Incidents and Statements involving Lashkar-e-Taiba : 2011

2011

• December 24: The 60-page NIA charge sheet highlighted roles of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, LeT commander Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri and two serving Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers - Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali in "larger conspiracy to organize spectacular terrorist attacks on places of iconic importance in India". It also gave details of how Headley during his post-26\11 visits to India in March, 2009, went for reconnaissance trips for synchronized terror strikes on Jewish houses located in five places - New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Goa and Pushkar (Rajasthan) - at the behest of Ilyas Kashmiri. It has been further added that according to the charge sheet, Headley was scouting only the Jewish targets on instructions from Kashmiri.

• December 21: Government gave its sanction to the NIA to charge sheet nine persons, including two serving ISI officers, Major Iqbal and Major Samir Ali, Pakistani-American LeT)operative David Coleman Headley, LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, al Qaida operative Ilyas Kashmiri, for plotting terror strikes in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack. The sanction will now pave the way for NIA - which had registered the case against these accused in November 2009 - to file charge sheet against them in any day from now. It is for the first time that an Indian probe agency will name serving ISI officers in a charge sheet. Name of a retired Pakistani Army Major, Abdul Rehman Hashim, will also be there in the charge sheet. Others who will be charge sheeted include 26/11 attacks mastermind and LeT 'commander' Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, another LeT's top operative Sajid Majid and Headley's accomplice and Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana. While Headley and Rana - arrested by the FBI in Chicago in October 2009 - have been in US jail ever since they were caught there, Lakhvi - arrested by Pakistani authorities in connection with the 26/11 terror attack -- has been in Pakistani jail. The others, however, remain scot free in Pakistan.

  It was Hashim who had set up the ISI's 'Karachi Project' and trained a number of Indian youths for carrying out attacks in India. The project is meant to bleed India using locals through LeT's network. The charge sheet will also be the first Indian 'legal' document mentioning about the 'Karachi Project' and how it is being ran by network of IM terrorists who are LeT's fronts in India. The 'Project' was set up for giving an impression of 'home-grown' terror in India.

• December 20: The Centre said a terror module busted in Delhi recently had links with LeT. Union Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh said a special team of Delhi Police with the help of central intelligence agencies and Police from West Bengal, Bihar and Tamil Nadu arrested seven members, including a Pakistani national, of an Indian Mujahideen module in November. This IM module was suspected to be involved in February 13, 2010 Pune German bakery blast, blast in Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on April 17, 2010 and shoot out at the Jama Masjid on September 19, 2010. "The IM modules are linked to Pakistan based terror groups viz. Lashkar-e-Taiba," he informed Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) in a written reply.

  NIA has prepared a 'Terror Funding Template' (TFT), which will help its officials and investigators of states' anti-terror agencies to extract information on terror funding. The Template has been circulated to all states and Union Territories for getting relevant information from terrorists and terror suspects during their interrogation and probe. Besides usual source of terror funding through hawala (illegal money transfer), narcotics trade and printing/circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), the Template has taken into account `misuse' of 'zakat' (giving alms to poor and needy as prescribed by the Quran) to fund terror activities. It has factored in local issues like reports suggesting\alleging diversion of fund from various 'madrassa' along border areas to different terror outfits," said a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official.

  The Centre said a terror module busted in Delhi recently had links with Pakistan-based terrorist group LeT. Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh informed Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) in a written reply that a special team of Delhi Police with the help of central intelligence agencies and Police from West Bengal, Bihar and Tamil Nadu apprehended seven suspected militants, including a Pakistani national, of an Indian Mujahideen (IM) module last month. This IM module was suspected to be involved in February 13, 2010 Pune German bakery blast (in Maharashtra), blast in Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore (in Karnataka) on April 17, 2010 and shoot out at the Jama Masjid (New Delhi) on September 19, 2010.

• December 19: The second fast track court (FTC) sentenced six LeT militants - Mohammed Razhur Rehman alias Umesh (35), Afsar Pasha alias Basheeruddin (27), Mehboob Ibrahim Sab Chopdar (35), Noorulla Khan alias Noorullah (24), and Nazmuddin alias Munna (24) and Mohammed Irfan (22) - to life imprisonment for carrying out subversive activities and waging war against India, according to The Times of India. They were arrested by Police investigating the December 28, 2005 terror attack on the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) campus and charged with conspiring to attack vital installations across the country, including some in Bangaluru (Karnataka).

• December 18: JuD chief Hafiz Saeed vowed to continue jihad to oust Indian forces from Jammu and Kashmir. "Some people are conspiring in Islamabad to stop and harm the Kashmiri freedom movement. They are in a dialogue process with India and have declared India a favourite country, an open market for them. Listen, God willing, we will not allow this resolution in parliament. The people of Pakistan do not want relations with India," Saeed said in an anti India rally in Pakistan. He also blasted Islamabad for holding dialogues with India and its handling of the Kashmir dispute.

  In the Difaa-e-Pakistan Conference ('Defence of Pakistan' conference) led by Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Jama'at-e-Ulema-Islam (JuI), about 50,000 Islamists, including chief Hafiz Saeed, staged a protest at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on December 18 to condemn the United States (US) and India, while showing support for Pakistan's military. The speakers also included Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, known as the father of the Afghan Taliban. Saeed vowed to avenge the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 and to continue the holy war in J&K. He claimed it was the duty of Pakistanis to take revenge for the killing of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, the destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and the killing of Pakistani nationals in the bombing of the Samjhauta Express train in 2007.

  Saeed warned the US to avoid creating troubles for Pakistan. Otherwise, he said, the JuD and workers of other like-minded parties knew what action to take. "Today I send out a message to Americans. We will give you due respect as guests in line with our religion. But if you come here to deprive Pakistan of its nuclear assets, to martyr our soldiers in Mohmand Agency-like incidents, kill innocent people as Raymond Davis had done and use our country's airbases for spying, we will defend our country with full force," he said.

• December 15: SFs neutralized two militant modules, one each of HM and LeT, who were targeting Police and politicians in Awantipora of Pulwama District. The Awantipora DSP, Operations, Perweiz Ahmad, said that these modules came to the SFs radar while investigating the attack on an National Conference Block President and Sarpanch of village Panzoo Abdul Salam Malik.

• December 14: Troops conducted search operation in dense forest area of Waoman near village Pathalan, about 12 kilometers from Banihal town in Ramban District. A well concealed natural cave hideout of LeT measuring seven feet by four feet and three feet in height having an entrance of 1.5 feet was neutralized during the operation. Recoveries made from the hideout included one double barrel gun, one 12 bore single barrel gun, two UBGL launchers, 506 rounds of AK-47, 228 rounds of PIKA ammunitions, two UBGL grenades, four Chinese grenades, 12 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 12 unknown bombs, 30 electric detonators, two pistol magazines, four AK-47 magazines, one binocular, six batteries, three meters of cortex and four kilograms of explosive.

• December 12: Security Forces conducted an extensive search in Sheen Dara region of Poonch District on December 8 and seized arms and ammunition. The seizure included rounds of AK 47, 15 UBGL grenades and two UBGL Launchers, belonging to LeT militants.

• December 11: J&K Minister for Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar escaped an attempt on his life by militants who attacked his entourage as he arrived at his Nawab Bazaar residence in Nawakadal area of Srinagar killing one PSO, Gulzar Ahmad, while two other PSOs and a civilian were injured in the firing incident.

  No militant organization has claimed responsibility for the attack so far but the security agencies said that LeT and HM have been operating in Srinagar and they suspected that they could be behind the attack. This is second attack on any NC leader in past two weeks and third in J&K during past fortnight.

• December 8: December 8: The NIA has said that HM backed and PoK based Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Fund Trust (JKART) is funding terror in Jammu and Kashmir. The agency, which registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), named two Pakistani nationals who are heading the JKART. Chairman of the trust Mahboob-ul-Haq and general secretary Masroor Dar have been named by the NIA in the FIR. The two are reportedly close to HM chief Syed Salahuddin and are responsible for transfer of money to their cadres in the Valley and PoK. The agency is learnt to have picked up a conversation where the two named in the FIR can be heard allegedly directing cadres to provide logistical support and money to terrorists in the Valley.

  Investigators allege that JKART has pumped in more than INR 800 million into the Valley in the name of relief and rehabilitation work, diverted to finance terror. Founded in 1990, the JKART runs a refugees camp in PoK. According to NIA's FIR, in October the NIA received credible information about illegal funding by HM in J&K to mujahideen who are fighting against the Indian Security Forces. "Investigation so far has revealed that apart from banking channels, terrorists across the border have used hawala [illegal money transfer] channel and human couriers," said a NIA official.

  NIA has unearthed a hawala operation of front organisations of Pakistan-based terror outfits LeT and HM for providing money to families of terror operatives killed all over India.

• December 5: Reports indicate that a number of militants from Kashmir Valley and others parts of the State, including undivided Doda District and twin border Districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, have also managed to get passports in Pakistan and were awaiting an opportunity to fly either to Dhaka in Bangladesh or Kathmandu in Nepal to cross over to India to reach Jammu and Kashmir. Preliminary questioning of a militant, Zahoor Ahmed of Baramulla, who was arrested at Railway Station in Jammu along with his Pakistani wife and two children on December 3, has revealed that a number of militants, who had been putting up in Pakistan and PoK for past several years, have managed to get passports (both genuine or fake) with the help of Pakistan Army, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and militants 'commanders' of LeT and HM outfits, who yielded considerable influence in the corridors of power in Pakistan.

• December 4: Militants shot at and critically injured a NC block president in the downtown Srinagar. The victim, identified as Ghulam Ahmad Lone, is the president of the Safa Kadal block in Srinagar. Islamic Movement of Kashmir, an unknown militant outfit, has owned responsibility for the attack. They have threatened to carry out such kind of targeted attacks in Kashmir. The security agencies said this might be a shadow outfit of either LeT or HM. They said they are carrying out the investigations about this unknown group.

• December 2: a Pakistani man living in the United States faces up to 15 years in jail after pleading guilty Friday to providing material support to the feared Islamist militant outfit LeT. US justice officials said Jubair Ahmad (24), posted a propaganda video for LeT "glorifying violent jihad" in 2010, three years after he arrived in the United States with his parents and two younger brothers. "Foreign terrorist organizations such as LeT use the Internet as part of well-orchestrated propaganda campaigns to radicalize and recruit individuals to wage violent jihad and to promote the spread of terror," said US Attorney Neil MacBride.

  Militants in the evening shot at and critically injured a National Conference (NC) block president in the downtown Srinagar.The victim, identified as Ghulam Ahmad Lone, is the president of the Safa Kadal block in Srinagar. Islamic Movement of Kashmir, an unknown militant outfit, has owned responsibility for the attack. They have threatened to carry out such kind of targeted attacks in Kashmir. The security agencies said this might be a shadow outfit of either LeT or HM. They said they are carrying out the investigations about this unknown group.

  SFs arrested a Kashmiri militant, Zahoor Ahmed, along with his Pakistani wife and two children as soon as they landed at Jammu Railway Station from Amarnath Express after flying to Kathmandu in Nepal from Pakistan. They crossed Indo-Nepal border and entered Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Later, they boarded Amarnath Express and reached Jammu. The militant, who was initially affiliated to HM but had later switched over to LeT, had crossed over from Kashmir to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) more than a decade ago and underwent arms training there.

• December 1: A project, codenamed 'Karachi Project', undertaken by the Pakistani spy agency, ISI to spread terror in India using local recruits through LeT)network will soon find its place in the charge sheet to be filed by the NIA against American-Pakistani terrorist David Coleman Headley and his accomplices, including Pakistani serving and retired Army officials, in the Mumbai terror attack case (November 26, 2008, aka 26/11). The charge sheet, which is to be filed within a month, will be the first Indian 'legal' document mentioning about the 'Project' and how it is being ran by network of IM terrorists, who are LeT's fronts in India. Without elaborating the details, Union home secretary R K Singh on December 1 said the NIA would file the charge sheet against Headley soon.

• November 28: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said India had asked the US about Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley's links to US state agencies, but Washington had not been "willing" to share that information. Asked about former home secretary G K Pillai's statement to the investigative journalism website ProPublica that the US knew more than it told India, Chidambaram said, "That's true." "That Headley was working for one or more US agencies is not in doubt. The question is how long was he working (for the US agencies) and when did he switch sides and become a double agent? ...Question is he was an agent, when did he become a double agent? When did he switch to the ISI side? That's not clear. And secondly, when was he terminated by the US agencies? This is also not clear," Chidambaram added.

• November 25: Police on November 25 said that they arrested a person who was about to hand over the snatched pistol of the MI trooper to LeT militants in the Sopore area of Baramulla District. While giving details, Police said they arrested five persons who had assaulted the MI trooper in All Party Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G) leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's rally in Sopore two weeks ago. On the instance of one of the arrested persons, service pistol of the MI trooper was recovered from one Mudasir Ahmad Dar. Police claimed that Mudasir was arrested along with the pistol when he was about to hand it over to the LeT militants. Police said that all the six arrested persons are acting as foot soldiers for Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

  Army in the night of November 25 thwarted an infiltration attempt by the militants at Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch District forcing the group of militants, trying to intrude into this side from across the LoC, to retrieve to PoK. Pakistan Army also resorted to firing on Indian positions violating ceasefire in a bid to give cover to the infiltrators. Sources said the militants, numbering four to five, were stated to be the activists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and were equipped with sophisticated weapons. They were believed to be the foreign nationals. Troops didn't suffer any casualties or damage in the exchange of firing.

• November 24: The JuD, the frontal organisation of LeT blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, organised a rally to protest the Pakistan Government's move to give Most Favoured Nation (MFN)-status to India. JuD leaders who addressed the rally accused India of being behind shortage of water that is affecting Pakistani farmers. Senior JuD leader Ameer Hamza told the protestors that the organisation's chief, Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, has assured Kashmiri separatist leader Ali Shah Geelani that the JuD would oppose any move to give India MFN-status. "When Pakistan announced that it might award MFN-status to India, Geelani called Hafiz Saeed, and he reassured Geelani that we will not leave Geelani alone... India can never be a most favourite nation for Pakistanis," Hamza said as the protesters shouted slogans against India.

• November 23: A new investigative report published by Pro Publica, a Washington-based investigative journalism website claimed that David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-American operative of the LeT and one of the chief accused in the Mumbai terror attack case (November 26, 2008 aka 26/11) was in fact a double agent simultaneously under the employment of the US and the Pakistani spy agency, ISI. The new documentary brought out by the website said that in the decade preceding his arrest in 2009, Headley served as an informer for the US Drug Enforcement Agency, even serving as an undercover agent for them in Pakistan though it was not clear whether worked for any other US intelligence agency. According to the report, Indian officials believed that the repeated warnings by the US to India of a terrorist strike in Mumbai could have come from Headley. The US however, denied thes allegations made in the report.

• November 22: The Union Government said that Pakistan's spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) continued to support various terrorist outfits to spread violence in India, according to Indian Express. "As per available intelligence inputs, Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, particularly Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e- Mohammed, Hijbul Mujahideen etc., continue to receive support from ISI," Union Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh informed Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) in a written reply.

  On Pakistan-backed spy modules, Singh said: "During the last three years and the current year (2008 to 2011 till date), a total of 46 Pakistan-backed espionage modules were busted in the country". However, Singh said, no cases of espionage, specifically by people working in foreign companies, have been reported.

  Replying to another question, the minister said as per available information, investigation into terrorism-related cases by State Police Forces and disclosures of arrested people revealed names of a few terrorist elements in Bihar having links with LeT. "On the basis of inputs, four LeT operatives of Bihar were identified and arrested between 2004 and 2009," he said.

