[Assam] Border Trouble

[Chan Mahanta]

Greetings Thakuria. Thanks for sharing your 
information loaded piece on Border Trouble. I 
took the trouble to read it,  in consideration of 
your effort at writing it and for remembering me 
in your cc list. The least I could do.

It raised a number of questions in my mind. I am 
sure that was exactly what you aspired to do- 
raidse questions and awareness.  But my questions 
might not exactly be in line of what you intended 
to raise. If so, please do forgive me.


	*** Your opening paragraph characterizes 
the subject of your essay as a 'shocking
	revelation'.  That I find quite a curious 
reaction, considering  the decade or more of
	routine announcements in certain sections 
of the Assam and Indian media of ISI  agents
	being 'nabbed', 'apprehended','arrested' 
and so forth. I have not kept count, but my
	guess would be that at least a couple of dozen or so per year.

	You being the journalist, investigative 
or merely reporting, either must have missed all 
that,
	to be so 'shocked' at the 'revelation''. 
Or was that just a little journalistic license, an
	indulgence with that world-renowned Indian hyperbole?

	Anyway, that raises yet another set of 
questions in my mind. I am sure it does to other
	thoughtful Netters too, even though they 
might not always let others in on their 
curiosities
                   about such things for a variety of reasons:

	A: What happens to all these ISI agents 
that get 'nabbed' and they "confess" ?

	Indian police seems to be extremely good 
in getting such "confessions" very fast, even from
	the dreaded ISI cadres.  And that without 
complaints of torture," humane but harsh
                    interrogation methods" like  water-boarding and the like.
                    How else would the police or 
the bureaucrats or the reporters
	( like yourself) or the ministers KNOW 
that they really are ISI agents, sent to Assam 
to turn
	it into an Islamic state with the help of them despicable insurgents?


	A side thought here: Indian/Assam police 
ought to sell their expertise to the clueless CIA
	or spook agencies like Stratfor ( 
operated by an ex CIA agent) , who can't seem to 
be able
	get any conviction of any of their 
detainees here in the US . There is good money 
here.


	B: Do these nabbed ISI cadres get bail 
after they 'CONFESS" to their  ISI
	association crimes and stay free ? Or do they languish in prison
	for decades as under-trials, like those 
labeled ULFA and other such dreaded labels,
	with no trial in sight? Or given a fair 
timely trial in the great traditions
	of desi-demokrasy to determine guilt or innocence ?

	C: If they had been tried, how many of 
them had been convicted of the crimes they
	were charged with or ANY crime for that 
matter, in the  last decade or so? Have you
	ever tried to find out? I would like to 
think, as a respected journalist  you would be
	very curious.

	I like to think that you will also agree 
that merely being charged with  being an ISI  or
	being 'nabbed' is NOT the same as being 
actually guilty.  Particularly by Indian or
	Assam police, considering their track 
record in other areas of crime fighting. I am 
appalled
	by Indian newspapers gloating about these 
episodes of dreaded ISI cadres or insurgent
	cadres being 'nabbed', as if it means 
they are actually so convicted, with nary a word 
of
	curiosity for the ranks of the watchdogs 
of desi-demokrasy the free and fearless
	journalists like yourselves.

	You can make yourself a name, should you 
choose to take that on as a journalistic goal:
	To find the truths ( or fictions), 
associated with these claims of the authorities, 
and the
	end results as  proven in a just court of 
law; even though I realize it could carry risks
	to your professional advancement or even your livelihood.

	Not that I am suggesting that the ISI 
could not be involved in  troubled parts of India.
	I am certain they are. Just as RAW is in 
Pakjistan or B'Desh or even in Assam.  But these
  	routine claims of their nabbing need some 
verification. And the results of such apprehension
  	 MUST be shown to the PEOPLE, in order to 
DETER future aspirants of trouble-making,
  	won't you think? You and I both know that 
Indian anarchy is a direct result of a weak and
	clueless government unable to punish the 
guilty while harassing the innocent or the
	hapless to no end.

