Terror Hub in Indian Subcontinent

The Indian subcontinent has truly become a volcano that is ready to erupt. With Pakistan emerging as a place troubled by political instability, a wide network of radical Islamists and angry anti-American recruits the Al Qaeda has everything it could have hoped for. In not too distant past the political face of these forces, The Taliban were ruling in Afghanistan and today they are gearing to take command of vast tracts of Pakistan.

by Shibani Dasgupta

Pakistan which recently saw a series of suicide attacks by pro-Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, the most dangerous country in the world and hasbecome a safe haven for terrorists, a media report from New York, USA has said.

Unlike countries like Afghanistan and Iraq Pakistan has everything al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden could ask for: political instability, a trusted network of radical Islamists, an abundance of angry anti-Western recruits, secluded training areas and security services that do not always do what they are supposed to do. Then there is the country’s nuclear programme.

The conventional story about Pakistan, not taking into account the sudden imposition of internal emergency (some like to call it martial law), has been that it is an unstable nuclear power, with distant tribal areas in terrorist hands. What is new and more frightening is, says the article in a popular international English language weekly journal the extent to which Taliban and Al Qaeda elements have now turned much of the country including some cities, into a base that gives militants more room to maneuver both in Pakistan and beyond.

Taliban militants, according to the report now come and go as they please inside Pakistan, with the sick and injured getting medical care in private hospitals whenever necessary. Guns and supplies are readily available and in winter, when fighting dies down in Afghanistan, thousands retire to the country’s thriving madarsas to study Koran and Islamic philosophy.

In India as we all know by now, the picture is much grimmer. Terror induced bomb blasts in different towns in India including Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Malegaon point the needle of suspicion to the terror groups based in Pakistan and masterminded by those whose perception is that Islam is being slighted by non-Muslim, secular and developed countries. India in this scenario has become the grain that is being put under immense pressure in the grinding wheel.

What shook the daylights out of people in India was a report that about 250 kilograms of RDX had been pilfered into India in mid October 2007, by unidentified and possibly extremist groups and quietly distributed amongst sleeping terror modules in different towns of the country for subversive activity.

The Indian government and intelligence agencies that by and large claim that they are alert to threats to the country’s security, have responded to another report of explosive thefts within the country by setting up a committee.

The high level group has been set up to conduct spot investigations on the quantum are areas of explosive pilferage and repost back to National Security Advisor M L Narayanan. Officials  of Intelligence Bureau as well as joint Intelligence Committee have been deputed to inspect facilities of large explosive manufacturing units and conduct field investigations on leakages from mining sites and contractors.

JIC top brass have confirmed that the government has taken serious note of reposts of large scale explosive pilferage and possible links with recent terror strikes. All aspects of the problem are now being looked into including how to plug the leaks, storage and sale of explosives as well as the methodology for energizing the surveillance system are being examined to put a proper system in place.

It has been found in recent months that the quantum of reported cases of pilferage of explosives from licensed manufacturers between 2004 and 2006 was a staggering 20, 150kgs of slurry explosives, 86,900 detonators and 52,740 meters of detonating fuse, besides huge quantities, of gelatin stick, explosive cartridges and boosters.

Such tasks are much harder fulfilled than merely stated or assured. Thus, in the last week of  October this year, police chiefs from SAARC countries met in New Delhi for a conference in which it was agreed to share information to check trans-border crimes and suggested a data base that could help security agencies combat terrorism, narcotics smuggling and cyber crime.

Giving further impetus to worry and encouragement to crime and violence in the region, various survey results are pointing to at least 17 percent rise in opium production in Afghanistan this year. Security agencies in the borders of Punjab on the Indian side have felt that Afghanistan’s huge opium production and its geographic proximity puts Punjab in a danger zone.

The contra brand is often smuggled through the state and carried to Mumbai or Delhi before landing at its final destination North America and Europe. In 2006-07over 70 kilos of heroin was seized by the Narcotics Control Board, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and other agencies.

Delegates from eight SAARC nations including the newest member Afghanistan also discussed the need for effective institutional mechanisms for greater coordination in tackling border crimes, terror attacks and breaking of international laws conventions. Of late Bangladesh has been used by extremist bodies as the base for carrying out criminal and terror oriented activities in India.