• November 16: The United States is working to contain LeT, the Pakistani-based terrorist organization held responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, in South Asia, a top US commander, Admiral Robert F. Willard said, reports Deccan Chronicle. "We find ourselves working with partners in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives to build their capacities to deal with this organization independently," Admiral Robert F. Willard told reporters attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference in Hawaii. India, with a large, growing economy and the largest democracy in the world, was a key focus for Pacific Command, he said according to the US Defence Department. "We have a strategic partnership that continues to grow, both government-to-government and military-to-military," Willard said of US relations with India.

• November 13: LeT Srinagar 'commander', identified as Bilal Ahmad Dar alias Huzaifa, was arrested from the outskirts of Sopore town in Baramulla District. Huzaifa was involved in the killing of two Policemen in Srinagar in October and a recce of the city's vital installations was carried out on his instruction. He was also involved in the killing of four people in Sopore in 2011.

  LeT Srinagar 'commander', identified as Bilal Ahmad Dar alias Huzaifa, was arrested from the outskirts of Sopore town in Baramulla District. Huzaifa was involved in the killing of two Policemen in Srinagar in October and a recce of the city's vital installations was carried out on his instruction. He was also involved in the killing of four people in Sopore in 2011.

• November 11: The SFs recovered a large quantity of explosives from upper reaches of Jhawa in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District. Recoveries included an IED weighing 40 kilograms concealed in a box, three grenades of UBGL and three Chinese grenades. The recoveries were made from a hideout that belonged to slain LeT militant Mohammad Sultan alias Noman, who was killed by SFs on April 21, 2011.

• November 10: Law enforcers are on high alert since November 8, 2011 after the Bangladesh Government received information that Pakistan-based militant outfit LeT may attack Dhaka and Chittagong.

• November 7: Pakistan Government placed no restrictions on JuD from collecting donations and animal hides after the Eid-ul-Azha sacrifice. The group says it has set up a hundred camps for hide collection in Lahore alone. Shahid, a member of the JuD Information Department, said that the group was operating roughly a hundred camps in Lahore under the name JuD or the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF). "We are helping flood victims and running various other charities. We have nothing to do with militant activities," he said. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah agreed, saying there was "no justification" for restrictions on JuD or FIF from collecting animal hides. "They are not on the list of banned outfits," Sanaullah added.

• November 6: A contractor with military engineering services (MES) has approached the Kangra Police regarding a letter reportedly sent by LeT, seeking information related to Army's 9 Corps based at Young Officers Leave (YoL) cantonment in Kangra. Police officials said the letter, written in Urdu and English, was posted from Una District. The writer, claiming to be from LeT, has demanded money from the contractor, who lives in YoL market, and also information related to Army's activities. The sender has warned of posting another letter shortly for further directions.

• November 5: The Federal Ministry of Interior released a list of 31 banned outfits. LeT is on the list but its changed name JuD is missing.

• November 4: ISI was behind the Mumbai attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) as well as the July 7, 2008 bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul, reported a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report. In a new two-part series titled 'Secret Pakistan', Bruce Riedel, the CIA officer who served as advisor to US President Barack Obama, said he had informed the then President-elect about 26/11: "Everything pointed back to Pakistan. It was a defining moment." "I told the President Pakistan was double-dealing us and that the Pakistanis had been double-dealing the US and its allies for years and years, and they were probably going to continue to do so," he said. Riedel pointed out that "this (the attacks) had the signature of LeT all over it, from the very moment the attacks began. And once you link it back to LeT, you link it back to the Pakistani Intelligence service, the ISI." The second part of the programme, revealed the "CIA later received intelligence that said the ISI were directly involved in training the Mumbai gunmen".

• November 1: Four traders engaged in business across the LoC have been booked by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged hawala racket for LeT. Cracking down on financial terror, ED, which had sent one of its senior officers to the Valley for reviewing hawala cases, decided to take up the investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

• October 27: Police have busted a LeT module that carried out attacks at Baramulla and Batamaloo on August 25 in which two persons were killed and 13 others were injured, Deputy Inspector General (Central Kashmir) Abdul Gani Mir said. Mir said, "On August 25, a blast took place at Baramulla in which a civilian and a BSF jawan were killed. An hour later a blast occurred at Batamaloo here in which 13 persons were injured. We launched investigations in both these incidents and it was established that these blasts were carried out on directions of Sopore based Lashkar 'commander' Muza Molvi. Furqan, an ex-filtrated militant of LeT was in contact with Muza Molvi and both of them made the ultimate plan of the twin blasts." Mir said that the leads about the involvement of module in militant activities came to fore after the arrest of Muzaffar Ahmad Mir, the militant responsible for the killing of Sajad Ahmad Parray, a Police Constable at Hazratbal on October 14.

  He said five LeT operatives were arrested from different parts of Valley. A SIT constituted to probe the blasts succeeded in arresting two LeT operatives, identified as Irfan Ashraf Dar and Ali Mohammad, both residents of Reban-Sopore in Baramulla District. Later, one more LeT operative, identified as Tariq, was arrested. Police also arrested one Khalid Ahmad Bhat alias Sajad son of Haji Ghulam Hassan resident of Nagam-Chadoora in Budgam District in connection with the twin blasts at Baramulla and Batamaloo. The DIG said that Haji Ghulam Hassan is an active worker of APHC-G.

  Several banned militant groups, including the LeT and HM, opposed Pakistan's move to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India. Leaders of the groups, including Muttahida Jihad Council chairman Syed Salahuddin, told a gathering of hundreds of supporters at Aabpara Chowk in Islamabad about their movement to "liberate" Jammu and Kashmir. "We will continue our struggle on the political, diplomatic and, most important of all, jihadi fronts till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir. We will continue till Jammu and Kashmir becomes independent," said Salahuddin, who is also the chief of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

  A spokesman who addressed the gathering on behalf of LeT 'commander' Iftikhar Haider said his group would take "revenge" for the killing of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 and the 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express cross-border train. "The relationship between Pakistan and India is one of guns and bullets, not of trade," the LeT spokesman said while opposing the granting of MFN-status to India by Pakistan.

• October 26: LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the main accused in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attack case (also known as 26/11), has been clandestinely communicating from prison with members of his outfit, according to intercepts by Western Intelligence Agencies. Lakhvi, currently lodged in Rawalpindi's high-security Adiala Jail, has been using mobile phones to contact other members of LeT, Western diplomatic sources said. These contacts had been going on for "many months", said a source familiar with the tracking of Lakhvi's clandestine communications by Intelligence Agencies. United States (US) officials alerted their Pakistani counterparts about the intercepts and asked them to "shut down" the contacts but no action had been taken so far by officials at Adiala Jail or other authorities, two officials of two different countries said on condition of anonymity.

  Hundreds of people, including Hindus, staying in flood relief camps run by Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), a front organization of the JuD in Sindh province are being "peppered liberally" with Islamic teachings. The 2,000 victims rescued by the organisation are provided meals twice a day "peppered liberally with religious teachings". "They remind us again and again to offer namaz (prayer)," said a man at a relief camp in Badin District, adding, families have been given copies of the Quran. Another refugee mimicked, "Namaz parho, Quran parho, safai karo! (Say your prayers, read the Quran and clean up)."

• October 25: Two LeT militants, Bilal Ahmad Mir and Javid Ahmad Mir, were arrested and two grenades seized from them at a checkpoint on Court Road in Sopore town of Baramulla District. The arrestees were residents of Sopore town and were locally trained militants of LeT, Hussain said, adding one of them was a "recycled" militant. They were allegedly tasked to carry out fresh grenade attacks. The duo were "not linked" with October 25 grenade attacks in Srinagar and Shopian.

• October 16: Police arrested the LeT militant who killed a Police constable in Hazratbal area of Srinagar on October 14.

• October 13: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda said that Police was working on all leads, including a possible nexus between the LeT and KZF, who might have jointly plotted the terror strike which was foiled with the recovery of the car laden with explosives in Ambala in Haryana on October 12.

• October 11: GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain said, "the counter-infiltration grid has been redoubled to meet the challenge of infiltration putting the number of militants killed this year 80. He said 30 to 40 militants have managed to infiltrate. He said forces have an opportunity to "break the back of militancy" in the State as 19 top militant 'commanders' of LeT and HM have been killed so far this year. "There is a realisation that 2011 is an important year. We can actually break the back of militancy this year... If they cannot bring militants in (to Kashmir) by next year, I can assure you we have turned the tables in Kashmir," he added.

• October 10: The Supreme Court stayed the execution of the death sentence awarded to Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani LeT militant, in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attack case (Also known as 26/11).

• October 8: The Police have also come to know that PLA, having over 1,500 cadres, was planning to liaise with terrorist outfits based in PoK, including LeT and separatist groups based in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.

• October 7: Troops foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of Pathan militants affiliated to LeT at Mitti Dhara in Peer Badesar area of Keri sector in Rajouri District.

  China and ISI supports PLA, the Manipur based outfit, in its bid to form a 'Strong United Front' along with Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) and Kashmiri militants.

• October 3: SFs killed a LeT 'divisional commander', who was reactivating militancy in South Kashmir, in the Shubdani village near Newa in Pulwama District. One INSAS rifle, three AK magazines, 90 rounds of AK ammunition and war like stores were recovered from the incident site. The slain militant, identified as Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Bhai, a Pakistani national, was also nominated as 'divisional commander' of LeT (North Kashmir) after the death of Abdullah Uni on September 13.

• October 1: The GOC, 15 Corps Lieutenant General S A Hasnain on October 1 said that there is a nexus between the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan Army and terrorist organizations in training, arming and psychological indoctrination of Pakistani youth for infiltrating and carrying out acts of terror in Kashmir. He said ISI and Pakistan Army are setting up terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to spread terror and disrupt the peace and harmony in Kashmir. Hasnain revealed the information shared by Pakistani militant of LeT, Nissar Ahmad, who was arrested near the LoC in Machil sector.

• September 30: Army personnel arrested a Pakistani militant of LeT after he infiltrated through Trehgam sector into the District.

• September 26: A LeT militant shot and injured a youth in Sopore area of Baramulla District. Police later identified the militant as Muzaffar Ahmad Naiko alias Muza Moulvi.

• September 25: Police arrested two LeT militants and the driver of their vehicle at Khirram in Anantnag District. Police said the cab in which the militants were travelling was signaled to stop but the driver tried to flee. The Policemen opened fire in which the driver, Nissar Ahmad Laway, and one of the militants, Mohammad Yousuf Lone, were injured. The duo and another militant, Abdul Hamid Bhat alias Zulfikar, were arrested while another militant Sajad Ahmad Bhat alias Gowhar managed to escape, said Police. Two pistols, two hand grenades and some ammunition were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.

• September 15, 2011: Army said surveillance grid along the LoC has been strengthened to counter a possible spurt in infiltration of militants from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) ahead of winter snowfall in the Valley. "The surveillance grid has been strengthened to foil any attempt by militants to cross over to this side," said General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain. Further, he made it clear that foreign militants operating in Kashmir won't be given any offer of surrender during encounters. He said, "Foreign militants won't be offered to surrender during encounters. We didn't ask LeT [Lashkar-e-Taiba] 'commander' Abdullah Uni to surrender two days back in Sopore. As soon we received information about his presence it was decided he has to be killed. Army doesn't offer foreign militants to surrender." "After the killing of more than 35 of its commanders, LeT is trying to send reinforcement to the Valley and more than 400 militants are ready to infiltrate," he added. Gen Hasnain claimed that 500 Kashmiri youths, who had gone to the other side of LoC for arms training in early 1990's are languishing in Pakistani jails.

• September 14, 2011: As many as 569 Pakistani militants were killed in the State in the past 12 years, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said. Most of the Pakistani militants killed were affiliated to LeT, according to statistics posted on the State Police website. A total of 323 militants were killed from 1998 to 2002 when LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfits launched a series of suicide attacks on military and police installations. The four-year period coincided with eruption of Kargil war when the influx of Pakistani militants affiliated to LeT and JeM increased into the state.

• September 13, 2011: The Security Forces (SFs) killed Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K) Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) 'commander' Abdullah Uni in an encounter at Batpora in the Sopore area of Baramulla District. Superintendent of Police (SP) Imtiyaz Hussain said that he got a tip-off about Uni's presence in the house of one Tariq Ahmad late in the night of September 12. SP Hussain said Uni, who was based in Pakistan but active in north Kashmir through the Kupwara route for the last six years, slipped past a Police cordon around Ahmad's home and hid in an abandoned house near at Batpora on September 13. A four-hour encounter followed and Uni was killed. Uni was reportedly responsible for killing Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadees president Maulana Showkat Shah on April 8, 2011.

  Uni, who carried a head money of INR 10 lakh, was nominated as chief' operational commander' for J&K by Pakistan-based LeT. He was from Multan, son of one Riyaz Malik, and had crossed over to the Valley in 2005 to take the place of then Kashmir LeT 'commander' Hafiz Nasir after he was killed, said Hussain.

• September 9: The Union Home minister P Chidambaram expressed the hope that there might be a breakthrough in the July 13, 2011 Mumbai blasts. He said he has been speaking to Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and there could be some development with regard to the serial bombings. "I have been in touch with the CM. I hope we will have something soon," Chidambaram said. The Mumbai blasts have not been resolved so far and investigators have been drawing a blank in the absence of any clear leads like phone intercepts or other electronic communication. Jihadi groups like LeT and Indian Mujahideen (IM) remain prime suspects in the case.

• September 7: The US diplomatic cable goes on to say that as of early 2009, the LeT remained capable of carrying out attacks on mainland India though there was no information on the location or nature of the attacks. "Indeed, there is little reporting to suggest counter terrorism efforts by the Pakistanis have done anything to encumber LeT's operational network in South Asia (Himachal Pradesh and Punjab located in northwest India)," it reads. Besides attacks in Punjab and Himachal, LeT was also planning attacks on "high profile infrastructure" in Jammu and Kashmir, the report suggests. "Terrorists may be planning attacks against civilian infrastructure sites in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Possible attack locations include several dams, power stations, and three airports: Leh, Kargil, and Jammu Satwari," the report says. A similar intelligence report sent out by Clinton in December 2008 in the aftermath of the Mumbai attack also says that the LeT was "likely capable" of conducting another attack in India in the coming months. It also reveals that India shared concerns with the US that its missions abroad would be attacked by Pakistan-based terror groups. While inputs in many cables point to the frustration in India over the lack of action by Pakistan against terror camps post the Mumbai attack, there is also a reference to intelligence sharing by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Shuja Pasha on possible threats against Israeli targets in India.

• September 6: A US diplomatic cable has revealed that in the aftermath of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (26/11), the US had categorically told Pakistan to dismantle terror infrastructure on its soil and take action against LeT founder Hafiz Saeed for his alleged involvement in the attacks. "In his introductory meeting with Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik (on) August 25 (2009), Ambassador (Timothy) Roemer stressed the importance of bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and dismantling terror groups," the US diplomatic cable released last week said. Roemer, in the 2009 cable, specifically emphasised the importance of acting on the evidence involving LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. Malik responded by characterising the latest dossier on Hafiz Saeed handed over by New Delhi to Islamabad as a "rehash" of existing evidence.

• September 4: Amid a US cable leaks controversy on extradition of LeT operative David Coleman Headley, former National Security Advisor and West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan clarified that the country was always serious in getting him extradited. Earlier, a secret cable released by the whistleblower website Wikileaks had reported that in December 2009, Narayanan had told then US ambassador to India Timothy Roemer that New Delhi's demand for extraditing Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley was mere posturing to mislead the Indian public, and the government was not seeking his extradition "at this time".

• September 2: Security Forces arrested six fresh recruits of Shopian from Kalakote area of Rajouri District when they were heading towards Sunderbani for crossing over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from the Line of Control (LoC) for arms training. The group, aged between 22 years to 24 years all of whom were under-educated or illiterate, had been launched by LeT 'launching commander' Mohammad Rafiq son of Gul Parray, a resident of Shopian with the assurance that they would be paid INR 100000 each after completion of their arms training in PoK and return to Kashmir to join militancy.