	D: What exactly would be the CRIME 
associated with being slapped with the ISI-cadre
	charge by Indian law? Is it a capital 
crime punishable by death? Or long prison 
sentences?
	Or deportation to Pakistan, regardless of 
whether they are Pakistanis or B'Deshis or
	Indians? Huge fines? Or a well-placed 
bribe at the right political spot can take them 
off
	the hook?

	I am hoping you or your cadre of fearless 
journalists would rise to task of educating
	your fellow men. Would you?


This set of questions is only the tip of the 
ice-berg. I have a bunch more. I will be pleased 
to go thru them , category at a time, should you 
be interested in remaining engaged with us.  I 
hope you will not be one of those many others who 
go silent after whetting the appetites of curious 
netters like yours truly.

Best .

cm













At 12:52 PM +0000 1/12/08, Nava Thakuria wrote:
>http://tehelka.com/story_main37.asp?filename=Ws190108Border.asp
>
>Border Trouble
>
>Pakistan’s ISI is partnering militant groups to 
>foment trouble in the Northeast. By NAVA THAKURIA
>
>The land of armed movements, set on fire by the 
>anti-New Delhi militias, has woken up to a new 
>threat from religious fundamentalists fuelled by 
>Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to 
>make Northeast India a volatile region in the 
>continent. The Northeast is no stranger to 
>banned armed groups and their destructive 
>activities, but the recent development where it 
>has emerged that the Pakistani agency has 
>engaged scores of its operatives in the region 
>and also sponsored a number of indigenous armed 
>groups has come as a shocking revelation.
>
>The people of the alienated region of India, 
>which is surrounded by Bhutan, Tibet, Burma 
>(Myanmar) and Bangladesh traditionally pursue a 
>policy of hatred against the Union Government 
>alleging that New Delhi is only interested in 
>exploiting the natural resources of the region 
>but never takes cognizance of the relentless 
>troubles faced by its nearly 50 million 
>population. Even then, they can hardly support 
>the presence of a Pakistani agency in their 
>region, which continues fuelling Islamic 
>fundamentalism consistently beyond their borders.
>
>But unfortunately, for the people of the 
>Northeast, a most influential armed group of 
>Assam has reportedly maintained close links with 
>the ISI. The local media quoting different 
>(government and non-government) sources claimed 
>that the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) 
>is in touch with Islamic militants too. Launched 
>in 1979 with the aim to make Assam an 
>independent country, the banned armed group is 
>blamed for numerous killings, explosions and 
>kidnappings and a huge number of extortion cases.
>
>What is appalling for the people of the region 
>is that not less than 20 native militia groups 
>have come closer to the ISI. It was disclosed 
>during the interrogation of an ISI operative, 
>who was arrested by the Assam police in Guwahati 
>recently. More shocking revelation for the 
>entire nation is that the alliance has slowly 
>pushed the insurgent groups into the clutches of 
>Islamic militants.
>
>The Assam police termed it a big catch in its 
>counter-terrorism operations in the Northeast. 
>The arrested ISI operative was identified as SM 
>Alam alias Mujibullah Alam alias Asfi Alam. 
>Hailing from Ajampur village under Uttara police 
>station in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Alam (35) has been 
>recognized as an important functionary of the 
>ISI in charge of Assam and the Northeast.
>
>The police said that Alam was a member of 
>Jamat-e-Islami and Chatra Shibir (of Bangladesh) 
>and joined the Pakistan-based 
>Harkat-ul-Mujahideen in 1993. The hardcore 
>Bangladeshi national underwent training in 
>Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) also. Later he 
>joined Jamat-ul-Mujahideen in 2005 and afterward 
>he was recruited by the ISI. Soon he shifted his 
>base to the restive Northeast in 2006. What was 
>alarming, however, was Alam confessed that 24 
>militant outfits in the region had maintained 
>communication with the ISI network.
>
>The ISI is viewed as a notorious agency in 
>Indian perspective as it continues spreading 
>terror in many parts of India. However, it is 
>recognised as the largest and most powerful 
>intelligence service in Pakistan. Created as an 
