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Improvement in Internal Security : No takers for Govt. claim

	December 04, 2006

Both Houses of Parliament discussed the internal security situation in the country last week, the Lok Sabha through an adjournment motion and the Rajya Sabha, through a short duration discussion.



Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Nov. 29, Home Minister Shivraj Patil claimed that there has been an improvement in the security situation in the country. He said the security forces and the people were strong enough to deal with threats to internal security.



Praising the response of the people in maintaining communal amity in the country in the wake of a series of attacks on different places of worship, Patil urged the Opposition BJP not to rake up the clemency issue of Mohd. Afzal, sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case in the manner it was doing. He said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government had not taken any decision on those convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case for five years.



Patil said the Government would go by the law on Mohd. Afzal’s clemency petition against his death sentence.



The Home Minister said it was not fair to identify one community with terrorism. He said, “Terrorists are terrorists. They can belong to any group or caste. We should not attack any particular community.”



As the debate concluded, BJP members led by leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani walked out. “My party cannot participate in the voting,” Advani said while the motion charging the government with failure to maintain national security was defeated by a voice vote.



The Home Minister virtually rejected the BJP demand for a special law to combat terrorism. He pointed out that certain provisions of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) had been transferred to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.



In the Rajya Sabha, during his reply to the short duration discussion on Thursday, Nov. 30, Home Minister Patil disclosed that terrorists are now using air routes to enter the country. He said they are going to other countries and then flying to India. He appeared to be hinting at terrorists originating from countries especially Pakistan and Bangladesh, but did not name them specifically.



Responding to the demand for tough laws like POTA, Patil said such laws are prone to misuse if they are not made humane.



During the debate in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Nov. 27, the Opposition accused the UPA Government of being soft on terror and infiltration. The opposition leaders said the Government is clueless in Jammu and Kashmir and has met with failure in negotiations with outlawed north east militant organisations like ULFA. BJP leader Arun Jaitley charged the UPA Governemnt with showing inadequate response to threats posed by these organisations.



On Tuesday, Nov. 28, Members expressed grave concern over the spurt in terror attacks across the country. They said there is a need for clear cut policies to tackle the menace of terrorism. BJP leader M.A. Naqvi said the soft policies of the Governemnt are responsible for surfacing of the Al Qaeda and demanded reintroduction of tough legislation like POTA.





Pak terror groups behind 7/11 Mumbai blasts : NSA



National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said on Nov. 29 that the probe into the blasts in Mumbai local trains on July 11 was over and had clearly established the involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups. Addressing railway security officials from India and abroad in New Delhi, he was unequivocal on the issue. Narayanan had earlier sparked off a controversy by remarking that the ongoing probe had only indicated the complicity of terrorists from the neighbouring nation, but not conclusively established the fact.



Narayanan said, “The investigation into this incident is complete and the involvement of nine Pakistani-based jehadi terrorists, of whom one died, has been confirmed.” According to the NSA, over 20 Indians who had collaborated with the Pakistani terrorists had been arrested and charge-sheeted, though the eight Pakistani nationals involved had managed to flee country. He informed the gathering that India was in the process of strengthening political and security linkages with other nations in the region to battle “faith-based” terrorism.





Charge sheet filed in 7/11 blasts case



Pakistan-occupied Kashmir based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Azam Cheema has been named as the master-mind behind the 7/11 Mumbai suburban train blasts. The chargesheet was filed by the Anti-Terrorist Squad in the designated MCOCA court of judge Mrudula Bhatkar on Nov. 30.



The chargesheet is focused on the role of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence in aiding and abetting these attacks on Mumbai’s suburban commuters. The blasts, which took place in first class compartments, killed 188 and injured over 700 others.



Faisal Shaikh, the alleged western India commander of LeT, who is one of the arrested suspects, has been quoted on how and when the conspiracy was plotted in Saudi Arabia. Shaikh told ATS that he met Cheema at the residence of Rizwan Taware (a software engineer from Pune) in Saudi Arabia in April where Cheema instructed Shaikh to look after 11 guests (Pakistanis) who would be visiting Mumbai. Of the 11 Pakistanis one died in a train blast. His unclaimed body was identified as that of Salim. Another Pakistani named Abu Osama was killed in encounter in Antop Hill area. The rest, according to ATS, are absconding and are suspected to have fled across the border.