  A resident of Mumbra town who was recently arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in a case involving FICNs has emerged as a key suspect in the Mumbai serial blasts case (June 13, 2011). According to the ATS officials, the arrestee, who stayed in Pakistan for several years before returning to India, could be a vital link in arranging for the conduit of the money that was used to fund the serial blasts. The accused was associated with former all-India general secretary of the banned Islamist outfit SIMI, Saquib Nachen and went to Pakistan via Bangladesh probably in 2002. He was believed to be in touch with sleeper cells of the IM and the LeT and had received terror training from the LeT in Pakistan.

  A man of Pakistani origin has been arrested and charged in the US with supporting LeT, FBI officials said. Zubair Ahmad (24), of Woodbridge, Virginia, allegedly received religious training from the terrorist group as a teenager in Pakistan and later attended one of its training camps. Zubair came to the United States in 2007 with his family. He's been under investigation for two years, ever since the US Federal Bureau of Investigation got a tip that he might be connected to the group, the officials said. An affidavit submitted in a Virginia court claims that in September 2010, Zubair produced and uploaded a propaganda video to YouTube on behalf of LeT, after communications with a person named "Talha". In a subsequent conversation with another person, Zubair identified Talha as Talha Saeed, the son of LeT 'chief' Hafiz Mohammed Saeed. Talha and Zubair allegedly communicated about the images, music and audio that Zubair was to use to make the video. The final video contained images of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed, so-called jihadi (holy war) martyrs and armoured trucks exploding after they were hit by improvised explosive devices. In October 2010, Talha allegedly contacted Zubair and requested that he revise the LeT propaganda video, giving Zubair specific instructions. Zubair allegedly revised the video and posted it on October 16, 2010. In August 2011, FBI agents interviewed Zubair, but he denied any involvement with the October 2010 video.

  The Maharashtra state ATS believes that the Mumbai serial blasts (July 13, 2011) was funded by the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, through the Saudi Arabian route and executed with the help of local city youth. This input has been conveyed to the Home Ministry at the highest levels, which is at present trying to help the ATS substantiate its investigation. According to Government sources, the Maharashtra ATS got information that the blasts were planned, coordinated and executed with the help of one General Murad of the ISI with the help of LeT and IM modules in the State. The ATS has conveyed that the explosives were secured by the ISI and were given to the local Indian planters in Mumbai just before the three blasts.

• August 31: Mumbai terror attack accused Hafiz Saeed, run JuD has created an offshoot Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) to circumvent the ban on collection of donations in Pakistan and are collecting aid with police doing nothing to stop them, reports Times of India. Moreover, Saeed and his son Hafiz Talha Saeed have also been making speeches and collecting donations at mosques in various parts of Lahore all during Ramazan. "The police are doing nothing to stop the FIF, an offshoot of JuD, from seeking and collecting charity ahead of Eid even though the Jamat has been banned as a terrorist organisation and is forbidden to collect donations," The Express Tribune said. On August 5, the interior ministry issued a list of 25 banned outfits including the JuD that are not allowed to collect donations. "As in the past, the JuD has been able to circumvent the ban simply by changing its name," The Express Tribune added. The FIF camps fly the black-and-white striped JuD flag and sport banners seeking aid for "the flood-affected and other needy people".

• August 26: Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik was the next target for assassination in Kashmir, said LeT in its report that unveils the elaborate conspiracy behind the April 8, 2011 killing of the Wahhabi cleric Maulana Showkat Shah. The outfit revealed that it learnt this from one of its militants who had spent time in jail with Javed Munshi, the alleged killer of Shah, before being recently released. Lashkar identifies the militant as Muhammad Imran alias Abu Qatal. "In jail Munshi told Imran that they had killed Maulana Showkat Sahib as he was hand in glove with India. He also told him that some other separatist leaders had also joined India - Yasin Malik being one among them - and that they would kill them also," the Lashkar report says, adding, "Munshi also told Imran that if the latter went back to Pakistan he should tell Hafiz Saeed [Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief] not to offer funeral prayers for the separatist leaders killed by militants in Kashmir as they were traitors and LeT shouldn't support them". JuD chief Hafiz Saeed had condemned the killing of Shah and led Nimaz-i-jinaza for him in Islamabad.

  Lashkar blamed the militant outfit Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen for planning and executing Shah's assassination and also for unsuccessfully trying to involve LeT in the act. It has identified four people Javed Munshi, Nisar Ahmad, both of them now arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Abu Umair and Shiekh Jameel-ur-Rehman, the latter two based in Muzaffarabad (Pakistan). Significantly, the outfit thinks that the direction to kill Shah could have been issued from Pakistan.

• August 24: The Delhi Police produced arrested 'divisional commander' of LeT, Abdullah Inqilabi, before a court in Rajouri District. He was summoned by the court through Delhi Metropolitian Court and was brought from Tihar Jail. Abdullah was arrested in Delhi in connection with an alleged act of terrorism. He was wanted in several cases of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

  Government said there are reports that LeT continued to plan anti-India activities and reminded Pakistan to honour its anti-terror pledge. "There are reports that LeT continues to plan and carry out anti-India activities," Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur told the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament).

• August 22: Army neutralized hide out of LeT at Sarnihal forest area of Banihal in Ramban District and huge caches of arms and ammunition. The hideout belonged to LeT militants, 'divisional commander' Ayaz Ahmed Malik alias Abu Moosa and his accomplice Zulqarnain, who were killed on April 24, 2011. The recoveries made from the hideout included one PIKA machine gun, three country made single barrel rifles, 1404 PIKA rounds, 3717 AK rounds, 41 Chinese grenades, 13 Rocket Projectile Gun (RPG) grenades, 34 electric detonators, 36 rounds of Universal Machine Gun (UMG), five AK magazines, six RPG chargers, one binocular, one hand held radio set, three high explosive bombs of 60 mm mortars and seven rounds of unidentified weapon. The Army said that since 2011, it has recovered 4500 rounds of different type of weapons so far. However, in today's [August 21] single recovery, troops seized more than 5100 rounds, the Army added.

  JuD has been holding gatherings at pre-dawn prayers in Lahore District of Punjab during the month of Ramzan to collect donations despite Government orders of August 2, 2011 barring it from such activities. The JuD has been organising speeches by its chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed at various places and advertising them through posters, pamphlets and mass text messages. Addressing a meeting held at a marriage hall at Moon Market in Gulshan-e-Ravi, Saeed condemned India for allegedly "trying to flood Pakistan by deliberately releasing water in its rivers" and ended with a plea for donations.

• August 21: An infiltrator was killed and another injured while two others were forced to flee back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as troops thwarted infiltration attempt by the militants on the Line of Control (LoC) in Balnoi area of Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch. However, two other militants were seen dragging dead and injured militants from the Nullah and took them across the LoC towards a forward Pakistan Army picket. Sources said the fact that two surviving militants took dead and injured militnats to a forward post of Pakistan Army clearly indicated support of troops across the LoC to the infiltrators. Sources said the dead and injured militants were believed to be Pakistanis affiliated to the LeT.

  Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding (GOC, 15 Corps) Syed Atta Muhammad Hasnain said that militants are desperate and they will make more infiltration attempts in next two months before the mountain peaks get closed with fresh snowfall of the season. He said that there are around 500-700 militants waiting at the launching pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to infiltrate. "The militant infra-structure across the border is still intact and the militants are desperate to infiltrate into Kashmir," he added. He said that the security forces eliminated around 20 top 'commanders' of various militant organizations especially of the LeT in past two months. "After receiving severe blow, they want to push in more militants to disturb peace in the Valley," he said, adding, "Security Forces are targeting the leadership of JeM and LeT and our intelligence this year has been extremely good. It is because of this that we achieved major successes this year and their desperation to infiltrate has increased."

• August 20: The jihad in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is "bearing fruit" and India will soon meet its "logical end", claimed Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) 'chief' Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. He made the while addressing a gathering in Narowal District, 70 kilometers from Lahore. Emphasizing the need for jihad he asked the people to dedicate their lives to this cause saying, "The jihad is bearing fruit in Kashmir and soon India will reach its logical end." Explaining the "wonders" of jihad, Saeed said, "The US has had to give in Afghanistan because of the power of jihad and now India will also surrender for the same reason."

• August 18: Several outlawed Pakistan-based terror groups remain active in Kashmir and continue to target and plan attacks on India, a US report on global terrorism said, according to Indian Express. Prominent among these terrorist groups are Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Harkat ul-Mujahideen (HuM), which are having hundreds of armed supporters in Kashmir. LeT, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in 2001, is one of the largest and most proficient of the traditionally Kashmir-focused militant groups. "It has the ability to severely disrupt already delicate regional relation," said the State Department in its annual report on terrorism. The actual size of LeT is unknown, but it has several thousand members in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Pakistan's Punjab and in southern Jammu, Kashmir, and Doda regions. "Most LeT members are Pakistanis or Afghans and/or veterans of the Afghan wars. The group uses assault rifles, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, explosives, and rocket-propelled grenades," the State Department said. LeT maintains a number of facilities, including training camps, schools, and medical clinics in Pakistan. It has global connections and a strong operational network throughout South Asia, the State Department said.

  Back from his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, US senator John McCain took a tough stand over "troubling connections" of Pakistan security with terror groups, reports Hindustan Times. "The troubling connection remains between Pakistan's military and terrorist groups like the Haqqani network and Lashkar e-Taiba who are killing Indians, Afghans and Pakistanis," McCain said. He, however, felt that the situation in Kashmir has improved. He also maintained that "Kashmir is an internal matter" and it was not America or any other nation's place to comment on sovereign affairs of a country.

• August 16: United States (US) State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said that Pakistan stood with international community in war against terror, The News reported. Victoria Nuland said cooperation between US and Pakistan in fight against terror was in the interest of both the countries. The spokesperson said, ''Washington has conveyed its reservations to Islamabad over links of some elements of the Government with the Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)''.

  At a joint appearance, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed satisfaction over the progress in Afghanistan, but admitted things were not as good in the eastern part of the country. Panetta later added that the US has no choice but to keep up its alliance with Pakistan despite concerns over Islamabad's ties to terrorists. He said that relations with Pakistan were difficult because 'elements of the Government' had links with the Haqqani Network, which is staging attacks on US-led troops in Afghanistan, and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), blamed for orchestrating attacks in India. "What makes this complicated is that they have relationships with the Haqqanis, and the Haqqani tribe are attacking our forces in Afghanistan," added Panetta.

• August 11: A militant who killed during an encounter with SFs in Kralpora Kupwara has been identified Hurrera of LeT. "Huge cache of arms and ammunition including an AK-47 rifle, five AK magazines, 142 AK rounds, five Underbarrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) Shells, a UBGL thrower, three Chinese hand grenades, a I-Com Radio set, an Antenna, a N.V.D, one telescope, a Compass, cloths and medicines were recovered from the killed militant".

• August 9: Hafiz Saeed, founder of the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who now heads the Islamic charity Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD), told a gathering of religious scholars in Karachi that the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) is behind the recent violence in Karachi that has taken hundreds of lives.

  Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) 'chief' Hafiz Muhammad Saeed may face detention again after British diplomats met senior Pakistani officials to convince them to crack down on the organisation, a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. Diplomats from the British missions in Islamabad and New Delhi had "successful rounds of talks with Pakistani leaders in the last week of July", The Express Tribune newspaper quoted unnamed diplomats as saying. These talks "might lead to the detention of JuD 'chief' Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and a possible crackdown on his group", the report said without giving details. The report contended that the developments were an outcome of a "covert diplomatic campaign" by India to pressure Pakistan to rein in the JuD, which New Delhi has blamed for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

• August 7: Hafiz Saeed, founder of the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who now heads the Islamic charity Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD), told a gathering of religious scholars in Karachi that the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) is behind the recent violence in Karachi that has taken hundreds of lives.

  In a major operation, LeT 'divisional commander', identified as Fadullah was killed by SFs in Rajwar forests of Handwara in Kupwara District. Fahadullah, was the most wanted LeT commander. During the past two weeks, Army foiled atleast 8 infiltration bids made by militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara District. According to sources, a large number of militants with majority of them belonging to LeT are making attempts to cross the LoC before the mountain passes get closed due to snow in autumn.

  SFs shot dead a LeT 'divisional commander', identified as Abu Usmaan, in an exchange of fire in the Mehrota area of Poonch District.

• August 4: SFs killed (LeT 'chief' for Kishtwar, Habib Gujjar alias Salman and his associate, Irshad Ahmed Koli, in a gun battle at village Nagaran in the Nagni area of Keshwan in Kishtwar District. Recoveries made from the encounter site included one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 134 rounds, LeT letter heads, other literature, uniforms used by Salman, explosive devices strategic maps of Doda and Kishtwar and other belongings of the militant. The house owner, where Salman had taken shelter, has been detained for questioning. Inspector General of Police (IGP, Jammu) Dilbagh Singh said Salman had direct contact with his Pakistani 'commanders' and even after SFs trapped him, he made a frantic call to one of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant to help him take out of the cordon. However, the HM militant didn't come to his rescue.

  The IGP also said Salman had managed to recruit six youth of Kishtwar into the outfit during past some time, all of whom have been neutralized. While four of them - Khurshid Ahmed, Mohammad Issaq, Jan Mohammad and Noman had already been killed, Abdul Jabbar was arrested. The sixth surviving recruit - Irshad Ahmed Koli was killed today along with Salman.

  He asserted, "With the killing of Habib Gujjar alias Salman and his associate, Koli, the LeT outfit has been wiped out hundred per cent from Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts'', adding some HM cadre were still active in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts.

  Further, Pulwama 'district commander of LeT, Shakoor Ahmad Teli alias Saif alias Abu Bakar, was killed in an encounter between militants and SFs at Khar Mohalla village in the Putchal area of Pulwama District. Earlier in the day, a large number of people from the adjacent villages of Ratnipora, Hajibal and Pinglana who had gathered outside the Putchal village, where encounter took place, pelted stones at the SFs. The angry mob set ablaze a Police vehicle and in commotion they took away the body of the militant along, said eyewitnesses. Police fired tear smoke and used batons to disperse them. Four protesters were injured as Police chased them away. Deccan Chronicle reports that half a dozen civilians and three Policemen, including the area Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured in the clash. One of the security official said, "However, undeterred by what the mob chose to do, the Security Forces eventually killed the militant."

• August 3: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has threatened to blow up railway stations in Haridwar, Dehra Dun and Rishikesh on Independence Day (August 15). A letter containing the threat was received by Haridwar railway station superintendent Samarendra Goswami. The letter, purporting to be from LeT 'area commander' Kareem Ansari, has also threatened to blow up Har-Ki-Pauri, the main bathing ghat, and several famous temples in Haridwar on August 22.

  India said it wishes to have constructive relations with Pakistan but wanted an environment free from terror and "credible" action to be taken against anti-India jihadi leaders like Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) 'chief' Hafiz Saeed. Giving details about his discussions with his Pakistani counterpart, Hina Rabbani Khar, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna said he had underscored the importance that India attaches to the fulfillment of commitments made by Pakistan with regard to trial and investigation in Pakistan into 2008 Mumbai attacks.

  He further said, "I requested Pakistan to act on the assurance given to our Home Minister by Pakistan Interior Minister in June 2010 on the dossiers regarding seven specific individuals and the need to provide voice samples". Pakistan was asked to investigate the linkages with "some elements in the Pakistani security agencies" that had emerged from the evidence presented in the Tahawwur Rana trial in the United States, he stated.

• August 2: SFs arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed alias Mustafa alias Master, from Belicharana area in Jammu, where he was putting up since 2008. The militant was involved in a series of subversive activities in the parts of Reasi District. He was presently acting as a sleeper cell of the LeT outfit at the behest of his 'commanders'.

  Authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province barred 23 banned organizations, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), from collecting donations for their activities. The Punjab Government warned that those found providing donations or aid to the banned organizations will be charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, the Government did not include the Falah-e-Insanyat, a front for the Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD), in the list of groups barred from collecting donations.