>independent unit in 1948, the ISI officially 
>handles external intelligence gathering for the 
>Pakistan government. Headquartered at Islamabad, 
>the ISI is known as a disciplined army unit with 
>around 10,000 staff members. It however faces 
>allegations of meddling in the internal affairs 
>of its neighbouring countries.
>
>The Indian police have from time to time claimed 
>that ISI was involved in many explosions in the 
>country. The Mumbai police asserted that it had 
>enough proof of involvement of ISI in the July 
>2006 blast in a local commuter train. The ISI is 
>also blamed for masterminding explosions in many 
>other cities of the country including Hyderabad, 
>Lucknow, Sri Nagar, Malegaon, Varanasi, Guwahati 
>and Imphal.
>
>This reporter tried to contact the officers of 
>the Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan 
>Armed Forces, of which ISI is a unit, for their 
>reactions regarding the arrest of Alam in Assam. 
>While responding to the phone calls, an 
>additional director (in charge of foreign media) 
>of Inter Services Public Relations only said 
>that the arrest of the ISI operative was not in 
>his knowledge. He assured he would respond 
>later, though he has not done so. Moreover, a 
>query submitted in the ISPR website also did not 
>result in any response. What is significant is 
>that, the officials of ISPR, while responding to 
>the phone calls, did not summarily reject the 
>news that one of their operatives had been 
>arrested in India.
>
>Dr M Amarjeet Singh, a research scholar at the 
>Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New 
>Delhi wrote in one of his articles, "Apart from 
>aiding and abetting terrorism in Kashmir, ISI 
>has also been fully engaged in building terror 
>infrastructures in the rest of India, including 
>in the Northeast, which has long been infested 
>with multiple insurgencies. This attempt to fish 
>in troubled waters of the Northeast poses a 
>formidable risk to India's security."
>
>The Indian security agencies have already 
>gathered evidence to establish that the ISI had 
>been sponsoring violence in many parts of the 
>country. The ISI takes responsibility for 
>supplying sophisticated arms and guerrilla 
>training to several militant groups based in the 
>Northeast.
>
>Brig (Retired) Dr S P Sinha, who served the 
>Northeast for many decades, claimed that the ISI 
>had now formed a new base in Bangladesh to carry 
>on anti-India operations. In his recent book 
>titled 'Lost Opportunities: 50 years of 
>Insurgency in the Northeast and India's 
>Response', Dr Sinha, who led the Gorkha Rifles, 
>also narrated that Pakistan had shifted nearly 
>200 terrorist training camps from the Pakistan 
>occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Bangladesh.
>
>A senior Bangladeshi journalist supplements his 
>comment. Speaking to this reporter from Dhaka, 
>the journalist disclosed, "The Pakistani 
>intelligence agency (ISI) has been actively 
>operating in Bangladesh under a number of 
>cover-ups. In recent months, a large number of 
>former army officials from Pakistan have come to 
>Bangladesh to work for different business 
>groups. Most of the top figures in these 
>companies are either former military personnel 
>or well connected to the Pakistan Army."
>
>The journalist, who sought anonymity added, 
>"Personally I believe, these Pakistani Army 
>officials are not retired personnel. They might 
>be important officials of the ISI. My 
>information is that a huge amount of profit of 
>those companies goes to the hidden activities of 
>the agency. I suspect, the ISI has a significant 
>amount of shares in those companies (including 
>one mobile phone service provider) working in 
>Bangladesh."
>
>"A few companies owned by foreign nationals have 
>emerged as a major base for the ISI in 
>Bangladesh." Naming one, Chowdhury, a 
>pro-Pakistani politician in Bangladesh, the 
>journalist alleged that the controversial person 
>had business tie-ups with these companies. "He 
>(Mr Chowdhury) also has links with many 
>Northeastern militants including ULFA and is 
>suspected to be involved with an armed gang in 
>the hill tracts of Chittagong," the journalist 
>added.
>
>The links of Northeastern militants with the ISI 
>found space for discussion in the Parliament 
>too." Available inputs indicate that some Indian 
