By Indrani Bagchi, Times of India, Mar 14
NEW DELHI: Terror attacks in India have graduated from the bombs-on-trains variety to commando-like operations in Mumbai, or blasts like the Germany Bakery in Pune.
But thus far, India has been spared the suicide bomber – the kind that rammed into the Indian embassy in Kabul, or into the CIA tent in Khost, or even in the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.
That could change. In a development that has raised concerns in the Indian security establishment, recent intelligence reports from Pakistan point to the Lashkar-e-Taiba now targeting Taliban militants as recruits.
Officials tracking developments in Pakistan said LeT has been training 130 Taliban militants who have surrendered to the Pakistan establishment. The training programme, being held at an “institute” in Lahore, has been going on for the past three months and is even now under way.
Officials believe these militants – who are already radicalized and motivated – could be used to do LeT’s work in India and Afghanistan. This could add a whole new dimension to terror attacks in India.
It’s possible India will share these details with Pakistan during the next round of talks, whenever they happen. While the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan don’t have the whole-hearted support of every part of the government, as minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur stated on Saturday, India will use the talks to raise its terrorism concerns with Pakistan.
LeT has not really had much truck with the Pakistan Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban, which, along with other terror groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba are targeting the Pakistani military establishment. LeT confines its activities to India, and fights with the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaida in Afghanistan (of course, in recent years, LeT has moved further afield into Europe as well).
LeT has also maintained its close ties with the Pakistan intelligence juggernaut, ISI, and is a vital instrument for the agency. It wasn’t for nothing that LeT was used for attacks on Indian interests in Afghanistan.
But if LeT is training Pak Taliban fellows, said sources, that denotes a whole new level of terror intent. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5680787.cms?prtpage=1
Be First to Comment