  The organizations included in the list are LeT, JeM, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Tehreek-e-Jaffaria Pakistan (TJP), Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan (MIP), Khuddam-ul-Isla , Islami Tehreek-e-Pakistan (ITP), Hizbut Tahrir (HT) and Jama'at-ul-Ansar (JA). The move coincided with the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, when extremist and militant outfits launch special drives to collect funds.

• July 30: A Bakerwal youth dodged two LeT militants, reportedly belonging to Pakistan's Punjab Province, before reaching a safe location from where he was rescued by a Police party in the Banihal area of Ramban District. He also managed to snatch AK-47 rifle of one of them. While he was grazing cattle in the forests, the two militants, who were reportedly new in the area, abducted him on the evening of July 20 and asked him to show them safe routes leading to Pir Panjal range.

• July 25: JuD chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed vowed to enter India through Jammu and Kashmir. Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks (also known as 26/11), said: "From the door of Kashmir we will launch Gazwah-e-Hind (battle for Hindustan)". Addressing a meeting during a tour of several cities in Pakistan's Punjab province, he claimed that there was a secret agreement between India and Israel to "destroy Pakistan's nuclear assets".

  Saeed also criticised the United States (US) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), claiming it had set up offices across Pakistan. "The CIA had established offices in every city of Pakistan from where they send reports to the US," he said.

• July 22: Saeed visited Bahawalpur District and Multan District of Punjab province to address public meetings and meet JuD activists. Speaking at a "Defence of Pakistan" convention in Multan, Saeed said a time would come when only the religious parties would come forward to save Pakistan.

• July 24: Abu Abdullah, a top 'commander' of the LeT, was killed along with his associate, Abu Hamza, on May 22 after they had fallen into a deep nullah (stream) while running for cover as they were being chased by the Security Forces. An intercept of the militants the next day had confirmed the killing of Hamza and Abdullah, two Pakistani militants of the LeT. Meanwhile, Police on July 24 recovered the body of Abdullah in Surankote area of Poonch District.

  Three LeT militants were reported to have slipped away from Marha and Mastan Dhara areas of Surankote.

• July 23 Top LeT 'commander' was among two militants killed in an encounter with Police and Army in Bagh-e-Hakhar at Handwara in Kupwara District.

  A hideout of the slain LeT militant Hanzala alias Mudassir was neutralised by the SFs at Chichcha in Inshan forest area of Kishtwar District.

• July 22: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Sopore granted bail to a girl, Quratul Ain, alleged to be working for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit. Earlier Qurat was arrested on July 12, after the IED attack on Sopore Police Station in Baramulla District on July 6. Shops and business establishments in Sopore remained closed against the arrest of Quratul Ain.

• July 21: Investigators have been able to trace the owner of the two-wheeler used in the IED blast that killed a Policeman and injured eight others in the Sopore area of Baramulla District on July 6. Sources said questioning of Qurat-ul-Ain of Jalalabad village of Sopore, who was arrested on July 12 for militant links, and other nine suspects, has led to identification of the owner of the two-wheeler and those who facilitated its delivery to the militants.

  Qurat-ul-Ain has become the centre of a new controversy in Kashmir. Separatist leaders are threatening an agitation if she isn't released. The Police say they have a watertight case against her she is a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) courier. "We have been watching her for a while and picked her up only after we learnt that she was part of the team that targeted the police station," said a senior security source. "Militants use young girls like Qurat-ul-Ain to reconnoiter targets, to act as couriers, because they don't draw too much attention. But the same is also true of us here: some of our best sources here are women," said an unnamed senior Police officer. Another top officer said, "Let's be honest: we have lost control of the main street here. It's the militants who control the mohallas of old city." "The basic problem is that the militant presence is strong. Surgical strikes won't help. What's needed is large-scale crackdown like we did in the early 1990s. Push in a large number of troops, surround a locality and go house-to-house. But the political leadership won't hear of it. Meanwhile, the militants are exerting their grip recruiting more people and eliminating our sources," said another security source.

• July 20: After the arrest of Sopore girl, Qurat-ul-Ain, for her alleged links with militancy, Police has questioned and is investigating the involvement of seven more Sopore girls for militancy and unlawful activities. These girls were summoned by Police and questioned for their links with militancy especially most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) 'commander' Abdullah Uni.

  Another mass attack by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants will derail Indo-Pak talks and can lead to India striking back against Pakistan, a noted American counter-terrorism expert warned. "Another mass LeT attack would at the very least derail the thaw that is taking place between the two countries and could present a situation where you have India preparing for war against Pakistan," Stephen Tankel said, adding, "At the moment, it seems that the Army and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Agency are taking steps to prevent this from happening, because they don't want another major attack, they don't want war. But as long as LeT exists, the capacity exists to use them for that purpose or there is the possibility that they could launch an attack without sanction if they see a peace deal on the horizon that would lead to their own demobilisation."

• July 19: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Sopore District remanded Qurat-ul-Ain of Jalalabad Sopore, arrested for her alleged links with militants, for one week Police custody. Sopore Police had arrested Qurat-ul-Ain alias Sunil on charges of providing safe house and logistic support and acting as a courier for foreign militants especially the most wanted militant of Kashmir and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) 'commander', Abdullah Uni. The CJM on the basis of case dairy and Police claim that "she has given vital information" extended her Police remand till July 26. Police said her activities were under constant surveillance for last so many months. "She was initially working as an OWG for LeT militant Hamza alias Zubair. Hamza was killed in an encounter with Security Forces on June 21, 2010 at Bagat Batpora in Srinagar. After his death, she is working for Abdullah Uni. She has also revealed names of other OGWs. Police is working on the leads provided by her that may lead to Uni."

  General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15th Corps Lieutenant General S A Hasnain warned of more infiltration attempts from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in the coming months. So far eight such attempts were foiled by the alert troops, he added. "We expect more infiltration attempts in the future as militant organisations, particularly LeT, are desperate to re-establish their new leadership", he added further. Describing the recent killing of five top 'commanders' of the LeT at Lolab in the frontier District of Kupwara, as a major success, he said there is now leadership crisis in the outfit. "Our main objective will be to prevent the outfit in reorganizing their leadership.

• July 17: GOC, 16 Corps Lieutenant General J P Nehra disclosed as per latest inputs nearly 175 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants were operating in the South of Pir Panjal, including Rajouri-Poonch, Udhampur, Reasi, Banihal, Ramban and Doda. Foreigners are still dominating but most of them have turned inactive in view of mounting pressure of Security Forces and lack of local support, he asserted. When asked about use of satellite communication by militants, he said they have been using it earlier also. But militants in the State are now more relying on internet and social working sites, besides manual communication. He said militants are now using Facebook and internet in addition to manual communication, marking a change of trend. Mobile phones are less used now because they are easily intercepted, he added.

  Security Forces in North Kashmir have eliminated top 'commanders' of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the Lolab area of Kupwara District and Sopore area of Baramulla District, reports Daily Excelsior. After eliminating these top 'commanders' of LeT, security agencies are after the most wanted LeT 'commander', Abdullah Uni, now. He is operating from North Kashmir and has given slip to Security Forces on at least 10 times in past few years.

  Defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Brar, identified the militants killed in July 15 encounter in Kupwara as 'North Kashmir divisional commander', Saqib alias Sohail of Kasur in Pakistan; 'Kupwara divisional commander', Hamad alias Haneef alias Alfa Islam of Abbottabad in Pakistan; 'Central Kashmir divisional commander', Qari Saifullah, 'battalion commander' Chotta Saad and 'battalion commander', Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Umair alias Hafiz. Saqib who was active in North Kashmir since 2009 was considered to be the backbone of LeT in Lolab area. ''This is a major success and has almost wiped out the entire Lashkar leadership in Lolab and Sopore areas,'' he said. Hamad was one of the most wanted militants in North Kashmir and was active since 2008. Qari Saifullah was active in Ganderal and Harwan areas of Central Kashmir. Security agencies reveal that Sopore was the main target of these LeT militants.

• July 16: Security Forces (SFs) shot dead a militant of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in an encounter at Battalhal in Loi Dhar near Kohat village of Keshwan area in Kishtwar District. Official sources identified the slain militant as Khursheed Ahmed alias Al Kama (20), son of Abdul Rashid, a resident of village Hirkani in Keshwan area of Kishtwar District. Slain militant happened to be close associate of lone LeT surviving 'commander' Habib Gujjar alias Salman. One .303 rifle, two magazines, seven rounds and some incriminating documents besides a mobile telephone were recovered from the possession of slain militant.

• July 15: Security Force (SF) personnel killed five militants of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including 'divisional commander' Abu Saqib, 'district commander' Abu Hamaad and 'deputy district commander' Omair, in a day-long gun battle in Kupwara District. While the dead bodies of four militants were recovered from the encounter site, another dead body was believed to be buried under the debris of the house where the encounter took place. A trooper was killed while five Army personnel, including a Captain, were injured in the encounter.

  The Police had received an intelligence input that a group of five LeT militants had sneaked into a house at village Maidanpora in Lolab in Kupwara after moving out of Sopore town (Baramulla District) where they had carried out an attack on a Police Station on July 5 killing one Policeman and injuring eight others. "A search and cordon operation was launched. An operation was launched after a woman who was trapped inside a house could come out to safety," a Police spokesman said. The encounter broke out when the SFs came under fire from a house belonging to former Lambardar Ghulam Mohammad Mir, where the militants had come for a meeting to chalk out their strategies, the spokesman said. As reported earlier, all the five members of the family taken hostage by militants had managed to escape unhurt.

• July 14: Police filed a charge sheet against eight persons, including LeT 'commander' Abdullah Uni, for their alleged involvement in the killing of Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees chief Maulana Shaukat Ahmad Shah in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in April 2011. The charge sheet was filed against Javed Ahmad Munshi, Nisar Ahmad Khan, Abdul Gani Dar alias Al Ghazzali, the chief of radical religious outfit Sout-ul-Haq (Voice of Truth), Abdul Majid Dar, Gulzar A Khan and Reyaz Ahmad Shah, who were present in the court. The charges were filed in absentia against LeT 'commander' Uni and Jamaluddin, who is believed to be in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Ashiq Hussain Faktoo alias Qasim did not figure in the list of the accused in the case. Police had claimed that Faktoo, husband of Dukhataran-e-Millat chief Asiya Indrabi, had hatched the conspiracy to kill the cleric during his meetings with Ghazzali, when the former was lodged at Central Jail.

  A militant from Poonch, who had recently crossed over to this side of the Line of Control (LoC) from Sabjian after spending three years in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), confirmed the presence of at least 175 militants, of Poonch District in different training camps and other places in PoK, according to Daily Excelsior. The militant, identified as Mohammad Arif Iqbal, during his interrogation by Police has disclosed militants were mostly affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), and were from different parts of Poonch district. He also said that he had been asked by LeT and HM 'commanders' to survey the old route of Gagrian-Sabjian-Loran-Gulmarg, used by the militants earlier from twin border Districts of Poonch and Rajouri to reach the Kashmir valley.

  The US media has pointed out that the attacks Mumbai on July 13 had all the markings of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). "Whatever the investigation uncovers -- and it's still very early -- one thing is clear: Those groups still operate despite international pressure on Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks of nearly three years ago," said the ProPublica report headlined 'Mumbai Attacks Renew Questions About Pakistan's Crackdown on Militants.' The latest attack "involved bombs planted in strategic locations, a recurring tactic used by Indian affiliates of Lashkar in recent years," it added. In the report, ProPublica's investigative journalist Sebastian Rotella said that during the past week, Pakistani leaders have criticised the Obama administration for ... withholding 800 million dollars in military aid." The latest Mumbai attacks "could also turn out to be part of that shadow-conflict.

  It has also been stated that "appears to have been carried out by associates of two Chicago terrorists (David Headley and Tahawwur Rana) convicted in June. "While no group has claimed responsibility, and the Indian Government has not blamed anyone, Wednesday's attack has all the markings of LeT, radical Pakistani terrorists who employed a pair of Chicago men as scouts and planners," it said. The report said the "coordinated explosions" in the jewellery and financial districts of Mumbai are "precisely the kinds of attacks that David Coleman Headley helped to plot for Pakistani terrorists. This latest assault was shorter, smaller and more precise, but no less unnerving." A report said that in the aftermath of the Mumbai explosions, "... some suspicions focused on Pakistan-based militant groups."

• July 12: The Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) 'spokesman' Muhammad Yahya Mujahid said that "the first condition to bring peace in Pakistan is prosperity." He further stated, "We believe security agencies of Pakistan should control the situation through any means, through negotiations, or any means. It is their duty to find a way for peace and, whatever they think is proper to keep peace in Pakistan, they should do it," he said, adding, "We believe in preaching through welfare," said Mujahid. "Pakistan should be a welfare state where people could get every basic necessity of life easily."

• July 7: Pakistan said it would give India the voice samples of the "criminals" accused in the Mumbai terror attacks of November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) within 24 hours after a court gives a go-ahead. "We want to bring the criminals behind 26/11 to justice. Action on voice samples will be taken in 24 hours after court gives a go-ahead," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said. India has been demanding voice samples of prime accused Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and others, who were giving instructions to the ten terrorists during the attack on November 26, 2008. A Rawalpindi court is hearing a case against Lakhvi and six of his accomplices, who have been charged with planning and facilitating the 26/11 strikes.

• July 6: Russia identified underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Harkat-ul-Jihad-ul-Islami (HuJI) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) as financiers of terrorism through money laundering. The list also recognises Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) as a cover used by LeT. The list, published by the Russian Government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta, said the purpose of publishing it was to help banks and general public while they are entering into normal financial and other deals, because the money launderers often use the normal channels in their activities like sale and purchase of a house.

  Altaf Ahmad Khan, said that it was a booby trap and "we failed to detect it on time." He added that the attack was well orchestrated aimed at multiple casualties. This is the fifth attack on the Police Station in 2011. Khan said that Police and Security Forces have killed 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in past three months, adding, "Now only five of them are left who are trying to assert themselves by such attacks." Of late, Sopore has been the transit point for militants who infiltrate from Kupwara and other sectors, sources added.

• July 5: The SFs conducted operations following a tip off about the presence of two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants at Model Town in the Sopore area of Baramulla District. "One of Abdullah Uni's [top LeT 'commander'] associates was spotted in the locality in the morning on a motorcycle. Following this a cordon and search operation was conducted. The operation started at 7:30am and was called off at around 1.45pm," Superintendent of Police (Sopore) Altaf Ahmad Khan said, adding, "There was no specific information about presence of Uni in Model Town. It was general information about presence of two militants. We conducted house to house searches for more than six hours and called it off when we couldn't find them."

• July 3 : The HuJI-B leaders and operatives named in the CID (Bangladesh) charge-sheet included Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam who later floated a new outfit called Islamic Democratic Party (IDP), Maulana Abdul Malek, Maulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid and Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Ratul Babu and Indian national and Pakistan- based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Abdul Majed Bhat.

  Further, the Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said the grenades used in the attack came from Pakistan. According to CID investigation, HuJI-B used grenades in several attacks before and after the August 21 attack from a cache it was supposed to transport to Jammu and Kashmir for LeT. The LeT high-ups in Pakistan had sent the cache to Bangladesh to despatch it to their men in Kashmir through Satkhira Border. The cache of 32 grenades, which the HuJI-B received in Chittagong, rested in Bangladesh for a while before those were used in different major attacks.

• July 1: One more cadre was killed as Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Sunni Tehreek (ST) cadres clashed to get control of Jamia Masjid Ummul Qura mosque, which belongs to Jama'at Ahl-e-Hadith, in Landhi area within the limits of the Landhi Police Station in Karachi.