>insurgent groups active in the northeastern 
>region have been using the territory of 
>Bangladesh, and have links with Pakistan's ISI," 
>Shriprakash Jaiswal, the minister of state for 
>Home informed Rajya Sabha on December 5. The 
>minister, while admitting reports of alliances 
>among the outfits for tactical purposes of 
>shelter, hideouts, procurement of arms, also 
>added that New Delhi had taken up the issue with 
>Islamabad.
>
>Weeks ago, a reputed US intelligence think tank 
>reported about the ULFA's increasing financial 
>enterprises with Islamic militant groups. 
>Stratfor, in one of its analytical reports 
>stated that ULFA leaders preferred to maintain 
>their financial network with Pakistan's 
>intelligence agency and 'its financial 
>enterprise and strong links with Islamist 
>militant groups have made it a threat that New 
>Delhi will not be able to ignore much longer'.
>
>The report also added that 'though India has 
>largely turned a blind eye to militant groups 
>operating in its far-flung Northeast', the 
>growing Islamisation of the region provides 
>'more than enough reason for New Delhi to start 
>paying closer attention to its Northeastern 
>border'. Stratfor has been closely monitoring 
>the growing nexus between India's North Eastern 
>insurgent outfits and militant Islamist groups 
>that regularly traverse India's extremely porous 
>border with Bangladesh.
>
>The Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi maintained 
>that ULFA is in the clutches of the ISI and that 
>is why they cannot come for talks. Attending a 
>meeting on internal security affairs, which was 
>chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh 
>on December 20 in New Delhi, Gogoi expressed 
>serious concern that the ISI had been trying its 
>best to make the Northeast a hub of terrorism. 
>Gogoi argued that, a grave threat the Northeast 
>is facing, is with the abundant aid and 
>sustenance poured in for various anti-national 
>armed groups from outside the country.
>
>He urged New Delhi to take up the issue of 
>terrorist camps in the neighbouring countries 
>(read Bangladesh and Burma) and expedites the 
>fencing of the international borders, which is 
>now porous. Earlier talking to a New Delhi based 
>television news-channel, Gogoi revealed that the 
>ULFA leaders cannot defy the diktat of ISI as 
>most of their senior leaders are taking shelter 
>in Bangladesh and are at the mercy of the ISI. 
>He strongly believes that ULFA is the prime 
>communicator from Northeast to the international 
>terrorist outfits.
>
>Critical concern on ISI's active involvement in 
>the Northeast has already been expressed in the 
>mainstream media. The Assam Tribune, the oldest 
>English daily of the region in an editorial said 
>"It is a fact that presence of foreign nationals 
>gave a chance to the ISI agents and other 
>fundamentalist forces having roots in Bangladesh 
>to establish their bases not only in Assam but 
>also in other states of the Northeast, which has 
>posed a grave security threat to the nation."
>
>JP Rajkhowa, an Assamese bureaucrat turned media 
>columnist, while quoting intelligence reports, 
>stated that over 20 Jehadi groups including 
>Muslim Tiger Force of Assam, Muslim United 
>Liberation Force of Assam, Muslim United 
>Liberation Army, United Muslim Front of Assam, 
>United Islamic Reformation Movement of India, 
>Muslim Security Force, United Liberation Militia 
>of Assam, Muslim Security Council of Assam, 
>Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, 
>People's United Liberation Front, Revolutionary 
>Muslim Commandos, Jamat-ul-Mujahideen 
>Bangladesh, Students' Islamic Movement of India, 
>Laskar-e-Taiba etc are active in the region. 
>"All these groups want to carve out an Islamic 
>state of Assam," he commented.
>
>The Sentinel, another important English daily of 
>Northeast commented in an editorial, "We have 
>had occasion in the past to hammer the fact that 
>both the ISI and the fundamentalist and 
>terrorist organizations based in Bangladesh have 
>taken a solemn vow to create a greater Islamic 
>state in the subcontinent by including in it 
>Assam and other suitable areas of the 
>Northeast." It also raised a pertinent question 
>that why did not the Assam government wake up to 
>the threats of the ISI-jehadis and finally gear 
>up 'to break the whole ISI network in the State'.
>
>
>
>