 new police stations have been established in the former LTTE-controlled areas and 1,214 Tamil policemen had been recruited to serve in those stations since 2009. Sri Lanka's Civil Defense Force recently called applications to recruit 1,500 rehabilitated former LTTE combatants, 300 each from the five districts of the Northern Province - Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Mannar.

Further, the Defence Secretary acknowledged that Sri Lanka's rehabilitated former combatants of the LTTE in the North and East will have the opportunity in the future to get involved in the local politics. Not only former senior ex-LTTE leaders who are involved in national and provincial level politics but there is chance for others to involve in local councils in the future, he said. "They could join hands with the Civil Security force in the development drive while doing a prestigious service and assist in the development of their areas," he noted.