• June 30: A White House report said that the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) posed serious threat to both India and the United States (US) and a global effort was required to eliminate its menace. "In South Asia Lashkar-e-Taiba, the organisation responsible for the rampage in Mumbai in 2008 that killed over 100 people, including six Americans constitutes a formidable terrorist threat to Indian, US, and other Western interests in South Asia and potentially elsewhere," the report observed.

  A Lahore High Court sought a "fresh and comprehensive" response from the Foreign Ministry to a petition by Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed asking it to direct the Government to defend him in a United States (US) lawsuit filed by relatives of victims of the 26/11. Justice Bandial adjourned the case till September 20. The Federal Government informed the High Court in a reply submitted by Deputy Attorney General Naseem Kashmiri on May 30 that it could not defend Saeed, a prime accused in the 26/11 attacks, in the US lawsuit. The Government's reply said it is defending Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) officials in the US court as the spy agency is an institute of the Government while the "JuD or its chief is not the part of the Government". "Therefore, the Government cannot provide legal assistance to him or his organisation," the reply stated. However, Saeed claimed in his petition that he heads the JuD, a "charitable organisation", and has no link with the LeT.

  A Police constable was injured as two militants hurled a grenade on a night Police patrol party near Nagnigarh Police post in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District. Police have launched searches for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) 'divisional commander' Habib Gujjar alias Salman and his associate Khurshid Ahmed in Nagnigarh forests where they had reportedly taken shelter after attacking the Police party.

• June 29: Prime Minister (PM) Manmohan Singh said that said that militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were offshoots of the Pakistani intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). PM also said that he would go to Pakistan but only when there was something "solid" that he could achieve as a result of the visit. "We have a very uncertain neighbourhood. A very uncertain international economic environment. We have to swim and keep our heads high," he observed.

• June 28: Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that his country would act against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (a front of the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed if India provided actionable evidence against him. Similarly, he articulated Islamabad's willingness to go after underworld don Dawood Ibrahim if there was proof of him living in Pakistan.

• June 26: Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Jama'at-e-Islami (JeI) leaders urged the masses to wage war against America and India if either country violates Pakistan's territorial sovereignty like in the Abbottabad operation of May 1 that killed Osama bin Laden. Addressing separate protest rallies, JuD chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed on Mall Road and JeI chief Syed Munawar Hasan on Multan Road said they were ready to fight the United States (US) and India for the protection of Pakistan.

  Hizbut Tawhid openly declares its publication named 'Dajjal' as "anti-Christ" and is spreading the content of this book, which is filled with hate speech against Christians, Jews and non-Muslims, via Facebook and other social networks. All such illegal activities are conducted from its headquarters in Dhaka. It also maintains close links with various Islamist militancy outfits including Taliban, Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT), Sipah-e-Sahaba, al-Qaeda etc. This group is funded by dubious Arab sources as well as some fanatic Muslims in the Muslim dominated nations in the world.

• June 25: SFs neutralized a hideout of LeT militants in the Bhata forest area of Kishtwar District and recovered arms and ammunition. The recoveries included three 12 bore rifles, one grenade launcher, one Chinese pistol along with 9 rounds of ammunition, one Pakistani pistol, one Chinese grenade, one Pakistani grenade, four UBGL grenades and 112 rounds of AK-47 rifle. A defense spokesman said, "The busting of the hideout has prevented these warlike stores failing into the hands of the surviving LeT militants, who are facing shortage of arms and ammunition and are looking out for the same".

  Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit runs a series of well-oiled courses for budding terrorists, ranging from religious indoctrination to military and intelligence training, which are aimed at boosting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American LeT operative and an accused in the 26/11, in his testimony during the recently-concluded trial of co-accused Tahawwur Rana provided an insight into the religious, military and intelligence training being imparted by the LeT. He told the court that he went for religious training by the LeT in 2002; the three-month operational military training in 2003; and the LeT leadership course in 2004. In between, he did a course in intelligence in 2003. "I did the basic -- the religious course in the beginning. I did a preliminary course, a military. And then I did the advanced course. Then I did the intelligence course. Then I did the anti-terrorist course. Then I did the leadership course. And that's it," Headley told the court in response to a question from the defence attorney. All these courses, he said, were directed towards fighting in Jammu and Kashmir.

  Headley told the court that LeT taught them "small unit tactics," for "conventional and guerrilla warfare" in both "urban and country settings," so that LeT terrorists could fight against the Indian Army. "And that was your aim, that you were going to fight in that battle?" he was asked. "That is correct", Headley responded. "They really didn't teach you ...in the intelligence course, the intelligence was designed to help you with that type of a battle, correct, fighting in the guerrilla war, so to speak?" he was asked. "No. The intelligence was a little different from that. That was geared toward living... small groups of Lashkar operatives that would go in and live inside of India. That was geared for that mainly," Headley said. "Small groups. Where were they going to live, in Kashmir or India itself?" the defence attorney asked. "In India or Kashmir, both," Headley said. "And do what type of work?" he was asked. "Surveillance or checking out some locations as well as VIPs or personnel," he said. After working for LeT for four-five years, Major Iqbal of the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), got in touch with him in 2006. "How do you know he was in ISI?" the defence attorney asked. "Because I had been introduced to him by a person who had met-who I had met inside a military cantonment in Landi Kotal," Headley said.

• June 23: Two LeT militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Chamraid in Bafliaz belt of Poonch District. Identity of the slain militants is yet to be ascertained. One of the slain militants is, however, of Pakistani origin. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included one AK rifle with seven magazines and 200 rounds, seven Chinese grenades, one UBGL grenade, two pouches, one compass, two pairs of shoes, one diary and some other incriminating documents.

• June 22: Troops launched a joint search operation at village Chamrerh in Thanna Mandi area falling under Dera Ki Gali (DKG) belt in Rajouri District following information about the movement of two LeT militants in the area. Both of them were foreign mercenaries of the LeT and were operating in twin border Districts of Rajouri and Poonch for past quite some time.

• June 21: JuD the frontal organisation of LeT warned India against "striking" Pakistan and asked it to hand over those involved in the Samjhauta Express train bombing of February 18, 2007. The 10-point declaration was adopted at the "Defence of Islam and Pakistan's Stability" conference organised by JuD at the Jamia-al-Dirasat Islamia seminary in Karachi. It called for the US to be declared an enemy of Pakistan and warned the Government against releasing Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh.

  The declaration also warned India against "striking" Pakistan and asked it to hand over those involved in the 2007 Samjhauta Express train bombing February 18, 2007, in which 68 people were killed, mostly Pakistanis. It also warned the people about alleged attempts by India, Israel and the US to destabilise Pakistan and called for unity among citizens to defend the country. Among those who addressed the gathering was senior JuD leader Abdur Rehman Makki, who contended the situation in Pakistan was "not as bad as the local and Western media says".

• June 20: Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna added that the issue of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley's revelations about the terror links of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) would also be raised when the foreign secretaries of the two countries would on June 23.

• June 19: Pakistani-American operative of the militant outfit LeT had testified before a 12-member jury of a Chicago court that some Indian nationals living in Karachi were willing to work with LeT to carry out terror attacks in India. Apparently, Headley was referring to the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is based in the port city of Pakistan.

• June 16: Two LeT militants were killed in an encounter with SFs in Hamla forest range of Handwara area in Kupwara District. Two rifles and other war like stores were recovered from the encounter site.

• June 15: Police said militancy had almost been wiped out in Jammu and there were only a handful of militants active in the province. Inspector General of Police (Jammu range) Dilbag Singh said that there were only 13 militants left in Jammu region. Of the 13, six are left in Banihal area of Ramban District - two militants Basharat and Qadir belonging to the LeT and HM are active along with two associates each. Another five militants are left in Kishtwar District and two more in Doda District.

• June 14: In the wake of recent attempts being made from across the LoC by the militants to infiltrate into the Indian Territory, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army's Northern Command Lieutenant General K T Parnaik said, "Around 16 training camps still exists in PoK and we are fully prepared to foil any attempts being made by the neighboring country to create any disturbance in State". On number of militants of various outfits functional in these bordering belts, he stated, "Twenty-seven militants associated with LeT, HUJI and HM are still active in Rajouri and Poonch Districts".

  The militants of the Pakistan based terrorist group LeT used videos of the 2002 Gujarat riots to motivate David Coleman Headley, a co-accused in the Mumbai terror attacks case (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11), to carry out "jihad" against India. This fact came to light through Headley's testimony before the Chicago court in May 2011.

• June 10: United States Department of Justice said in a press release that Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Husain Rana was convicted of providing material support to the proscribed Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as well as conspiring to stage a terrorist strike against Copenhagen. Rana was, however, acquitted of charges that he played a direct role in the November 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai (also known as 26/11). The 50-year-old Chicago resident now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in jail.

  Security Forces (SFs) killed two militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Javed Ahmed alias Hurera (commander) and Akhter Hussain alias Mubassir along Wanipora Nullah, in Sajjan area of Doda District. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included one AK-47 rifle, one .303 rifle, three magazines, 68 rounds, two mobile handsets, one radio set, wire and some explosive material. Some fake currency was also recovered from the spot.

• June 9: Pakistani-Canadian operative of the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Tahawwur Hussain Rana was acquitted by a US court on charges of abetting Mumbai terror attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) but was convicted for providing material support to LeT and helping a terror plot in Denmark. The 12-member jury announced the verdict at the end of two days of deliberations against 50-year-old Rana, a co-accused in the Mumbai attack with his friend, the Pakistani-American national, David Coleman Headley. Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined and remains in federal custody without bond, a US Justice Department statement said. No sentencing date was set.

• June 8: The 12-member jury of a federal court in Chicago held deliberations on the Pakistani-Canadian national Tahawwur Hussein Rana, charged with involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks(November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11), planning a similar strike in Denmark and providing material support to Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). If convicted on the three counts, Rana, faces a possible life sentence.

  Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda said, "There are reports of presence of some 'commanders' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Sopore and adjoining areas. In coming days anti-militancy operations will be intensified in the area."

• June 7: Pointing at the Inter Services Intelligence's (ISI's) direct involvement in providing arms to militants in Jammu and Kashmir, Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian accused in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11), has told FBI that ISI gives weapons to terrorists when they are about to enter the Indian territory. In the interrogation video played for the first time during his trial, Rana knowing well that his statements could be used against him during the trial, told FBI investigators that Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley had told him ISI provided weapons to "freedom fighters" in Jammu and Kashmir. When asked about ISI and weapons, and Headley's role, Rana said, "No guns but now obviously it's, uh, a freedom fight... in Kashmir. I think he said ISI gives them weapons." "When he says, when they (terrorists) are about to enter into India. So, at that very moment, when they say bye bye to each other... ISI at that time gives them, you know, guns," Rana told the investigators. Rana also told the FBI that Headley was affiliated with both ISI and Lashkar-Taiba (LeT) and had also met Ilyas Kashmiri, leader of Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), who according to media reports was killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan Agency on June 3.

  It has been revealed that a photograph purporting to show Kashmiri after his death - which was posted along with a statement from HuJI on the Shamukh al-Islam jihadist Internet forum - was actually a picture of Abu Dera Ismail Khan, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant killed during the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11). Kashmiri, 46, has a thick beard and lost an eye while fighting in the Afghan jihad. The photo released by the HuJI shows a man who also appears to be missing an eye but is clean-shaven. Arif Rafiq, editor of The Pakistan Policy Blog, pointed out that the Urdu statement issued on June 4 about Kashmiri's reported death had misspelt the HuJI's name twice. US intelligence officials said they could not confirm if Kashmiri was killed in the drone strike in South Waziristan on June 3.

  Pakistan rejected calls by the United States (US) to prosecute Intelligence officers and top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders indicted by a Federal Court for their role in the November 2008 Mumbai attack (also known as 26/11). In meetings conducted in May 2011 with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Pakistani officials said that action against the LeT could spark off a war within Pakistan. "They said there were thousands, of trained cadre with the Lashkar who would become impossible to control if their leaders were arrested," a source revealed, adding, "Instead, they said they would maintain strict watch over the LeT, and slowly work to dismantle its military capabilities."

• June 6: From a confidential cable dated August 21, 2009 sent by the American Embassy in Beijing to Washington, it has come to light that Chinese authorities had place a technical hold on an Indian request to impose sanctions on three high-ranking Pakistan-based operatives of the Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). According to the cable, the Indian request to list three militants, namely, Abdul Rahman Makki (brother of LeT/JuD leader Hafiz Saeed and the number two man in the LeT hierarchy), Azam Cheema (LeT intelligence chief and a key advisor of its senior leader Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi) and Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi (the founder of the JeM) under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 was vetoed by China on the grounds of lack of sufficient information to merit such action. According to the U.S. State Department, China's hold on listing the three terrorists was done at the behest of Pakistan.

• June 5: Latest census conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police shows 325 militants are currently present across Kashmir. And of them, 119 are active - the lowest figure ever since militancy erupted in the state in 1990. While 168 are local militants, 134 are foreign national, majority of them associated with LeT.

• June 4: LeT, an "extremely capable" terror group with a sophisticated regional network continues to plan its operations from within Pakistan, a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said, warning that militant safe havens inside that country pose greatest threat to American national security. "Despite international condemnation for its November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, LeT continues to plan regional operations from within Pakistan. LeT is an extremely capable terrorist organisation with a sophisticated regional network," the Government Accountability Office said in its 51-page report. In the report titled 'Combating Terrorism: US Government Should Improve Its Reporting on Terrorist Safe Havens', the GAO said al Qaeda and other groups such as the Haqqani network used the FATA to launch attacks in Afghanistan, plan operations worldwide, train, recruit and disseminate propaganda. "It (LeT) continues to view American interests as legitimate targets. While the Government of Pakistan has banned LeT, it needs to take further action against this group and its front organisations, which find safe haven within Pakistan," it added.

• June 3: Identity of the Pakistani militant killed in Sopore of Baramulla District has been revealed as the 'district commander' of LeT.

  Pakistan-based militant group blamed for the assault on Mumbai could also pose a threat to the United States, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said. Napolitano, who visited India, last week for talks on anti-terrorism, renewed her assertion that LeT, was in the same league as al Qaeda in US eyes. "LeT is a potent terrorist organisation. It could be construed as a threat to the United States. It certainly is to India," Napolitano said. "It is al Qaeda-like in its strength and organisation," she said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think-tank.

  Three LeT militants, including one from Pakistan, were killed in an encounter with SFs on in Sopore town of Baramulla District. The militants were identified as Pakistani national Abdullah Babu, Saiful Ghazzali and Ghulam Nabi Dar. Three AK rifles, six magazines and three RPG boosters have so far been recovered by the SFs.

• June 2: SFs neutralised a LeT hideout and recovered explosives in Kopra Top area in Thanna Mandi of Rajouri District. Recoveries include 10 destroyed grenades, 1.5 grams black powder (suspected to be explosive) and a shawl.

• June 1: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that most of the aspects of LeT operative David Coleman Headley's ongoing deposition before a Chicago court were known to the Government. "Except one or two pieces of information, the rest had been brought to my notice by the National Investigation Agency team which had interrogated David Headley," Chidambaram said.

  Also, the India Government said that no decision has so far been taken on its joining a lawsuit in New York filed by relatives of the victims of 26/11 terror attack accusing Pakistan's spy agency ISI and terror outfit LeT founder Hafiz Saeed for their involvement in the Mumbai carnage.

• May 31: The leadership of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Agency was not involved in planning the 2008 Mumbai attacks (also known as 26/11), self-confessed plotter David Coleman Headley testified. Headley, who pleaded guilty to 12 terror charges arising out of the attacks on India's financial capital and other unrealised plots, testified that no more than a handful of ISI agents were involved in the Mumbai plot. This revelation stood contrary to Headley's previous testimonies that claimed the ISI worked closely with the banned militant outfit LeT and detailed his relationship with an ISI handler identified as Major Iqbal. However, Headley's testimony supports Pakistan's assertion that the ISI's involvement was limited to a handful of rogue agents.

