The Defence Ministry in its annual report for 2008-09 has said that the country has clear evidence that the Mumbai terror attack was planned and launched by the western neighbour and this had strained the peace process. The report presented in Parliament said: “The terror attack on Mumbai in Nov. 2008 and the clear evidence that the attack was planned and launched by Pakistan have therefore led to a pause in the peace process between India and Pakistan.”
The 220 page report said that the fact that many of the extremist outfits in Pakistan had known record of terrorist attacks against India amounted to a security challenge with serious implications for the country.
Meanwhile, a US-based think-tank has said that there is a fresh terror threat from the marine wing of the Lashkar-e-Taiba to vital installations along the coast in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa.
The think-tank has also drawn attention to the fact that the Pakistan-based terror outfit has been making use of the Gulf countries as a link to fund and plot terror attacks against India.
With the Navy in charge of coastal security, the shores are safer after 26/11, but a lot still needs to be done, analysts say. They point out that the coasts are still far from impregnable and there is no quick-fix for that.
New Delhi landmarks may be on terror radar
There are reports that some of the landmark buildings in Connaught Place in the national capital Delhi may again be on the terror radar. The cyber branch of the Intelligence Bureau reportedly intercepted two e-mails during the last few days indicating that some buildings in Connaught Place may be targeted by terrorists. Delhi Police have reportedly started a combing operation across Connaught Place focusing on identified targets. But nothing has been found.
Zardari admits Pakistan nurturing terrorism
India has said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s admission that Islamabad initially nurtured and provided sustenance to terrorist outfits validates New Delhi’s stand on militants. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, in statements made in both Houses of Parliament on July 9, said that India now had “some kind of confession” on state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan. He said, to that extent, India’s stand has been vindicated in the eyes of the world. He hoped that Pakistan would now take decisive action on terror.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while returning home from his Italian visit, said that Pakistan has to affirm that it will take action against terror outfits operating against India so that the dialogue between the two countries gets going again. He was speaking to media-persons accompanying him.
India protests rocket attack from Pakistan territory
India has called on Pakistan to strengthen security along the international border in Punjab. This follows a mysterious rocket-propelled grenade attack in the border areas of Amritsar. Three rockets fired from the Pakistani side exploded in the Indian territory causing panic. There was no loss of life and property, however, in the incident on July 4 night.