Over a period of time, Cheema gave Rs 25 lakh to Shaikh to organise the blasts. The logistical supporters drawn from SIMI cadre were sent for training to PoK where Cheema held camps. He owns a mansion at Bahawalpur in Pakistan.



According to ATS and other Central intelligence agencies, the Pakistanis intruded into Indian territory via Nepal (to Bihar), Bangladesh (to West Bengal) and Pakistan (to Gujarat) to execute the conspiracy. About 20 kilos of RDX and explosives like ammonium nitrate were used in making bombs. A Pakistani national named Ehsanullah prepared the bombs with the help of locals.



The Crime Branch has arrested 13 Indians of whom at least four have been charged with actual bombings. The Crime Branch claimed that they have busted one of the biggest LeT modules during the investigation.





Pak duo in Malegaon plot



Maharashtra police claim to have solve the Malegaon blasts case and revealed for the first time the involvement of two Pakistani nationals in the conspiracy. Director General of Police P.S. Pasricha told a news conference on Nov. 27 that the plot to trigger a series of explosions in the communally-sensitive powerloom town on Sept. 8 was hatched on May 8, two months before the July 11 train bombings in Mumbai.



May 8 was also the date prime accused Noor-ul-Hooda got married in Malegaon. “They planned on that day that they needed to commit some terror act to disrupt communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims,” Pasricha said, adding that all eight arrested in the case so far were active members of the outlawed Students’ Islamic Movement of India.



Four bombs, planted on bicycles, had exploded in Malegaon killing 37 and injuring over 200 people.





Two Jaish militants held with 2 kg RDX



Two militants owing allegiance to terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, were arrested from Old Delhi Railway Station on Nov. 27 night by a Delhi Police special cell team. About two kilograms of RDX and Rs. five lakh in cash were found from the militants. The had collected the consignment of explosives at Deoband in Uttar Pradesh to pass it on to another terrorist in the capital.

Improvement in Internal Security : No takers for Govt. claim



Both Houses of Parliament discussed the internal security situation in the country last week, the Lok Sabha through an adjournment motion and the Rajya Sabha, through a short duration discussion.



Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Nov. 29, Home Minister Shivraj Patil claimed that there has been an improvement in the security situation in the country. He said the security forces and the people were strong enough to deal with threats to internal security.



Praising the response of the people in maintaining communal amity in the country in the wake of a series of attacks on different places of worship, Patil urged the Opposition BJP not to rake up the clemency issue of Mohd. Afzal, sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case in the manner it was doing. He said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government had not taken any decision on those convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case for five years.



Patil said the Government would go by the law on Mohd. Afzal’s clemency petition against his death sentence.



The Home Minister said it was not fair to identify one community with terrorism. He said, “Terrorists are terrorists. They can belong to any group or caste. We should not attack any particular community.”



As the debate concluded, BJP members led by leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani walked out. “My party cannot participate in the voting,” Advani said while the motion charging the government with failure to maintain national security was defeated by a voice vote.



The Home Minister virtually rejected the BJP demand for a special law to combat terrorism. He pointed out that certain provisions of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) had been transferred to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.



In the Rajya Sabha, during his reply to the short duration discussion on Thursday, Nov. 30, Home Minister Patil disclosed that terrorists are now using air routes to enter the country. He said they are going to other countries and then flying to India. He appeared to be hinting at terrorists originating from countries especially Pakistan and Bangladesh, but did not name them specifically.



Responding to the demand for tough laws like POTA, Patil said such laws are prone to misuse if they are not made humane.



During the debate in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Nov. 27, the Opposition accused the UPA Government of being soft on terror and infiltration. The opposition leaders said the Government is clueless in Jammu and Kashmir and has met with failure in negotiations with outlawed north east militant organisations like ULFA. BJP leader Arun Jaitley charged the UPA Governemnt with showing inadequate response to threats posed by these organisations.



On Tuesday, Nov. 28, Members expressed grave concern over the spurt in terror attacks across the country. They said there is a need for clear cut policies to tackle the menace of terrorism. BJP leader M.A. Naqvi said the soft policies of the Governemnt are responsible for surfacing of the Al Qaeda and demanded reintroduction of tough legislation like POTA.





Pak terror groups behind 7/11 Mumbai blasts : NSA



National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said on Nov. 29 that the probe into the blasts in Mumbai local trains on July 11 was over and had clearly established the involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups. Addressing railway security officials from India and abroad in New Delhi, he was unequivocal on the issue. Narayanan had earlier sparked off a controversy by remarking that the ongoing probe had only indicated the complicity of terrorists from the neighbouring nation, but not conclusively established the fact.



Narayanan said, “The investigation into this incident is complete and the involvement of nine Pakistani-based jehadi terrorists, of whom one died, has been confirmed.” According to the NSA, over 20 Indians who had collaborated with the Pakistani terrorists had been arrested and charge-sheeted, though the eight Pakistani nationals involved had managed to flee country. He informed the gathering that India was in the process of strengthening political and security linkages with other nations in the region to battle “faith-based” terrorism.





Charge sheet filed in 7/11 blasts case



Pakistan-occupied Kashmir based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Azam Cheema has been named as the master-mind behind the 7/11 Mumbai suburban train blasts. The chargesheet was filed by the Anti-Terrorist Squad in the designated MCOCA court of judge Mrudula Bhatkar on Nov. 30.



The chargesheet is focused on the role of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence in aiding and abetting these attacks on Mumbai’s suburban commuters. The blasts, which took place in first class compartments, killed 188 and injured over 700 others.



Faisal Shaikh, the alleged western India commander of LeT, who is one of the arrested suspects, has been quoted on how and when the conspiracy was plotted in Saudi Arabia. Shaikh told ATS that he met Cheema at the residence of Rizwan Taware (a software engineer from Pune) in Saudi Arabia in April where Cheema instructed Shaikh to look after 11 guests (Pakistanis) who would be visiting Mumbai. Of the 11 Pakistanis one died in a train blast. His unclaimed body was identified as that of Salim. Another Pakistani named Abu Osama was killed in encounter in Antop Hill area. The rest, according to ATS, are absconding and are suspected to have fled across the border.



Over a period of time, Cheema gave Rs 25 lakh to Shaikh to organise the blasts. The logistical supporters drawn from SIMI cadre were sent for training to PoK where Cheema held camps. He owns a mansion at Bahawalpur in Pakistan.



According to ATS and other Central intelligence agencies, the Pakistanis intruded into Indian territory via Nepal (to Bihar), Bangladesh (to West Bengal) and Pakistan (to Gujarat) to execute the conspiracy. About 20 kilos of RDX and explosives like ammonium nitrate were used in making bombs. A Pakistani national named Ehsanullah prepared the bombs with the help of locals.



The Crime Branch has arrested 13 Indians of whom at least four have been charged with actual bombings. The Crime Branch claimed that they have busted one of the biggest LeT modules during the investigation.





Pak duo in Malegaon plot



Maharashtra police claim to have solve the Malegaon blasts case and revealed for the first time the involvement of two Pakistani nationals in the conspiracy. Director General of Police P.S. Pasricha told a news conference on Nov. 27 that the plot to trigger a series of explosions in the communally-sensitive powerloom town on Sept. 8 was hatched on May 8, two months before the July 11 train bombings in Mumbai.



May 8 was also the date prime accused Noor-ul-Hooda got married in Malegaon. “They planned on that day that they needed to commit some terror act to disrupt communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims,” Pasricha said, adding that all eight arrested in the case so far were active members of the outlawed Students’ Islamic Movement of India.



Four bombs, planted on bicycles, had exploded in Malegaon killing 37 and injuring over 200 people.





Two Jaish militants held with 2 kg RDX



Two militants owing allegiance to terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, were arrested from Old Delhi Railway Station on Nov. 27 night by a Delhi Police special cell team. About two kilograms of RDX and Rs. five lakh in cash were found from the militants. The had collected the consignment of explosives at Deoband in Uttar Pradesh to pass it on to another terrorist in the capital.