  A diplomatic cable sent under the name of United States (US) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton states that despite public disavowals, "some officials of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate continue to maintain ties with a wide array of extremist organizations," in particular the Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The cable, dated December 30, 2009 was sent to five US Embassies, including that of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It says these organisations exploit Pakistan's network of charities, non-governmental organisations and madrasas (religious seminaries), which provide them with "recruits, funding and infrastructure to plan new attacks." Clinton accuses Pakistan of seeking to block the listing of Pakistan based terrorists as well as "affiliated" terrorists nominated for blocking by India under the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1267.

  Further, the cable also focussed on the check of illegal finance flows into Pakistan and Afghanistan from some Gulf countries, which was also marked to American Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It states that "donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide." The country is described as a "critical financial support base for al Qaeda, the Taliban, LeT, and other terrorist outfits, including Hamas, which probably raises millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during Hajj and Ramadan."

  Pakistan is home to a large number of militant outfits and can be broadly divided into five groups, one of which specifically targets India and Kashmir that gets the maximum support from the establishment, quoting a United States (US) Congressional report. India and Kashmir-oriented militants, especially the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Harakat ul-Mujahideen (HuM), are based in both the Punjab province and in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

• May 30: The Federal Government on refused to defend Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in a United States (US) court which summoned him, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief and some other Pakistan officials on a lawsuit filed by relatives of Americans killed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks (also known as 26/11). The refusal was made in a reply submitted by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the Lahore High Court (LHC) on a petition of Saeed, who had sought legal assistance from the Government. The reply said that the Government was defending the State institution, ISI, before the US court and that Saeed and his organisation were not a part of it.

  American national Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and Rivka had been killed in 2008 Mumbai attacks. The couple's son, Moshe, and others had filed nine claims against Hafiz Saeed being the patron of the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Azam Cheema, Sajid Majid as well as the ISI, its former Director General Nadeem Taj and ISI chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

• May 30: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) detectives disregarded multiple warnings that the Pakistani-American David Headley was working with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) - two of which came from his own wives. The FBI, intelligence sources said, instead chose to believe Headley's claims that he had only made contact with the jihadist (Holy warrior) group to further his work as a counter-narcotics informant. FBI officials, the sources said, were long aware of Headley's links with jihadists in Pakistan's north-west, and even interviewed him for information in the weeks after 9/11. But they believed Headley was working for the United States' Drug Enforcement Agency, which he developed a relationship with, after being arrested in 1988 for smuggling heroin from Pakistan. In 1997 Headley was arrested by the DEA again, and this time secured his freedom by becoming a key informant. In a 1998 letter, prosecutors said he "helped the DEA infiltrate the very close-knit Pakistani narcotics dealing community in New York."

• May 27: Security Forces (SFs) neutralised a hideout of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit and recovered a cache of ammunition and explosive material in Bhalna area of Keshwan forest belt of Kishtwar District. The hideout was used by the LeT 'district commander' Habib Gujjar alias Salman, official sources said. Recoveries made from the hideout included one Chinese origin grenade, 140 rounds of AK-47, three blankets, one bed sheet, three glasses, two cooking utensils and a jerricane filled with water.

  During the trial of Tahawwur Hussein Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian national accused of involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11), his accomplice and co-accused, David Coleman Headley testified that Pakistani Navy, at the behest of the Pakistan intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had trained the 26/11 terrorists. Highly placed Government officials said this was extremely significant in the light of intelligence inputs from Indian agencies in September 2006 that ISI was facilitating training of close to 150 LeT operatives in sea guerrilla warfare.

  Two foreign militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Omais and Qari Anas, were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Nowpora Kalan of Sopore in Baramulla District.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and the visiting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, committed their Governments to comprehensive sharing of information on the Mumbai terror attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) in New Delhi reports PTI. Napolitano said that the U.S. had given India "full access" to David Coleman Headley, the U.S.-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative of Pakistani origin who played a key role in the Mumbai attacks. Referring to the threat posed by the Pakistan based militant outfit LeT she said, "I think, in my judgment, the LeT ranks right up there in the al-Qaeda and related groups as terrorist organisations, one that seeks to harm people and takes innocent lives. Our perspective, the U.S. perspective, is LeT is very, very, I do not want to say, important as that gives it too much credibility, but an organisation that is of the same ranking as al-Qaeda-related groups."

• May 26: SFs recovered the body of a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant from Shatigam Ganai village of Handwara in Kupwara District.

  Meanwhile, an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of LeT, identified as Showkat Ahmad Khan allegedly involved in the murder of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Aziz on August 11, 2008, was arrested nearby Kansipora locality in Baramulla District.

  On the fourth day of the trial in Chicago in US, Mumbai terror attack (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) co-accused (along with the Pakistani- Canadian national Tahawwur Hussein Rana), Pakistani- American national David Coleman Headley testified that he had attended over 50 training sessions with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He confessed of having received espionage] training from the ISI. Other important details revealed by Headley were as follows: A Pakistani Navy man was present during discussions with his ISI handler Major Iqbal on landing sites and arrival of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists by sea.

  Sajid Mir, the LeT commander of transnational operations, had overall control of the tactical planning of the operation, and issued directions to the attackers using Internet and satellite phone links. He was instrumental in the decision that the assault team would fight until its members were killed, and personally ordered the execution of two hostages held at Mumbai's Chabad House.

  LeT 'supreme commander' Hafiz Muhammad Saeed told the 10-member assault team, which attacked Mumbai in November 2008, that "being shot would feel like a pinprick, bloodstains would be like rose petals, and that angels would come down to take their souls."

  Muzammil Bhat, a long-standing veteran of the LeT's operations in Jammu and Kashmir, was responsible for training the assault teams to the high standards needed to execute Mir's plans.

  Rana told co-accused Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, in a September 2009 conversation, that the nine LeT operatives, who died in the attack, deserved the Nishan-e-Haider - Pakistan's highest military honour. Headley and Rana also discussed plans for future operations during the conversation, which was being secretly recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

• May 25: Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley who scouted targets for the attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) testified about conversations he had with a Chicago based Pakistan born businessman Tahawwur Rana accused of helping the attackers and providing support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a retired Pakistan military officer Abdur Rehman, known as 'Pasha'. Headley said that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate and elements in Pakistan's military coordinated with Lashkar and other Pakistan militants. Headley told the US District Court jury about secretly recorded telephone conversations he had with Rana and Pasha.

  The Pakistani-American national David Coleman Headley revealed that militants who perpetrated the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) were guided on telephone by their Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) handlers who were watching the carnage live on TV from Pakistan. This revelation came during the testimony of Headley in a Chicago District Court on the third day of the trial. Headley told the court that his LeT handler Sajid Mir, who was in Karachi during the Mumbai attack, was in contact with the attackers via phone and he was watching TV coverage of the siege and seeing what was going on in India.

  A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Mohammad Ishaq Lone alias Munazil, was killed and a 'district commander', Habib Gujjar alias Abu Salman, was injured in an encounter with the Security forces (SFs) at Loharpura forests in Doda District, bordering Keshwan forests of Kishtwar District. The SFs also arrested, Saima Bano (24), a female associate of Munazil, who was on the run along with Habib Gujjar since May 16, after the killing of a civilian Abdul Gani at Kuwath in Keshwan area for supporting a candidate in Panchayat (village level local self-government institution) polls. Recoveries included two Chinese grenades, two AK rifle magazines, 10 rounds of AK, one pouch, one dagger, batteries, diaries and incriminating documents of the LeT outfit.

• May 24: Security Forces (SFs) continued search for three top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants at Dera Ki Gali in Poonch District, after the killing of a LeT militant, identified as 'commander', Sohail alias Abu Umar alias Khan Jangwani in a gun battlle. The absconding militants are Abu Zarar and Mujahid alias Chota Huzefa. Identity of their third militant hasn't been established. During searches SFs recovered one AK-56 rifle, four magazines, 60 rounds, three Chinese grenades, one wireless set, one dairy, one pouch and incriminating documents of LeT outfit.

  Fresh evidence in the form of e-mails emerged during the trial of the Pakistani-American Laskhar-e-Taiba(LeT) operative David Coleman Headley which showed that Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate played a key role in funding and organising the Mumbai terror attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11). According to reports Prosecutors in Chicago filed e-mail correspondence between Headley and a serving Pakistani intelligence officer he knew as Major Iqbal - documents which will add to the growing global concern over the ISI's links with terrorist groups. Further e-mail filed in the Chicago court, showed that ISI routed the funds through city businessman Tahawwur Rana.

  Meanwhile, Headley said that there was a plot involving his handlers in ISI and LeT to assassinate Shiv Sena party Chief Bal Thackeray.

• May 23: Pakistani-American national David Coleman Headley, an accused in the Mumbai terror attack case (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) said in a court in Chicago in US that militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI had coordinated with each other in orchestrating the 26/11 attacks. The testimony by Headley, a star prosecution witness, came as the trial of the Mumbai attack co-accused and his long-time friend Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian of Pakistani origin, opened at Chicago's Dirksen Federal Building. Headley said that he had first started training in Pakistan more than a decade ago with the LeT. Headley also said the LeT boss, Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the November 2008 attack that killed 166 persons, motivated him for carrying out a 'jihad.' Saeed told him that the satisfaction of one second of 'jihad' is equal to "100 years of worship."

  David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirator of 2008 Mumbai attacks, testified that Pakistani militant groups got assistance from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The trial of businessman Tahawwur Rana is being closely watched worldwide, for what testimony might reveal about suspected links between the Pakistani militant group blamed in the rampage on India's city Mumbai in 2008 and Pakistan's main intelligence agency, which has been under increased scrutiny since Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces on May 2 outside Islamabad. Rana is accused of providing cover for Headley by allowing him to use his Chicago-based immigration services business as a cover when he travelled to India. Headley, Rana's long-time friend from boarding school, told jurors on Monday that he received weapons and leadership training with the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) since 2000 and it was his understanding that LeT and ISI coordinated with each other in general. He did not immediately give any specifics.

  A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was killed while three others were trapped, one of them in an injured condition, after an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at village Soni, north of Dera Ki Gali between Thanna Mandi and Bafliaz in Poonch District.

• May 22: Security Forces (SFs) arrested two Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) from Bebli village in Doda District on May 22. The OGWs were identified as Farooq Ahmed, brother of LeT 'commander' Hurera and Zafarullah Malik.

• May 20: Security Forces (SFs) arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Zabbar, who was instrumental in the killing of a civilian (Abdul Gani) at Kawath in Chatroo area of Kishtwar District on May 16.

• May 19: Among other revelations made by Wikileaks, it was reported that United States officials were worried about the possibility that the top three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants arrested by Pakistan in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks( November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) could be acquitted and let free by the court for want of evidence. They had complained that New Delhi was at fault in this, as despite repeated interventions by the U.S. government at "several levels," it had not shared "certified evidence" with Pakistan.

  Further, it was reported that the United States had "credible reports" that the LeT was planning another attack in India and asked Pakistan to disrupt those plans. The U.S. also warned that if such an attack happened, it could "hinder" Washington's efforts to provide military and non-military aid to Islamabad.

• May 18: Security Forces (SFs) arrested 10 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) from different villages for helping Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants.

• May 17: Police arrested four persons, including three ex-militants, identified as Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat alias Muza, belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Irfan Ahmad Gazi alias Raju, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant and Azad Ahmad Wani, a Pakistan trained militant, in connection with drug peddling in Baramulla District.

  The Government Railway Police (GRP) have been put on high alert following threatening letters, written in Hindi, and received by the station superintendents of Karnal and Yamunanagar railway stations in Haryana on May 17. The sender identified himself as Karim Ansari, an 'area commander' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Besides threatening to blow up the two railway stations, the letter also said that terrorists would target Jammu to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden. Although GRP authorities did not rule out the possibility of the letters being the handiwork of miscreants masquerading as militants, they made an additional deployment of forces on the two stations.

• May 16: A civilian, identified as Abdul Gani (50), was abducted and killed by three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in Kawath area of Chatroo in Kishtwar District on May 16, which is scheduled to go to Panchayat (village level local self-government institution) polls on May 21. The three militants involved in killing were identified as Habib Gujjar alias Salman, Ishaq Ahmed and Khursheed Ahmed. Reports said Gani had headed Kawath Panchayat previously but this time he was not contesting the election.

  Separately, a LeT militant, identified as Abu Maad, was killed and a trooper injured in an encounter in Zaloora village in Sopore area of Baramulla District.

  The trial of Pakistani-Canadian national Tahawwur Rana, who is accused with his accomplice David Coleman Headley for the Mumbai terror attacks (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11), began in Chicago in US. Rana, is accused of helping Headley to scout targets for the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for the Mumbai attack that left 166 people, including six Americans, dead.

• May 13: Militants in Jammu and Kashmir have adopted a new strategy to divert attention of Security Forces (SFs) from their 'top commanders' by spreading false news of their death. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has unleashed propaganda that its 'top commander' of Rajouri-Poonch border region, Abu Huzefa, along with another 'commander' Osama against whom SFs have launched several operations, were drowned in Suran river in Poonch District, a senior police officer said. The intelligence agencies feel it is an attempt by the LeT to mislead the SFs.

• May 11: One of LeT's most important leaders who was indicted by the United Sates (US) Treasury Department for the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings, Arif Qasmani, is trying to acquire biological weapons and anthrax through his al-Qaida links. The interrogation report of a Pakistani businessman and Guantánamo Bay detainee, Saifullah Paracha, has revealed that LeT was in touch with a US-based "al-Qaeda anthrax operative'' as it tried to acquire weapons of mass destruction. 

  Qasmani is among the four persons whose assets had been frozen by the US for their alleged involvement in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts. The US notification, in fact, had said that Qasmani also facilitated the Samjhauta blast in 2007. Paracha, a businessman from Sargodha, revealed to the US authorities in 2008 that LeT's Qasmani might have been discussing ways to acquire biological weapons and anthrax with a US based pharmacist, Nazmut Tariq, identified also as an al-Qaeda operative.

• May 11: LeT militant named as ‘D’ , charge sheeted by FBI on the 26/11 Mumbai attack is now  identified as Muuzzammil Bhat (from Jammu and Kashmir), a key LeT ‘commander’, who was involved in Chittisinghpora massacre in Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of President Bill Clinton's visit to India in March 2000. Bhat is absconding and in the absence of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, he is handling operations for LeT. In its second charge sheet, filed in Chicago court, FBI named an Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) official Major Iqbal and four LeT operatives - Sajid Majeed, Abu Qahafa, Abu Alqama and the earlier unknown LeT militant ‘D’. According to FBI, ‘D’, who is yet to be arrested by Pakistan, was a handler of David Coleman Headley. Headley told Indian investigators that Muzzammil was involved in the Chittisinghpora massacre. He also revealed that Muzzammil was most trustworthy lieutenant of Lakhvi and apart from Chittisinghpora killings of Sikhs, he planned the Akshardham temple attack in September 2002.

• May 10: US Ambassador in India, Timothy Roemer, denied that his country viewed the terror attacks in New York (9/1) and in Mumbai (26/11) differently. Roemer also made it clear that Pakistan was required to do much more on its own soil to wipe out terror and pointed out that the US was mounting pressure on Pakistan to do more on terror and also target the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) apart from the al-Qaeda. The US ambassador also talked about the initiatives taken up by the US to help India. "We are now working to help upgrade forensics capabilities of India and exploring possibilities of setting up a new national counter terrorism centre here to prevent terrorist attacks in the future," he said.

• May 10: Referring to the revelations made Wikileaks based on statements made by the Guantanamo Bay detainees, that the Delhi based religious organisation Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) is under increasing suspicion for having links with the international Islamist militant outfit al-Qaeda. According to the Guantanamo Bay files al-Qaeda members at various times had used the network of TJ and often posed as missionaries to access visas to Pakistan and other destinations, and used the Jamaat's premises as shelter. The names of al Qaeda militants like Hamir Mohammed (a Sudani national and also a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadre), Muhammed Sulayman Barre (a Somali national), Abdul Bukhary (citizen of Saudi Arabia) came up in the reports.

