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Kashmir : Militants step up terror strikes

	November 21, 2005

Militants stepped up terrorist strikes in the Kashmir valley last week which, observers say, is aimed at sending a message to the new Congress-led Government in the State.



The first three days of the week witnessed terrorist attacks in different parts of the Kashmir valley which resulted in the killing of innocent civilians and security forces personnel. On Wednesday, the terrorists set off a car bomb in Srinagar which killed at least four persons and injured 45 others including a former Minister, who is reported to have been the object of the attack. The explosion took place outside the Jammu and Kashmir Bank head office in the posh Civil Lines area, and close to one of the busiest crossings in the city. The car of former Minister of State Usman Majid was directly hit. Majid is a former counter-insurgent and a close associate of counter-insurgent-turned-politician Kukka Parray, who was gunned down by militants in 2003. Majid had a narrow escape, but received bruises in the face. His car was completely damaged.



The car bomb explosion came a day after a member of a suicide squad of Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested and his associate killed in the busy Lal Chowk area of Srinagar after a day-long siege. This was the first time in the history of Kashmir militancy that a member of a suicide squad was captured alive. Police said later that the captured suicide squad member was a resident of Faislabad, in Pakistan.



In another incident on Wednesday, Nov. 16, militants ambushed a CRPF convoy near Avantipur on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway. Two paramilitary men died in the attack.



On Monday, Nov. 14, terrorists struck in Lal Chowk, Srinagar’s business nerve Centre, throwing a grenade at a CRPF bunker and opening indiscriminate fire. Four persons, including two CRPF men were killed in the attack.



Observers say that the spurt in terrorist strikes may be an attempt on the part of militant outfits, especially Hizbul Mujahideen to test the response and strategy of the Ghulam Nabi Azad Government which assumed office at the beginning of this month.



According to an assessment by intelligence agencies, the terrorists may be trying to gauge the Azad Government’s reaction on the ground against militancy operations vis-a-vis the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Government’s approach.



The erstwhile PDP-led Government was better known for its “healing touch” approach towards the militants which often translated into its ground-level cadres’ expressing open sympathy for Hizbul cadres and sometimes even offering them logistical support.



The agencies suspect that Hizbul may have been behind not only the car blast near Dal Lake, but also grenade attack on a rally organised by former Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir in Tanmarg, Baramulla. The basis of the suspicion is the fact that while Pakistan-based outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are known to indulge in daring fidayeen attacks, the Hizbul goes for strikes where collateral damage to its men is not too high.



The assessment is that with November being the last month before the passes get blocked by snow, the terror groups want to be active and keep the violence level high with repeated strikes.





Terrorist strikes aimed at hampering peace process : Azad



Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that the terrorist strikes are aimed at hampering the ongoing peace process in the state. Speaking to media persons after visiting the people injured in the attacks at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, Azad said on Nov. 17 that infiltration has increased after the earthquake and militants are trying to destabilise the peace process. They will not be allowed to succeed in it.



The Chief Minister said such attacks were part of a pattern and his Government would not be cowed down by these acts. “This has happened in the past also,” Azad said. “When Farooq Abdullah assumed power, there was increase in militant activities and when Mufti took over, thee were fidayeen attacks for three consecutive days. We are not going to be scared by these violent militant acts.”



The Chief Minister said the attacks showed the militants’ desperation at the successful peace process. “The peace process has moved forward,” Azad told reporters. “It is durable and is not going to be affected by these violent acts.”







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Restore pre-1953 position : Mehbooba Mufti



People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti has said that restoration of pre-1953 position in Jammu and Kashmir would be the biggest confidence-building measure for the people of the state. Addressing a joint press conference with National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in New Delhi, she said, “if India considers J & K as its head, I wonder where is the crown of this head given by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.”



“Where is the crown which was there in pre-1953 ? Restore that and you will see an increase of confidence of the people towards New Delhi,” Mehbooba said, while answering a question as to how Kashmir could be separated when it was considered the head of the country by Indians.



Immediately after she finished her reply, it was time for Omar Abdullah to speak. He said : “Finally, the stand of my party stands vindicated that the answer to the Kashmir problem could be found in granting greater autonomy.”



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Militants crossed over in the quake aftermath



Reports say about 50 to 60 Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives had managed to enter Jammu and Kashmir after the October 8 earthquake. Interrogation of terrorists recently caught revealed that the terrorists have been instructed by their handlers to carry out explosions in different parts of the state. The security forces recovered a staggering 1600 kilograms of explosives in just one and a half months since the earthquake, compared to 140 kg. of explosives recovered over a period of nine months in the state.



The Centre is planning to provide mobile scanners to detect car bombs in Jammu and Kashmir. Scanners will also be installed at some entry points in the state.



Ejaz Ahmad Bhat, a Lashkar operative arrested in Srinagar on Tuesday, Nov. 15, has provided new insights into the motivations that underpin the recent wave of bombings and urban terror strikes.



Despatched across the Line of Control just five days after last month’s earthquake in Kashmir, Bhat was part of two groups of six Lashkar operatives sent in to reinforce the organisation’s fighting strength in Jammu and Kashmir. Almost all of the members of the two units, Bhat says, were tasked to execute high-risk fidayeen missions and bombings.



Pressured to scale back their recruitment operations in recent years, the earthquake has been a godsend for the Lashkar leadership. Lashkar strategists believe high-profile terror strikes will allow them to harvest the goodwill generated by their well-funded and organised relief efforts. Pakistani newspapers have reported that the Lashkar is using its relief operations to recruit a growing number of young people; members of an age-group for whom the tales of fidayeen combat valour are seductive.





Fifth relief point opened on LoC



Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have opened two more relief points along the Line of Control last week enabling exchange of relief material. The fifth and last point was opened at Silikot Haji in the Uri sector on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Immediately after the opening, porters began exchanging tents, blankets and food items.



In another development, 24 bus passengers who were trapped in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the October 8 earthquake, returned home on Nov. 17 via Kaman post. The passengers had horrifying tales of their experience in Muzaffarabad and other towns in PoK which were completely devastated in the earthquake. One of the passengers said, “You cannot imagine, there is no city called Muzaffarabad now. It may take decades for that to come up again.”