• May 9: Police have unearthed a module of militant outfits, which was engaged in providing SIM cards of different mobile companies to the militants in Surankote and other parts of Poonch District for past quite sometime. Police has arrested six members of the gang. The arrested persons have been identified as Waqar Ahmed and Pawaq Mujeed, both brothers, Rashid Ahmed and Imran Ahmed, all residents of Surankote, Khalid Quraishi of Faisalabad and Tahir Khan of Gounthal in Poonch District. All these SIM cards were meant for the militants of LeT and HM outfits, sources said.

  The LeT and HM, who are finding lack of volunteers and local support in the State, and even guides to escort the infiltrating parties into Indian Territory, have revised compensation for the local guides, who are now being offered nearly INR1.5 lakh for each successful infiltration as compared to INR 50,000 given earlier. 

  May 8: The central intelligence agencies suggested that nearly 80 hard-core militants of LeT and HM are waiting to cross the International Border (IB) into India through Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, inputs indicate that Pakistan-based militant outfits are planning to send “probing missions” into several areas of the country to find out where they could appoint their over ground workers (OGWs) and also pass information about the activities of Indian security forces to their handlers.

• May 8: Fresh set of American diplomatic cables released revealed that the Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) facilitated militants to cross the India-Pakistan border to carry out strikes on Indian targets chosen by the Pakistan Army. This information came out of interrogation reports of several detainees at the Guantanamo Bay facility held captive by the U.S authorities. The interrogation reports quoted a detainee as saying that the ISI “allowed” militants to travel to India where they conducted bombings, kidnappings and killing of Kashmiri people. The disclosures are part of 779 interrogation reports from the facility of detainees from all over the world and show how a number of them were linked to the anti-Indian outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and had received terror training in Pakistan. The reports quote detainees from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Pakistan as telling interrogators about their recruitment and subsequent travelling to Pakistan for terror training before their actual deployment for launching attacks against India and Afghanistan.

• May 4: India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai terror attacks, has emerged as the world's second most wanted man, next only to a Mexican drug lord, after the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.  According to reports, like bin Laden, Ibrahim "may well be based in Pakistan."  "The most wanted man in India heads up a 5,000-strong organised crime network called the D-Company that is involved in everything from drugs trafficking to contract killing in Pakistan, India and the UAE," the report said. According to Washington reports, Dawood uses the same smuggling routes as al Qaeda, and has worked with both the mother organisation and its off-shoot Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

  US ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said that Pakistan must do more in terms of progress and results in the trial of Mumbai terror attack (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) case. "Pakistan must do more in terms of its overall approach to (terrorist) groups not only like al-Qaida but also Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terrorist group with more regional and international reach. They (terrorists) killed scores of Indians (in the 26/11 attack), they killed six Americans. It (Pakistan) must do more, making sure that people like (LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman) Lakhvi stay in prison," Roemer was quoted saying.

• May 3: Tanveer Ahmed, the militant who was living with the false identity of Zamaan Shah in the Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District revealed that he was not only in touch with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HM ‘commanders’ within the State but in different other cities also including Mumbai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Sources said Tanveer was likely to be used by the HM ‘commanders’ for transportation of arms and explosives to another State for carrying out blasts. Investigations have also revealed that Tanveer Ahmed alias Zamaan Shah had used at least 100 SIM cards to inter-act with different militant commanders within and outside the State as well as Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). As reported earlier, Tanveer Ahmed had confessed before the Police of his original identity.

  Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, said that the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden would not mean the end of terror and India would have to be "very vigilant" until Pakistan dismantled terror infrastructure within its territory."The terrorist organizations that threaten us like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizb-ul -Mujahideen (HM) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to threaten India and plot against India. As long as Pakistan entertains these terror outfits and does not dismantle the terror infrastructure, we will have to be very vigilant," Chidambaram was quoted saying.

• May 2: Chief Judicial Magistrate Doda, Ashok Kumar rejected the bail application of Over Ground Worker of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Nallah Bharat in Doda District.

• May 1: Security Forces (SFs) arrested two top militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Zulfiqar Ahmed and Aniece, from Snehi area Surankote in Poonch District. One of the militants had returned from Gulf only five months back. While Zulfiqar Ahmed was a contractor, having taken some contracts in Doda District, Aniece had started working for him after his return from the Gulf nations about five months back. On the basis of their confession, SFs neutralised a hideout in the fields of Khanetar Top in Poonch and recovered 207 rounds of Pika, one round of Rocket Projectile Gun (RPG), one Global Positioning Set (GPS), one pouch, one tool box and other ammunition, documents and other belongings of the militants.

  Further, a self styled ‘district commander’ of LeT and a Delhi resident were among 14 persons arrested under Public Safety Act (PSA) in Anantnag District. An unnamed Police spokes person said that self styled ‘district commander’ of LeT Firdous Ahmad Peer alias Jana Peer alias Chottu was arrested on April 30 along with three others. During the past one week, Police arrested seven people, four LeT militants and three members of fake currency racket, spokesperson added.

  Meanwhile, the militant commanders of LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits have used a new modus operandi to smuggle weapons into the Indian territory from the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch District, according to Daily Excelsior. Official sources confirmed that the women, putting up in the villages across the fencing in Mendhar sector of Poonch, had helped the militants pick up the consignments of weapons from near the LoC and shift them to surrounding forest areas from where they were taken away by couriers of the ultras for further deliveries.

• April 29: Western powers must be firm with Pakistan about its need to crack down on extremists, but there is no alternative to continuing to work with Islamabad, British Member of Parliament (MP) David Miliband said. Miliband voiced alarm at the influence inside Pakistani society of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). “We should be engaging with Pakistan” he said at the Council on Foreign Relations. Pakistan needs to do more to hold assailants for the Mumbai attack accountable and if Lashkar-e-Taiba is expanding its reach, “then we need to be even more insistent on the need to roll up that infrastructure,” he said. But Miliband called on the US along with the South Asian nation’s neighbours to keep trying to engage both politically and economically. “One of the most chilling things I’ve heard and read over the last few months is that America has a choice about whether or not to sever its links with Pakistan. Because if you think it difficult, frustrating, enervating, dangerous dealing with Pakistan at the moment as a partner, try fulfilling your own interests in South Asia without Pakistan as a partner,” he said.

• April 29: Former British foreign secretary David Miliband said that Pakistan was not doing enough to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11) to justice.  "I am the politician who went to Islamabad in January 2009 and said, without fear or favour, in respect to the Mumbai bombings, those people need to be put on trial and if they are prosecuted, they need to be punished. And I still say publicly, not enough has been done to bring those trials to a conclusion," he said at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington-based think tank. "On the one hand I say we should be engaging with Pakistan. On the other hand, I feel comfortable in speaking very plainly about the responsibilities that they have. It it's true that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is developing global ambitions for its terrorism and its own capacity to do so, as well as regional ones, we have to be even more insistent on the need to roll up that infrastructure," Miliband added.

• April 27: The files of every Pakistani detainee held at Guantanamo Bay were released by WikiLeaks which reveal the linkages between political and religious leaders calling on Pakistanis to join the ‘jihad’ (holy war) in Afghanistan. In their assessments, detainees pointed to public speeches made at rallies by Jama’at-e-Islami (JI) leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Jama’at Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman. In one detainee’s file, JUI was assessed to be a ‘terrorist organisation’ that operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  Qazi and Fazl were cited as holding “organised public rallies for the purpose of soliciting supporters and volunteers to participate in the jihad against the United States (US) and Northern Alliance”. While most detainees appeared to have been recruited by the Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), others had gone to Afghanistan to look for work and were recruited by the Taliban as cooks and drivers. One detainee said he had decided to “leave for jihad in Afghanistan after hearing Mufti Atique speak in Karachi in late September 2001”. The role of the alleged ‘rogue’ Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) units in detaining suspects at Guantánamo Bay and in the fighting in Afghanistan has been stated by several detainees. Another detainee Ziaul Shah told authorities that his direct supervisor in the Afghan Taliban was a man named Qari Saleem, who may have been Qari Saleem Ahmed, the commander of the Punjab Chapter of Taliban in Kunduz city of northern Afghanistan. He was reportedly arrested around 1999 for being a member of the Harkatul Mujahideen (HM), HuJI and LeT with “connections to subversive elements of the ISI”.

• April 26: Four more Pakistani conspirators have been charged by US prosecutors with carrying out the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In a second superseding indictment filed by the federal prosecutors before a court in Chicago, the four were identified as Sajid Mir, Mazhar Iqbal, Abu Qahafa and one by the name of 'Major Iqbal'. Besides, the indictment mentioned an unnamed individual "Lashkar Member D." All are residents of Pakistan. The four persons identified were previously mentioned but not named in the indictments that charged Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley and Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana in connection with the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people, including six Americans. Sajid Mir was associated with LeT and supervised others linked with the outfit. He served as a "handler" for Headley, who has confessed to his involvement in Mumbai attacks, and others who were directed to carry out actions relating to planning, preparing for and carrying out the terrorist strikes on behalf of LeT. While Abu Qahafa was an associate with LeT who trained others in combat techniques for use in terrorist attacks Mazhar Iqbal and 'Lashkar Member D' were LeT commanders. An individual known as 'Major Iqbal' participated in planning and funding attacks carried out by LeT in Mumbai, federal prosecutors said. According to the indictment, Sajid Mir, Abu Qahafa and Mazhar Iqbal conspired with each other, Headley, 'Lashkar Member D' and others known and unknown to the grand jury, to deliver, place, discharge and detonate explosives and other lethal devices in, into and against places of public use, state and government facilities, public transportation systems and infrastructure facilities in India.

• April 25: The Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) ‘chief’ Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, mastermind of the 26/11 attacks, claimed India cannot prove his organisation's link to the 2008 terror strike and accused the Pakistan Government of succumbing to pressure from India and the US. Saeed, who is the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which carried out the Mumbai attack, said India had sent a 400-page report to the Pakistani Government in an attempt to substantiate its claims but had failed to do so, Saeed said. India cannot prove JuD's link to Mumbai attacks, he said.

• April 20: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) got 25 days more to complete further investigation into one of the two cases filed for the grenade attacks on Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004. With this, the CID has been given 21 months and 10 days in nine phases for investigating the case filed under the Explosive Substances Act. Meanwhile, the murder case filed for the August 21 grenade attack is now pending with the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka. The former State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar, Dhaka City Corporation Ward Councilor Ariful Islam Arif, Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Abdul Majid Butt alias Abu Yusuf Butt, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) leader Maulana Abdur Rouf and four others were shown arrested following further investigation into the cases.

• April 19: Reports indicate that, top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HM militants have started moving towards mountains, including Pir Panjal Range, ahead of the summer facing threats to their lives in low lying belt as local people have started refusing shelter to them. The militants are shifting their hideouts from plain areas of Kishtwar, Doda, Banihal, Ramban, Mahore, Gool and parts of Poonch and Rajouri Districts towards mountainous areas including Pir Panjal Range, which is known as comparatively safer area for the militants in summer.

• April 18: Security Forces (SFs) detected and neutralised a powerful five kilogrammes weight pressure cooker Improvised Explosive Device (IED), filled with RDX, at Bhati Dhar in Mendhar area of Poonch District. The search operation was launched following a specific input that a consignment meant for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants has been dumped there. Besides a powerful pressure cooker IED, filled with RDX, other recoveries made from the spot included two Pakistan made pistols with two magazines and two rounds, 180 AK rounds, four grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), one pouch and some belongings of the militants.

• April 16: Police arrested three alleged killers of Maulana Showkat Shah, Javed Ahmed, Nisar Ahmed and Abdul Ghali Dhar, according to The Times of India. The three belonged to the former Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen outfit. Police claim has complicated the events surrounding the murder. Tehreek-ul- Mujahideen, long associated with the Ahl-e-Hadith, was formed in 1990. It is the part of 15-member Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) based United Jehad Council and enjoys close links with groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

• April 13: Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) said that it will give new talks with India a chance but had little faith they will succeed and believe it is only a matter of time before they will have to fight again. For now, many of them are engaged in peaceful pursuits such as small businesses, teaching or social welfare, and they face severe Pakistani restrictions on crossing Line of Control (LoC) separating Azad Kashmir (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) and Indian held Kashmir. “We have not given up jihad, but are just giving another chance to talks,” Abdul Aziz Alvi, JuD ‘chief’ in Azad Kashmir said. “If India does not understand the language of negotiation, then guns will start speaking,” Alvi said as he was attending a protest rally against Indian plans to build dams in its part of Kashmir.

• April 13: The Union Government said that it would take up with Pakistan the claims made (in an US court) by arrested Pakistani-Canadian militant Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the Mumbai terrorist attack case (November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11), that he had acted at the behest of Islamabad and its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and not the Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Sources in the Home Ministry said the disclosures only corroborated what India had been stating about the role of ISI in the 26/11attacks.

• April 12: A high ranking US General, Admiral Robert Willard, Head of the US military’s Pacific Command, expressed concern to Congress about the expanding reach of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), warning it was no longer solely focused on India or even South Asia. LeT, one of the largest and best-funded extremist militant outfits in the region is blamed for the November 2008 attacks on Mumbai, which killed 166 people in India’s commercial capital. The outfit was nurtured by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to fight India in Kashmir, and analysts say it is still unofficially tolerated even though Islamabad banned the outfit nearly a decade ago. Admiral Willard, told the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that the United States was actively working with South Asian Governments including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and India to contain LeT. But he cautioned that the group was active elsewhere. “Unquestionably they have spread their influence internationally and are no longer solely focused in South Asia and on India,” Willard told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The United States has evidence of LeT’s presence in Europe and the broader Asia-Pacific region, he added. In the past, LeT has fielded militants in Canada and in the United States. India continues to be LeT’s main target. But Willard noted that the outfit has declared holy war against the United States and renewed longstanding concerns in Washington about attacks by LeT militants against US forces in Afghanistan.

• April 11: The Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) ‘chief’ Hafiz Mohammad Saeed made a rare public appearance in Islamabad to lead the funeral prayers for Kashmiri leader Maulvi Showkat Ahmed Shah, killed in Srinagar, and used the occasion to rubbish the India-Pakistan cricket diplomacy while vowing for a “jihad” in Jammu and Kashmir. In a provocative speech, Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, claimed the movement in Kashmir would serve as an example for “Muslims in Hyderabad and Junagarh who want independence from the oppression of Hindus”.

• April 11: Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai, said that Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had planned to attack the Cricket World Cup final in Mumbai, but the plot was thwarted by the Indian intelligence and security network. Pillai said the plot to attack was specific to the final match between India and Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai (Maharashtra) on April 2. "There was enough evidence that they were planning the strike in Mumbai," he added. This is the first official Home Ministry confirmation of reports that Pakistan-based militants were trying to disrupt the Cricket World Cup final.

• April 8: Unidentified militants killed Jamiat-e-Ahlihadith leader Moulvi Showkat Ahmad Shah (55), a liberal voice who had denounced stone-pelting and was engaged with Centre's interlocutors, by triggering an Impoverished Explosive Device (IED) near a mosque gate before Friday’s prayer in Maisuma area, adjacent to Lal Chowk in Srinagar. Within hours of an IED blast killing Shah, Army intercepted a message from Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Spokesperson Abdullah Gaznavi, purportedly directing a local media person to disseminate information that the attack was carried out by Hindu groups.

• April 6: Expressing apprehension that the United States is being "taken for suckers" and "looked at as patsies" by Pakistan, two American lawmakers called for strengthening ties with India even as a White House report gave a harshly critical assessment of Islamabad's effort to defeat extremism. "After 10 years of hearing the same sales pitch I tend to doubt it. I doubt that our money is buying anything that's deep or durable," New York Congressman Gary Ackerman said at a hearing. "I doubt the leaders in the Afghanistan Government and the Pakistani Government are going to do anything except pursue their own narrow, venal self interests. I doubt the ISI will ever stop working with us during the day and going to see their not-so-secret friends in the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other terrorist groups at night."

• April 6: The use of terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) came in for a lambasting at the House of Representatives during a hearing on foreign policy priorities and needs amidst economic challenges in South Asia. In a well-attended hearing at the Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill, members of the Congress pressed top Obama administration officials on the core question of why, after USD 20 billion had been pumped into Pakistan over the last decade and over a billion dollars had been supplied under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill, anti-American sentiment in Pakistan was still so strong. Putting it bluntly, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Chabot, Republican of Ohio, said, “The question is basically we spent all this money and they still hate us. What should we do about that?” Congressman Chabot also added that despite efforts “the fact remains that Pakistani and U.S. strategic interests diverge on certain issues — especially those concerning Islamist terrorist groups like LeT, which the Pakistani ISI continues to view as a strategic asset vis-a-vis India.”

• April 4: Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had managed to get forged passes issued to journalists and sponsors for the World Cup final at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium. Sources said as per the security plans, anti-aircraft guns were strategically put in place. A sizable number of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and around 400 Central Paramilitary Personnel assisted Mumbai Police to ensure foolproof security. All air bases near Mumbai, Indian Navy and Coast Guard were put on high alert to ensure security in the air and sea during the match. Quick Reaction Teams and women personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were also stationed at vital locations in and around the stadium to respond to any exigency.

• April 3: In a reaction to massive popular participation in 2008 Assembly Election, militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HM have warned the people in areas like Shopian District, Sopore in Baramulla District and Bandipora District against taking part in the upcoming Panchayat Polls in the State beginning in later part of April, according to The Times of India. The SFs across Kashmir and other militancy-infected areas of the State have been put on an alert.

• March 28: Security Forces (SFs) killed a foreign militant, named ‘Chacha Talha’ of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) during an encounter in Reban village in Sopore area of Baramulla District. The militant was killed in a brief encounter in the afternoon while as his accomplice managed to run away from the site of the encounter. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the killed militant. Talha was very active in Sopore-Rafiabad belt of the Baramulla District.

• March 27: In a recent interview in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia for US observed that the US was worried about the prospect of a terror attack in India in near future from outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who were looking for opportunities and countries through which they could infiltrate into India.

• March 20: The Centre warned Maharashtra Police about a possible terror plot to target the cricket World Cup final in Mumbai on April 2. According to sources, intelligence agencies claimed that they had specific inputs about 17 tickets being bought by possible terror suspects for the World Cup final, with the possible aim of sabotaging the game. The inputs said that the plot was being planned as a joint operation between the militant outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-e-Ahle-Sunnat.

• March 13: A Multi Agency Centre (MAC) set up by the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi has reported that 489 top militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and a couple of other lesser known militant outfits were in full preparedness to try and cross into Jammu and Kashmir from the Line of Control (LoC) this summer.

• March 13: Pakistan declined an Indian request to allow an inquiry commission to interrogate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects charged with involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “There is no law under which we could allow the Indian investigators to grill the seven accused, who are already in judicial custody,” a senior unnamed Ministry of Interior official was quoted.

• March 12: Two local militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter with SFs at Lahend-Habdipora in Shopian District. The slain militants were identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Chopan resident of Harmain-Shopian and Khurshid Ahmad Itoo, resident of Reban-Shopian. An INSAS rifle and one AK-56 rifle were recovered from the possession of the slain militants. Police has said that Ishfaq and Khurshid were involved in the attack carried out on Police Personnel at Yaripora-Kulgam on March 7. They had snatched weapons from the two Police personnel while they were discharging their duties at Yaripora chowk.

  Separately, a LeT militant, Wasim Ahmad Ganaie, who was allegedly involved in the murder of two teenaged sisters in Sopore town of Baramulla District, was killed by SFs. Wasim Ahmad Ganaie had taken shelter in an underground drainage system in Muslim Peer area of Sopore, officials said. Ganaie was one of the two militants who had abducted and then shot dead Arifa and Akhter, the teenaged sisters, in the same area of Sopore on the night of January 31, officials added.

• February 23: Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving LeT militants of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks (also known as 26/11), has decided to challenge the death penalty recently awarded to him by the Bombay High Court. "He wants to challenge the order," Farhana Shah, Kasab's counsel.

• February 21: The Jama'at-ud-Dawah (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in a protest from Chauburji to Qurtaba Chowk in Lahore demanded that American official Raymond Davis, arrested for gunning down two men in Lahore on January 27, be executed and blamed the US for bomb blasts across the country that have resulted in "large-scale killings,".

• February 20: Police have reportedly arrested four close associates of LeT ‘commander’ Abu Moosa from Banihal in Ramban District.

• February 19: Police and CRPF destroyed a hideout of LeT outfit at Keshwan in Kishtwar District and recovered ammunition and other material.

• February 16: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) filed the final charge sheet in a special court in Kochi against 24 accused, including a Pakistan national, in the "Kashmir terror recruitment" case, relating to enrolment of several youths from Kerala for anti-national activities. The case against the accused, including Pakistani national Wali Abdul Rahiman, was that they had conspired with the LeT and recruited several youths from Kerala to carry out anti-national activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The youths, recruited in 2006, were given armed training in terrorist modules to wage war against India, the charge sheet said.

  Wali, the main link between the LeT and the Keralites, has been absconding while four youths recruited from northern districts of Kerala, died in encounters with security forces in 2008. So far 10 persons had been arrested in the case while the absconding included the first accused Abdul Jaleel from Kerala. The accused included four youths killed in encounters with the Security Force personnel in October 2008 and T. Nazir, who is now in jail in connection with the Bangalore bomb blasts case.

• February 14: Army and Police conducted a major search operation for three LeT militants at Bafliaz in the Surankote area of Poonch District. The militants, however, managed to escape.

  The SFs continued searches at several areas of Gool in Ramban District to arrest or eliminate LeT top ‘commander’ Abu Moosa, involved in a series of militant activities.

• February 13: Army and Police arrested two top HM militants, who happened to be close associates of recently slain HM ‘divisional commander’ Qari Zubair, after an encounter in their house at Bhimdassa in Gool area of Ramban District. The arrestees, identified as Tariq Ahmed Chandel and Rafiq Ahmed, were ‘B’ category militants. The Security Forces (SFs) carried out a search operation at village Thachu near Bhimdassa in the night after developing information about the presence of the two militants in the area. Anticipating that they were being chased, the militants took the forest route and reached their houses at Thachu. Their houses were cordoned off but the militants managed to take cover of their family members. It was after about two hour that the SFs arrested the militants after segregating them from their families. However, both the militants did make an attempt to escape by opening fire. They were arrested after a brief exchange of firing. Recoveries made from the possession of slain militants included one AK-56 rifle, one Chinese pistol, four grenades, two pistol magazines, two AK-56 magazines, 39 AK rounds and four pistol rounds. The arrestees were close associates of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘chief’ for Pir Panjal range Abu Moosa also. The LeT and HM were operating jointly in Ramban District since their strength has dwindled in most of the areas.

• February 11: SFs neutralised a militant hideout and recovered ammunition and explosives in Lone locality of the Sogam area in Kupwara District. The recoveries included one AK magazine, 150 rounds of AK ammunition and an improvised explosive device (IED).

  Eight LeT ‘commanders’, operating in PoK for past about one and a half decade, have responded to Rehabilitation Policy of the Government and asked their families to file applications on their behalf for return to homes in Doda and Kishtwar Districts. Six applications have been filed in Kishtwar District and two in Doda district. As many as 265 militants of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts have been identified by Police and security agencies, who were in Pakistan and PoK for past several years. Recently, the number of applications under the Rehabilitation Policy had crossed 300. The applications are reviewed every week.

  LeT was using charity services in the garb of extremism and gained support from Islamabad, US official said. "LeT has an enormous presence in Pakistan providing education, medical services and the like, which has aligned itself very closely with many in that region and gained support from the Government of Pakistan," said Michael Leiter, Director of National Counterterrorism Centre.

• February 10: LeT is increasing its operational role, a United States (US) official warned saying Washington is now "focused" on the militant outfit behind the November 26, 208 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11). The outfit, which has trained individuals involved in terror attacks, could pose a threat to the US and Europe, Michael Leiter, Director of National Counter terrorism Centre said, adding, "Though LeT had so far not carried out attacks in the West, it could pose a threat to the U.S. and Europe, in addition to destabilising South Asia more broadly."

  Leiter said LeT's previous attacks in Kashmir and India have had a destabilising effect on the region, increasing tension and brinkmanship between New Delhi and Islamabad. LeT, which has a well documented relationship with Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), has been involved in some of the major terrorist attacks in India, including the Mumbai terrorist attack, the attack on the Indian Parliament (December 13, 2001) and Akshardham Temple. "We are concerned that it is increasing its operational role in attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan," he said. Besides LeT, the US is also focused on other outfits like al Qaeda, Taliban, TTP and Haqqani network.

• February 6: SFs recovered a cache of arms and ammunitions, including disposable rocket launchers, in Rajouri District. ''Based on a tip off, the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Police this morning launched a search operation in Phagwari Nala area of Rajouri and recovered the arms,'' official sources said. They said that the recovery included disposable rocket launcher weighing 10-kilograms, five Chinese grenades and one gas stove with five litre cylinder.

  Troops neutralised a major hideout of LeT ‘commander’ Habib Gujjar alias Salman at village Danay in Chatroo area of Kishtwar District. Recoveries made from the hideout included one Pakistani pistol with two magazines and five rounds, 225 rounds of AK-47, one AK magazine, one Chinese binocular, two Chinese grenades, one Pakistani made grenade, two grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) and a large quantity of blankets and ration items.

• February 5: Jamaat-u-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed warned India to ‘quit’ Jammu and Kashmir or be prepared for a "war" even as the extremist outfits organised protests at several places in Pakistan to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day. Addressing a rally of about 20,000 supporters on the Mall in Lahore District of Punjab province, Saeed said, "I want to give a message to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to quit Kashmir or get ready to face a war".

• February 2: SFs observed movement of some groups of militants very close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors of Poonch District and Nowshera in Rajouri District. Official and Intelligence sources said SFs observed movement of militant groups close to the LoC in Balakote, Mendhar, Krishna Ghati and Jhalas sectors of Poonch District and Nowshera and Keri in Rajouri District. The militants, in the groups of five to seven, were stationed very close to launching pads on other side of the LoC set up by Pakistan Army and ISI with the help of various militant outfits especially the LeT.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram would be visiting militancy-infested Kishtwar District on February 4 and review security, law and order and terror situation in five districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi with Police and civil administration. The visit to Kishtwar District, which was once known as a hub of militancy with writ of LeT, HUJI and HM running large, was aimed at giving a signal that terrorism has mostly been wiped out from these five Districts, authoritative sources said.

  Sources said 50 militants, mostly top ‘commanders’ of LeT, HUJI and HM outfits were killed in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts in 2010 while 48 militants were killed in Doda District alone in 2009. In Reasi District, more than 30 militants, including some ‘commanders’, were eliminated in 2010. Doda District was left with not even a single foreign mercenary. Recently, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda had stated in a press conference that five Districts of Jammu region including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi were "free of militancy’’.

• January 31: Three LeT militants, including a Pakistani shot dead two sisters, Arifa and Akhtar, daughters of Ghulam Nabi Dar, after dragging them out of their house at Muslim Peer in Sopore town of Baramulla District. According to preliminary investigations, the militants barged into the house and forcibly took the girls, aged between 16 to 18 years. Superintendent of Police (SP, Sopore) Altaf Ahmad said, "The girls were later shot dead by the militants near the Ziarat (shrine) Rahim Sahib. One of them was shot in the left eye," adding, their bodies were found near their house. It could not be immediately ascertained why the militants had targeted the sisters. The SP said the local militants involved in the killing were, identified as Wasim Ganaie and Muzaffar Naikoo, both ‘A’ category militants carrying head money.

• January 27: According to an investigation report it was revealed that most of the 32 Arges grenades sent to HuJI-B by Pakistan-based militant outfit LeT were used in at least seven major terror attacks in 2004-05. Of the attacks, six targeted the leaders of the then opposition Awami League (AL), and the other was on the British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury. In carrying out the blasts, HuJI-B had been aided by a powerful quarter, some of who were in state power. Investigators unearthed these while trying to get to the source of the grenade used in the killing of AL leader and former Finance Minister S.A.M.S Kibria.

  Investigation sources say 21 grenades of the consignment from LeT were used in seven attacks between May 2004 and December 2005. Of those, 12 were dispatched to be used in the August 21, 2004 blasts and nine in six attacks in Sylhet region including Kibria killing. Of the nine grenades for Sylhet, two were used in the attack on a rally of AL policymaker Suranjit Sengupta. The investigators say some other Arges grenades of the LeT cache have been recovered by law enforcement agencies from different places including Narsingdi and Satkhira. HuJI-B started using grenades in their attacks since 2004.

  Spanish Police arrested a Pakistani national, Malik Imtanan Sarwar, suspected to be linked to a cell that forges passports for al Qaeda-linked outfits. Police had been looking for the suspect since seven members of the cell were arrested in Spain in December 2010 and three more in Thailand. Out of the seven arrested, six were Pakistanis and one Nigerian. Sarwar worked with other group members to send stolen passports to Thailand to be doctored and later distributed to outfits linked to al Qaeda, mainly LeT. The Spanish Interior Ministry said the group also supplied forged documents to the LTTE.

• January 24: Police arrested a woman courier, Nighat Siddiqui (45), who was carrying INR 3 lakh for LeT militants, from the Eidgah area of Srinagar city. She was also carrying one leaf of LeT letter head at the time of the arrest.

• January 17: The Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD)- frontal organisation of LeT, organised rally in Lahore and invited clerics to speak during the demonstration spewed hate speech upon hate speech, targeted minorities, incited people to violence with impunity and roused people to adopt the ‘way of jihad’. Hundreds of JuD activists and their sympathisers initially assembled near Nasir Bagh and started marching towards the Punjab Assembly building on The Mall. The ‘chief’ of JuD’s political affairs wing Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki said that anyone “supporting a blasphemer is also a blasphemer and both must meet the same fate”.

• January 3: Troops of Rashtriya Rifles continued massive search operations in Bhimdassa and its surrounding areas of Kheori Kund and Bhatpora in Ramban District of Jammu and Kashmir to track down Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Abu Moosa and his associates involved in the killing of two jawans of Territorial Army (TA).

  Meanwhile, Army personnel foiled an infiltration attempt at the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch District. The militants trying to intrude into this side opened firing on Army posts. The firing was joined by Pakistani troops, who committed ceasefire violation, in a bid to give cover to the infiltrators. However, effective retaliatory firing by the troops from this side thwarted the plot of intruders to sneak in.

  Separately, a joint team of Territorial Army and Police neutralised a hideout of the militants in Keri forest area of Kalakote in Rajouri District and recovered one Chinese pistol with one magazine and seven rounds, 121 AK rounds, one binocular and other items.

• January 1: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants shot dead two trooper of Territorial Army (TA) after abducting them in upper reaches of Bhimdassa in Gool area of Ramban District of Jammu and Kashmir on January 1, reports Daily Excelsior. TA jawans of 163rd battalion Mohammad Sharief, a resident of Arnas and Khaleel Ahmed, who hailed from Nehra area of Ramban, were out on a patrol duty at Kheori Kund in Bhatpora area of Bhimdassa in Ramban district when they were reported to have been abducted by the militants. Two pistols of the TA trooper were taken away by the militants, belonging to Abu Moosa faction of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit. The frustrated militants executed the killings after elimination and arrest of their number of cadre in different parts of Jammu region especially-Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts.