Bugging in high offices ... IB goes into overdrive now

Bitten by the bug, IB goes on sweeping spree

Vishwa Mohan,TNN
Jun 22, 2011, 12.23am IST

NEW DELHI: Intelligence Bureau found nothing amiss after its probe into finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's bugging complaint in September last year but the agency increased the frequency of its 'technical sweeping' in high offices since then as a precaution.
As against occasional anti-bugging exercise inside finance ministry, the IB has now included this ministry in North Block as part of its regular 'technical sweeping' work like what it does for its own premises and offices of the PM in South Block and home minister in North Block.
A senior official said, "Taking cue from the finance minister's complaint which later turned out to be a mere alarm, the Intelligence Bureau now does anti-bugging exercise once every two days or at least four-five days a week."
Mukherjee had urged the PM to order a secret inquiry into the "serious breach of security in his office" in the form of "planted adhesives" in 16 locations in a possible surveillance attempt. Though no live microphone devices were found, he had reported it to the PM. The matter was subsequently transferred to IB for probe.
Referring to the investigation and forensic examination which termed the "adhesives" as nothing but "chewing gum", the official said the matter was "closed" in October last year.
At present, IB is doing 'technical sweeping' of PMO and offices of the home minister, home secretary and Intelligence Bureau director, special director and other senior officials almost every day as part of its 'charter'.
"In case of other ministries, the IB does this exercise as and when asked depending on the nature of issues being handled by those ministries. As an exception, the finance ministry is now being covered more frequently," an officer said.
Officials in the IB and home ministry, however, remained tight-lipped about CBDT reportedly using a private detective agency to conduct 'technical sweeping' to find bugs inside the finance ministry last year..........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMjIjQXIwMTMwNA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Bugging in high offices ... President, Prime Minister and Union home secretary ... no one was spared in the past

Pranab at receiving end of bug trick that has been tried on many

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jun 22, 2011, 12.19am IST

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's complaint of his office being bugged may have hit the headlines but the practice of planting snooping devices in high offices is not new. There have been several instances of bugging in the past that include even offices of President, prime minister and home secretary.
In most cases, the snooping was done by Intelligence Bureau (IB) – the country's internal intelligence agency -- at the direction of 'political masters' of the day.
Such episodes have been chronicled by former IB joint director Maloy Krishna Dhar, who was instrumental in quite a few bugging exercises. A separate instance was recalled by former home secretary C G Somiah who after taking over in the ministry found that even his office in high-security North Block was bugged.
Retired IPS officer Dhar, in his book 'Open Secret: India's Intelligence Unveiled' gave a detailed account of how he along with another IB officer had "wired up" a few of Maneka Gandhi's friends which produced "tonnes of appalling information".
Calling such acts of snooping "immoral and illegal", he admitted that he was asked to mount surveillance on Maneka and her activities after Sanjay Gandhi's death.
In his book, Dhar who served for 30 years in India's premier intelligence agency, also narrated an episode of bugging former President Zail Singh and former PM V P Singh when they were in office in the 1980s.
He told TOI on Tuesday that nothing was done without a purpose. "The IB did such work a number of times in the past at the instance of political masters of the day. I have recollected only those episodes in my book which I know," he said.
Dhar's book recalled how bugging devices were planted inside Rashtrapati Bhawan when Zail Singh was president. He mentioned that the device, mounted somewhere on the top of the nearby PMO in South Block, picked up telephone conversations from certain "treated phones" inside Rashtrapati Bhawan. He wrote that the recorded tapes were regularly made available to the then PM Rajiv Gandhi.
Similarly, he recalled an episode of snooping inside the PMO when V P Singh was prime minister. Calling it another "TechInt (technical intelligence) operational coup", he wrote that he was asked to sweep PM P V Narasimha Rao's office with bugging devices in January 1992. He bumped on a forgotten micro-recording monitoring machine, implanted inside the phone of an aide to the PM which was planted by the IB during V P Singh's regime.
He wrote, "The end products, I understand, were delivered to Rajiv Gandhi even when Chandrashekhar warmed the seat for the former."
Five years later, former home secretary C G Somiah came out with his book – The Honest Always Stands Alone – in which he recalled an episode of bugging his office by IB. He was India's home secretary during 1986-88.
The retired IAS officer wrote, "When I took over as home secretary, a few incidents alerted me that probably my office was bugged. I had my office electronically swept and, sure enough, both my telephones were found to be bugged."
He mentioned he knew that it was the handiwork of H A Ansari, an IPS officer in IB. "I called him to my room and gave him a good tongue-lashing for his audacity to bug the home secretary. He feigned ignorance and denied the charge, but it was a warning to him not to act funny with me."..............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMjIjQXIwMTMwNQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Samjhauta Express train blasts: Hindu radicals showed their true colour

Aseemanand, four others charged in Samjhauta case
Jun 21, 2011, 12.58am IST TNN
[Vishwa Mohan]

NEW DELHI: Just three days before the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, the National Investigation Agency on Monday filed a chargesheet in a Panchkula court against five Hindu radicals including Swami Aseemanand in the Samjhauta Express train blast case and mentioned RSS senior leader Indresh Kumar as one of the "suspects" in the terror act.

Though Kumar is not an accused in the case as NIA has so far not found any corroborative evidence of his direct link, the agency referred to him thrice in the chargesheet. It said that his involvement in the conspiracy is "highly suspected".

The blast in the Pakistan-bound train took place on February 18, 2007 near Panipat in Haryana. Sixty-eight people including 43 Pakistani nationals were killed and 12 others injured in the incident. Samjhauta Express is a bi-weekly train that runs on Wednesdays and Sundays between Delhi-Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan.

The chargesheeting of Hindutva radicals comes on the eve of the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan where India wants to remind Pakistan of its continuing failure to bring the masterminds of 26/11 to justice. While trying to dodge its commitment to punish the terrorists responsible for the attack on Mumbai, Pakistan frequently tried to throw India off balance by raising the killing of Pakistanis in the Samjhauta blast. The action against the saffron terrorists , who allegedly planned the atrocity to avenge the spate of killings by jehadi terrorists, can close the opening for Pakistan.

Kumar's name figures as a "suspect" on the basis of his meeting with the perpetrators twice during 2005-06 when they "discussed about jihadi attacks on Hindu places of worships and the need to give befitting replies".

These meetings were followed by similar secret gatherings of select people which finally culminated in terror attacks not only on Samjhauta Express, but also blasts in Ajmer dargah, Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad) and twice in Malegaon under the radicals' "bomb ka badla bomb" plan. NIA had also referred to Kumar as a "suspect" in the Ajmer blast case as well.

"Details of the Samjhauta blast case chargesheet will be shared with Pakistan during the foreign secretary-level talks in Islamabad on June 23-24," said an official.

Besides 60-year-old Swami Aseemanand (Naba Kumar Sarkar), the other four who have been chargesheeted include slain RSS activist Sunil Joshi, property dealer Lokesh Sharma, engineer Sandeep Dange and electrician Ramchandra Kalsangra alias Ramji. While Aseemanand and Sharma are currently in jail, Dange and Ramji are absconding.

The 24-page chargesheet claimed that "investigation has brought out strong suspicion about the role of some more persons in the conspiracy as well" and therefore further probe in the case would continue.

Referring to its probe and corroborative evidence, the agency alleged that Aseemanand had not only provided financial and logistical support to the terror group, but also played "a vital role in instigating and motivating his associates to undertake this terrorist act".

It said that Dange, Ramji, Sharma and Joshi were instrumental in procuring raw materials for the IEDs and getting them fabricated. The bombs were allegedly planted in the train by Dange and Ramji with the help of others.

Although the agency has more or less replicated Aseemanand's confessional statement – which he had later withdrawn – in the chargesheet, it claimed that it could establish the clear links of these accused through "call detail reports of various mobile phones" and the suitcase covers in which the IEDs were kept. These were procured from Kothari market in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Besides Kumar, the agency has referred to three others – Amit Chauhan alias Sunny, Pragya Singh Thakur and Devender Gupta – as those whose roles are "highly suspect". Amit is absconding while Thakur is jailed in connection with her involvement in the 2008 Malegaon blast whereas Gupta is behind bars for his role in the 2007 Ajmer blast.

Kumar's name first appeared in connection with a meeting at Surat in October 2005. NIA said: "Some participants (of the Surat meeting) including one Indresh Kumar visited Shabridham in Gujarat to pay obesience to Shabri Mata Mandir. During the visit, Sunil Joshi arranged a meeting of Aseemanand with the said Indresh Kumar. During their discussion, they discussed about jihadi attacks on Hindu places of worship and the need to give befitting replies."

Later, Joshi and Bharat Bhai (Ajmer blast case accused) met Indresh Kumar in Nagpur where the latter gave them "Rs 50,000 in cash to meet the expenditure for procurement of explosives and other materials".

The agency claimed the investigation had revealed that Aseemanand was quite upset with the jihadi terror attacks on temples – Akshardham (Gujarat), Raghunath Mandir (Jammu) and Sankat Mochan (Varanasi) – and used to give vent" to his feelings while discussing it with Joshi and his associates.

The chargesheet said the "main conspiracy meeting" to carry out the attack on Samjhauta Express took place in June 2006. This was attended by Aseemanand, Sadhvi Pragya, Sunil Joshi, Dange, Ramji, Lokesh Sharma, Amil Chauhan and Bharat Bhai. Aseemanand, who presided over the meeting, announced that "Bomb ka jawab bomb se dena chahiya" and discussed the "operational modus operandi".

The gang subsequently formed "three groups" with a clear direction that each group would work independently. The first group comprising Aseemanand and Bharat Bhai was responsible for "motivating youths for the mission and providing shelter to the field workers". Aseemanand during one of his visits to Pune also met extremist outfit Abhinav Bharat's Himani Savarkar and Pramod Mutalik. Mutalik was later arrested in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

The second group comprising Lokesh Sharma and Devender Gupta was responsible for procuring raw materials whereas the third group of Dange and Kalsangra was supposed to fabricate and plant the bombs with the help of others. Joshi, who was mysteriously killed in Dewas in December 2007, used to be their operational head and the common link among the three groups.

NIA suspects that Joshi was murdered by the same members as they believed that his arrest in future might prove to be disastrous for them. Joshi's murder case was probed by the Madhya Pradesh police.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMjEjQXIwMDkwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

True colour of Maoists .... Naxals want hinterland to remain backward

Fighting against state ‘apathy’, Maoists destroy all signs of development
Jun 20, 2011, 02.09am IST TNN
[Vishwa Mohan]

NEW DELHI: Maoists may cite ‘under-development’ of certain areas as one of the reasons for their violent movement against state "discrimination" but they leave no stone unturned to keep "development" at bay in their strongholds.

The Maoists attacked 1,241 ‘economic targets’ during 2007-11, damaging railway property, telephone towers, electricity transmission lines, power plants, roads and mines across nine states in the country.

Home ministry’s latest statistics on Naxal violence (from January 2007 to June 16 this year) shows that the Maoists repeatedly selected such targets in four states – Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar – where their presence is substantial. Five states -- West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh -- witnessed relatively lesser number of such incidents.

Besides 465 roads, the banned CPI (Maoist) targeted 188 railway property including stations, crossings and tracks; equal number of school buildings; 187 telephone exchanges/towers; 69 panchayat bhawans; 45 electricity transmission lines; 30 mines; nine power plants and 60 other ‘economic targets’ like solar plates, cement plants and other manufacturing/industrial production units during the period.

The statistics show that they selected their targets carefully. They attacked ‘symbols of development’ in hinterlands like panchayat bhawans and school buildings as well as means of communication and transportation, in a move to virtually cut off the ‘under-developed’ areas from the mainstream.

Their attack on school buildings had earlier been interpreted as the ultras’ attempt to destroy all such places which were being occupied by security personnel. But this interpretation went for a toss when officials in the Naxal management division of the home ministry found that only one-fourth of the total 188 school buildings destroyed by Maoists were home to security personnel at any point of time.

"Certainly, the Maoists do not want to have signs of development in their strongholds, defying the very basis of their so-called people’s struggle against the state’s alleged apathy and discrimination towards under-developed/tribal areas," an official said.

The compilation shows that 2011 witnessed attacks on 142 ‘economic targets’ with latest being reported from Bihar on Wednesday when the ultras torched a railway station near Patna and blew up six mobile towers in Gaya.

Although the number of such targets this year (January–June) is less compared to the corresponding period last year, it has been due to increased security measures like deploying additional central forces and stepping up joint operations in the violence-hit states.

The years 2009 and 2010 were the worst, not only in terms of losing public property but also in terms of ‘deaths’ in Naxal violence. As many as 1,005 people were killed last year in 2,212 incidents as against 908 in 2,258 incidents in 2009; 721 in 1,591 incidents in 2008 and 696 in 1,565 incidents in 2007. This year has so far seen 226 deaths in 733 incidents.

26\11 Mumbai terror attack - It's time to be realistic and figure out your own strengths and weaknesses

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India banking on US to nail 26/11 accused?
Jun 15, 2011, 02.45am IST TNN
[Vishwa Mohan]

NEW DELHI: After losing its grip over Canadian Tahawwur Rana following his acquittal in the Mumbai terror attack case by a Chicago court, India does not appear to have left with any option but to depend on the US to nail 'key-players' like Sajid Mir, Abu Qahafa and others.

Earlier, New Delhi had lost American Lashkar terrorist David Headley once he entered into a plea bargain with American authorities last year.

Though Indian agency will file chargesheet against both Headley and Rana after getting all relevant documents from the US in the 26\11 case and possibly in other terror-related cases, the move will only give India a handle to raise 'diplomatic pitch' as and when needed.

"We can raise the pitch before the US asking for extradition of Rana and Headley after chargesheeting them in different cases. But, it does not have any meaning as both of them cannot be extradited unless they serve their jail sentences in the US," said a government official who is privy to consultations at different levels post-Rana's acquittal.

He argued that since Rana was convicted on two counts facing minimum 30 years of prison, and Headley pleaded guilty on 12 counts — facing nothing less than 40 or 50 years of jail term — all the noise of a possible extradition was just like trying to send a 'political message'.

"Instead of wasting 'political capital' pitching for a minnow like Rana, India would rather prefer to put pressure on Pakistan through US to get Sajid Mir and others", said the official.

Besides Headley and Rana, US had also named six others, including Sajid Mir, Ilyas Kashmiri, Abdul Rehman Hashim Sayeed, Abu Qahafa and Major Iqbal, as co-accused in the 26\11 case.

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has already reportedly said Headley would testify in any future prosecutions of al-Qaeda commander Ilyas Kashmiri and Lashkar's Sajid Mir, making it clear that Americans would not stop mounting pressure on Pakistan to look for them.

Referring to Fitzgerald's claim, the official here said India had to see how Pakistan responds to the US demand. He said, "Islamabad may not fall in line in case of retired or serving Army officers like Major Iqbal and Hashim, but its cooperation is expected from Americans in case of Sajid Mir and Kashmiri, whose death in drone attack is not yet confirmed".

India is also waiting from the US the documents that Washington produced in the Chicago court as evidence against Rana during his trial. It is expected that the FBI would send all these papers to New Delhi within 15 days.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating Headley-Rana case here, will file its chargesheet against them after it receives those documents. Both of them will be chargesheeted for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai terror attack case.

"Since Headley had scouted for as many as 34 terror targets and Rana helped him in providing cover for doing surveillance, they can be charged in different cases as and when the NIA comes across any corroborative evidence," the officer added...............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMTUjQXIwMTcwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

26\11 Mumbai terror attack:...Pakistan keeps on delaying the trial in Rawalpindi court

For fourth time, Pak transfers 26/11 judge

Judge Was Hearing Case Against 7 LeT Plotters, India Sees It As Tactic To Delay Justice

Vishwa Mohan, TNN

New Delhi: In what is seen in India as a tactic to delay the trial of the Mumbai terror attack perpetrators, Pakistan has once again transferred the judge hearing the 26/11 case against seven jailed Lashkar terrorists. This is the fourth time that the trial judge of the concerned Rawalpindi court has been transferred in the past two years.

The judge, Rana Nisar Ahmed, hearing the case since November 2010, was transferred from the Rawalpindi court to the Shankargarh court in Punjab province of Pakistan on Saturday.

The Rawalpindi court has been hearing the Mumbai terror attack case against seven accused — Lashkar commanders Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu-al-Qama and others — since 2009. Before Ahmed, three other judges of the same court had been transferred forcing the case to drag on without any conclusion in sight.

The matter is being delayed despite India asking Pakistan time and again to bring the 26/11 perpetrators to justice at the earliest. “That could be the only sign of Pakistan showing its earnestness in fighting terrorism,” said an official.

Pakistan has, however, been delaying the matter in more ways than one. Despite India’s readiness to welcome a Pakistani panel here in connection with 26/11 probe, Islamabad has so far not even conveyed to New Delhi when its judicial commission will come to India to take the statement of the magistrate who had recorded the confessional statement of the lone surviving Lashkar gunman Ajmal Kasab.

India had agreed to the Pakistani proposal of sending its judicial commission during the home secretary-level talks between the two countries here in March.

Besides recording the statement of additional chief metropolitan magistrate R V Sawant Waghule, the panel is also supposed to record the statements of investigating officer (IO) Ramesh Mahale and the doctors who conducted the post-mortem of the terrorists killed by commandos during the Mumbai terror attack.

An official here said that Pakistan should have immediately informed its court about India’s consent and got the required permission. But, the neighbouring country has so far not taken any action on this nor has it given any information to India about it. The transfer of the trial court judge will further delay the matter, he added.

Islamabad had been maintaining that it was necessary to send the commission to India as part of the judicial process of the 26/11 case in Pakistan and had promised on March 29 that it would do so within four to six weeks — i.e. by May 15. “But more than 10 weeks after the home secretary-level talks, nothing has been heard from Islamabad on the proposed commission’s visit to India,” an official said.

Pakistan’s contention is that the charges against the seven Lashkar terrorists are based on Kasab’s statement in Mumbai and hence the magistrate and the IO’s statements are necessary for submission before the anti-terror court there. “But the country now does not appear to be serious about this,” said the official......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMTQjQXIwMDcwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Naxalism .... Is securing the area 'first' needed before going ahead with basic development projects in Red zone?

Plan panel data reopens development vs security debate
Jun 12, 2011, 02.59am IST TNN
[Vishwa Mohan]

NEW DELHI: A fresh spurt of naxal violence in Chhattisgarh with 18 security personnel killed in the past three days in as many incidents, has posed a strong challenge to the Centre's efforts to prioritise the development option in countering the Red menace.

An analysis of Planning Commission data on the government's ambitious Integrated Action Plan (IAP) shows that Dantewada, which has borne the brunt of repeated naxal attacks, is in the five best performing districts out of 60 major Maoist-affected areas in implementing development projects.

The performance of other districts in Chhattisgarh is similarly far ahead as compared to districts in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa. But the state in general and Dantewada in particular has faced maximum violence since December last year when the IAP was put in motion.

In contrast, Adilabad and Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh show poor results in taking up or completing development projects but they are largely untroubled by major violence as the state seems to be better at policing and security infrastructure.

Although Chhattisgarh, particular its Bastar region comprising Dantewada, is at the centre of Maoist campaigns to carve an autonomous area, the analysis is likely to be hailed by votaries of the "security first" argument. It certainly makes a case for equal emphasis on controlling territory for development schemes to be really effective.

A section within the government believes "development is a must but it has to be security first". The Planning Commission data more or less supports this viewpoint.

The Centre in November last year had cleared the IAP with an aim of accelerating development schemes in 60 major naxal-affected districts. These districts were given Rs 25 crore each during the last financial year. It was decided that the grant will go up to Rs 30 crore in 2011-12.

Accordingly, each district was given Rs 10 crore during April-May in the current financial year, making it a total Rs 35 crore each to all the districts in the past six months.

An analysis of 'physical progress' of the sanctioned and completion of development projects – as per data updated by the Planning Commission till June 11 -- shows that Gadchiroli (90.49% projects completed) in Maharashtra is the best district followed by Gondiya (82.12%), Dantewada (75.95%) in Chhattisgarh, Sonbhadra (64.28%) in Uttar Pradesh and Kanker (56.79%) in Chhattisgarh.

Nonetheless, three – Gadchiroli, Dantewada and Kanker -- witnessed naxal incidents with Dantewada, being in the heart of Red stronghold, facing maximum violence and casualties of security personnel.

In contrast, Adilabad (6.55%) and Khammam (10.96%) remained peaceful despite a poor record in implementing the IAP scheme. Peace in these areas through better security infrastructure and policing has endured.

Andhra Pradesh has been successful in curbing naxal threats ever since it set up a specialized unit – Greyhounds – to take on Red ultras and focused on filling up police vacancies and strengthening human intelligence or Humint network over the past couple of years.

In terms of 'physical progress' of projects – that can show sign of development on the ground, Bihar is the worst among nine states completing only 3.49% of the projects, followed by Madhya Pradesh (6.59%) and Andhra Pradesh (7.86%).

The IAP schemes, decided by a committee headed by the district collector in each district, are being implemented in 15 districts of Orissa, 14 of Jharkhand, 10 of Chhattisgarh, eight of Madhya Pradesh, seven of Bihar, two each in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh and one each in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

New York lawsuit appears to be in deep freez unless United States stand up against ISI

Rana acquittal: US verdict foils Delhi's plan to implead itself in lawsuit

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jun 11, 2011, 02.06am IST
NEW DELHI: Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana's acquittal in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case in the US appears to have poured cold water on India's "possible" move to implead itself as a party to the lawsuit in a New York court against Pakistani spy agency ISI and terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The lawsuit, filed in November last year by relatives of Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who were killed by Lashkar gunmen at Chabad House in the attack, has accused the ISI of aiding and abetting the LeT in killing 166 people including six American citizens.

Though the jury in Chicago on Thursday convicted Rana for "providing material support to the LeT"', officials involved in ongoing consultations to taken a call on India's move said his acquittal in the 26/11 case would block any effort to substantiate the point raised in the lawsuit against ISI with respect to its direct role in the Mumbai carnage.

An official said, "Final decision has not yet been taken and it now appears that India will, most probably, have to rely on its back-channel efforts to support the relatives of victims."

Different agencies and law officers had been engaged in consultations over various aspects of the lawsuit, specifically whether India would be benefited by impleading itself in the lawsuit or not. The matter came to the fore last month when home secretary G K Pillai, in an interview to TOI, spoke about the possibility, saying the decision was a "political call".

Pillai had said, "I think, if Rana gets convicted then you are establishing credibility of Headley's claim of an ISI linkage. Then those records will go to the New York court case... that is where the pressure will come... and now if you want to get involved, that is really a political call... (because) on the one hand you said that you want to be friends with Pakistan... and then you want a case against Pakistan."

An official said, "Since Rana is not convicted, the possible move is now fraught with uncertainty. His conviction on the count of 'providing material support to the LeT' may not serve any purpose as it is not linked to the Mumbai terror attack."

Sources said law officers were, however, examining details of the lawsuit in light of such apprehensions after Rana's acquittal. Consultations are also going on in view of India's position of engaging Pakistan through talks at various levels, they added.

The lawsuit in the New York court said, "The ISI has long nurtured and used international terrorist groups, including the LeT, to accomplish its goals and has provided material support to the LeT and other international terrorist groups'. The lawsuit referred to the disclosure made by American-Pakistani Lashkar terrorist Headley and blamed top ISI officials – including its chief major general Ahmed Shuja Pasha -- for providing "critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks (26/11).".................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMTEjQXIwMTMwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

26\11 Mumbai Terror Attack: US court acquits Chicago businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana

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India 'disappointed' with Rana's acquittal in 26/11 case

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jun 11, 2011, 02.13am IST

NEW DELHI: India is "disappointed" with Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana's acquittal in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case in the US but will go ahead with its plan to chargesheet him along with accomplice David Coleman Headley in the case that has been lodged against him here.

"We are disappointed that Rana was acquitted on the count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks," the home ministry said on Friday.

The jury in Chicago on Thursday acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terror attacks. The court, however, found him guilty on two other counts -- providing material support to the Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorism plot in Denmark.

India can, however, derive some consolation from the fact that Rana was convicted for his linkage with Lashkar, with the jury's verdict reflecting the growing recognition of the ISI-backed terror group as a threat to global security.

But that does not take away from the sense of disappointment over Rana's acquittal on the 26/11 conspiracy charge. Although U K Bansal, secretary (internal security) in MHA, said he did not see it (the acquittal) as a "setback' and stressed that the Indian case against Rana was still being investigated, sources in the government acknowledged said that the Lashkar jihadi being let off will have a bearing on India's move to get access to Rana to get to the bottom of the 26/11 conspiracy. In fact, government had even planned to seek his extradition, an unlikely prospect now.

"We had planned to first move for his access after his conviction. It was also discussed when US homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano visited India. But the access now seems difficult as Rana's defence will oppose the move on the ground of his acquittal,' said a senior officer.

The home ministry sees the US system of 'jury trial' as one of the reasons for his acquittal. The ministry said, "It must be remembered that Rana was tried in a US court in accordance with US law. Criminal trials in the US are jury trials and there are special rules governing such jury trials.'

Unlike in India where there is a system of 'bench trial', a 'jury trial' is a legal proceeding in the US in which a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact which are then applied by a judge. In America, every person accused of crime punishable by imprisonment for more than six months has a right to a trial by jury. This system was abolished in India in 1960 on the grounds that the jury could be influenced by media and popular pressure.

Bansal said prosecution in India against Rana and Headley depends on India's own investigation. "In our handling of terrorism in India, we do not rely overtly on prosecution in other countries. We have to rely on our own strength,' he said. India feels that it has got enough evidence against Rana and Headley.

Nobody, however, here denies that the NIA was heavily dependent on what the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had collected in its probe and subsequently produced before the Chicago court against Rana during the trial.

Even the home ministry said, "After examining the verdict in the US court and after reviewing the documents and evidence that it expects to receive, the NIA will take a decision (timing) on filing a chargesheet against Headley, Rana and others in an Indian court.'

The ministry cited evidence that was produced in the US court against Rana. It pointed out that Headley had advised Rana of his assessment to scout potential targets in India; Headley obtained Rana's consent to open an office of First World Immigration Services as a cover for his activities; Rana advised Headley on how to obtain a visa for travel to India and both of them had reviewed how Headley had done surveillance of the targets that were attacked in Mumbai.

The ministry said, "Evidence was also produced that Rana told Headley that the terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks should receive Pakistan's highest military honour posthumously.'

Indian's next move will depend on what the US authorities decide on filing an appeal against the acquittal. While Rana's lawyers have said they will file an appeal against the verdict as their client was convicted on two counts, it is not yet clear whether the US authorities will go for an appeal or not.....................................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzA2LzExI0FyMDAxMDY=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Fate of Baba's aide seems to be in the hand of Uttarakhand government

Uttarakhand to verify Ramdev aide's claim on birthplace
Jun 10, 2011, 04.26am IST TNN
[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: The Centre will ask the Uttarakhand government to verify the birthplace claim made by Baba Ramdev's close aide Acharya Balkrishna as his citizenship status depends on where he was actually born.

Under the Indian Citizenship Act, if Balkrishna was born in Hardwar as he had claimed while procuring his Indian passport, there will not be any question over his Indian citizenship. But if the local authority finds otherwise, the ministry of external affairs will immediately cancel his passport and he will also be booked for misrepresenting facts.

"Since such an inquiry has to be conducted by local civic authorities and police, the Centre will ask the state to verify Balkrishna's claim. His fate will depend entirely on the findings of the Uttarakhand government," a senior government official said.

The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 says that "every person born in India on or after January 26, 1950 but before July 1, 1987" is eligible for "acquisition of citizenship by birth". The law, however, clarifies that such person will not be a citizen by virtue of birth if his or her non-Indian parents (either father or mother) enjoy any immunity from "suits and legal process" in India (like certain categories of foreigners who enjoy diplomatic immunity here).

"It appears from Acharya's passport application that he might have got Indian citizenship by virtue of his birth in India. The veracity of this claim will, however, be made by the state," said the officer.

About Balkrishna's gun licences which he had reportedly procured on the basis of the same passport, the officer said these licences, if any, would automatically be cancelled if the state government found him not to be born in Hardwar.

Balkrishna had on Tuesday claimed that he was born in Hardwar and he was a legal Indian citizen despite his parents being Nepali citizens. He had said, "My parents are from Nepal but they gave birth to me in India. According to the Constitution (Indian Citizenship Act), I am a legal citizen of this country. Why can't people deal with this fact."

The issue of his citizenship became controversial when Congress leader Digvijay Singh raised the question early this week, saying Balkrishna was a Nepali citizen and there should be an inquiry into how he managed to get an Indian passport. Balkrishna had got his passport from the Bareilly passport office in Uttar Pradesh.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMTAjQXIwMTIwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

NATGRID - will see you inside out

NATGRID to show its first result in 18 months
Jun 8, 2011, 05.16am IST TNN[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), which was approved by the government on Monday, will start showing results in about 18 months. The system is meant for real-time information sharing in electronic form among various law enforcement agencies.

The clearance, which came from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), is meant for the first two phases of this ambitious project which comprise setting up the required infrastructure – hardware, software and exclusive server for the system – and hiring manpower.

Information sharing among the agencies from the newly-developed integrated data-bank will begin in these two phases itself.

“Though it will take a minimum of three years (till 2014) to set up the entire infrastructure at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 1,200 crore under first two phases, we would be able to get the first result after 18 months (January 2013) once the basic data is put in place taking it from different agencies,” said a senior government official.

At present, only the first two phases have got the approval of the CCS. The remaining two phases have got the “in-principle” nod from the Committee. The first two phases will deal with only non-controversial nature of works including keeping and sharing of only those data, which can be obtained under the current legal system like bank account details (names of individuals and banks in which they have accounts), travel/immigration records, Unique Identity Numbers, telephone call records and insurance.

“These data are already available with different agencies like banks, insurance companies, immigration bureau among others. NATGRID will keep all such information in one place, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to access it whenever it is needed it for security reasons,” said the official.

The third and fourth phases, which may require legal amendments in terms of sharing and accessing data, will come later – possibly after 2014. The home ministry, which is the nodal ministry for this new system, will require the CCS nod for these two phases only after completion of the first two phases.

These phases, if approved, will deal with other data like property details, bank transaction records, internet usages etc. within the system.

The CCS gave its nod to the first two phases only after being convinced of the safety mechanism of the system in the light of the controversy around the project on the issue of an individual's privacy.

The official explained that the system would have all safeguards and oversight mechanisms, which will prevent misuse and leakage of the data.

NATGRID - Be ready to compromise with your privacy for the sake of security...very high price indeed!

Govt gives go-ahead for NATGRID
Jun 7, 2011, 04.59am IST TNN[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) -- an integrated facility which aims to link databases of 21 departments and ministries to improve the capability to counter terror threats – will soon be a reality with the Cabinet Committee on Security on Monday giving the ambitious project "in-principle" approval.

Armed with this approval, the home ministry will now start working on setting up required infrastructure for the grid with the help of technical hands – from both private and public sectors – employed for this purpose.

The clearance came after a detailed briefing and presentation about the project "along with safeguards and oversight mechanisms" to members of the CCS, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"CCS has given in-principle approval to the project and has instructed the ministry of home affairs to proceed accordingly," home ministry said in a statement. The project was hanging in the balance due to reservations expressed by different ministries over individual’s privacy, possibility of data misuse and breach of jurisdiction of various departments which originally collect details of individuals.

NATGRID will keep and update 21 kinds of data, taking it from different departments/ministries, state police, immigration bureaus, property registrar offices and telecom service providers. All data relating to an individual’s bank accounts, income tax, travel, immigration, insurance, property, credit and debit details, telephone and internet usage will be stored in the system.

This data will be shared with 11 central agencies including CBI, IB, RAW, Enforcement Directorate, NIA, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Narcotics Control Bureau as and when required by them as "input in combating terrorism".

Sources said the home ministry, which conceived the project in 2009, finally managed to convince the CCS by presenting details of the system including "in-built safety mechanism" that would not only prevent any leak of data but also help in achieving "quick, seamless and secure access to desired information" for intelligence/enforcement agencies.

Home secretary G K Pillai, in an interview to TOI last month, had indicated that the project could be cleared in June, stating that most objections were merely "out of ignorance". Sounding confident about the clearance, he had said, "As you explain the system and show that there is gain for everybody, they will start to come around."

Many feel that if a system like NATGRID was in place, American Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley would not have had a free run before and after the 26/11 strike. They believe that Headley visited India several times and every time, he returned to the US via Pakistan or West Asia. His travels, however, did not raise suspicion because the agencies did not have a system which could pop-up his name for such unusual journey records.

Baba Ramdev -- Operation Eviction

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Govt had to activate Plan B to get Ramdev to Dehradun

Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Jun 6, 2011, 02.36am IST

NEW DELHI: The government had its 'Plan B' ready hours before Delhi Police picked up Baba Ramdev early on Sunday.
The government wanted to put him on a flight away from media glare and had stationed a BSF helicopter at Safdarjung airport to transport the yoga guru to Dehradun. As a back-up, Delhi Police, in consultation with the home ministry, had the paramilitary force's Embraer aircraft ready at Palam technical area suspecting that it might have to use this option in case its initial plan didn't succeed.
"Our plan to use Safdarjung airport got leaked and we had to rush Baba to Palam technical area from where he was sent to Dehradun using a BSF aircraft," an official said.
The official said the Centre had to inform the Uttarakhand government about Baba's externment as he was supposed to be sent to Hardwar via Dehradun. But the information that he would be flown from Safdarjung airport got leaked from Dehradun and Ramdev's followers and media gathered there quickly, he added.
After seeing the gathering and TV crew outside Safdarjung airpot, Delhi Police kept Ramdev in a government guesthouse for a few hours and then took him to Palam technical area. Two police officials accompanied the yoga guru to Dehradun in the Embraer aircraft.
As per the externment order which came into effect the moment police served it to him at midnight, Ramdev was not supposed to turn himself away. A section of officials here are asking whether Baba should not have been booked for defying the order when he jumped into the crowd and asked them not to obey the law.
Sources, however, said Delhi Police did not want to complicate matters and preferred to evict him from Ramlila grounds and transport him as quickly as possible to Hardwar.
Preparations for the midnight action began at 4 pm on Saturday when the yoga guru did not announce his decision to end the fast, as agreed with the government. The preparations gained momentum around 5 pm when Ramdev announced that his indefinite fast would continue.
After Baba refused to budge, a final decision to go ahead with midnight operation was taken in consultation with the PMO. Sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was consulted and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was taken into confidence before initiating the action.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDYvMDYjQXIwMDkwMw==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

New York court lawsuit against ISI and LeT --- cost-benefit analysis is going on

Govt starts internal consultations on joining New York lawsuit against ISI, LeT
Jun 3, 2011, 04.53am IST TNN[ Vishwa Mohan ]

NEW DELHI: The government has started internal consultations to take a call on whether to implead itself in the lawsuit against Pakistani spy agency ISI and terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba in a New York court. This comes a few days after Union home secretary G K Pillai hinted to this effect. A final decision is likely to be taken this month itself.

"Investigating agencies and law officers have had meetings in the past two days over various aspects of the case, specifically whether India would be benefited by impleading itself in the lawsuit or not," said a senior officer who is privy to the consultations.

He said, "Hopefully, a decision on joining the New York lawsuit will be taken within this month." He said that India would wait for the judgment of the Chicago court in the ongoing case against 26/11 accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana before taking the decision.

The NIA, which is investigating the case against Rana and American Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley in India, will also possibly file its chargesheet against the duo after getting all relevant material from the US authorities this month.

Though preliminary discussions on the issue of India becoming a party to the New York lawsuit were held in April, the ongoing Rana trail brought the issue to the fore. Last week, Pillai in an interview to The Times of India spoke about the possibility and said that the decision would have to be a "political call".

Pillai had said: "I think if Rana gets convicted then you are establishing credibility of Headley's claim of an ISI linkage. Then those records will go to the New York court case...that is where the pressure will come...and now if you want to get involved, that is really a political call... (because) on the one hand you said that you want to be friends with Pakistan...and then you want a case against Pakistan."

Taking note of the home secretary's interview (to the TOI), home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday too said that there were "advantages and disadvantages" (of taking the decision).

Sources said the law officers were examining the details of the lawsuit in the light of such apprehensions and trying to study precedents, if any, in other countries and the possibility of unnecessarily being dragged by courts in some other cases in future. Consultations are also taking place in view of India's current position of engaging Pakistan through talks at various levels, sources added.

The lawsuit in the New York court, filed in November last year by relatives of Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who were killed by Lashkar gunmen at Chabad House in Mumbai in November 2008, has accused the ISI of aiding and abetting the LeT in killing 166 people including six American citizens.

It said: "The ISI has long nurtured and used international terrorist groups, including the LeT, to accomplish its goals and has provided material support to the LeT and other international terrorist groups." The lawsuit referred to the disclosure made by American-Pakistani Lashkar terrorist Headley and blamed top ISI officials – including its chief Major General Ahmed Shuja Pasha -- for providing "critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks (26/11)".

The New York court had subsequently issued summons to senior ISI officials including Pasha and LeT leaders Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi. Though the lawsuit is now stuck in procedures after the Pakistan government decided to defend its spy agency and got ‘waiver' for the visit of Pasha to US, India appears to be keen on following the matter in whatever way it can to expose the ISI for its misdeeds.................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDExLzA2LzAzI0FyMDA3MDE=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Indian home secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai ----- a farewell interview

Natgrid should be cleared by mid-June: Pillai
May 30, 2011, 01.09am IST TNN
Vishwa Mohan & Himanshi Dhawan

Exactly a month before his retirement as home secretary, GK Pillai in an interview with TOI emphasized on the need to use technology to secure people and cleared the air over the ambitious national intelligence grid (Natgrid) project which was initiated during his tenure but has not been finalised due to “misplaced” apprehensions. He tells Vishwa Mohan and Himanshi Dhawan that the project -- meant to access vital data and share it with security and law enforcement agencies -- will be a reality by mid-June. He also spoke on what India discussed with the US during Indo-US homeland security dialogue here last week. Excerpts:

Q. What is the problem in getting Natgrid cleared from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)? Will it finally see the light of day?

A. Natgrid will come. It is only a question of time. I think the CCS will clear the project before mid-June. It has only taken a bit more time because of fears, suspicions and departmental turf issues. People (in different ministries) feel that you (home ministry) can get the information without going to them. These are issues. These are, however, only misplaced apprehensions. Slowly, this will disappear.

Q. Has the finance ministry expressed reservation over Natgrid as it will also access data like individual’s income tax, bank account and credit card details?

A. Finance ministry is one. There are concerns from various other ministries. Some are genuine concerns like, how will it work? We may need a legal framework... what kind of system we need to keep in? But most people’s objection is out of ignorance. As you explain the system and show that there is a gain for everybody, then they will start to come around.

Q. How will the system of integrating all data including travel details within Natgrid help?

A. Consider an example. If I ask for names of people who have come to India and gone to Pakistan, names like David Coleman Headley (American Lashkar terrorist who had scouted 26/11 terror targets during his multiple visits to India) would have come up. Even today, a similar Headley comes and goes nine times to India and nine times to Pakistan, it still does not throw up in the system unless an alert immigration officer points it out. The officer is also under pressure when there is a queue of passengers waiting for clearances. If you have a system (like Natgrid) in place, keeping track on any unusual movement would be easier.

Q. What were the issues, other than the exchanges on 26/11 perpetrators like Headley, his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana and others, that came up for discussion during the Indo-US homeland security dialogue on Friday?

A. One of the key issues taken up was the matter concerning fake Indian currency notes (FICNs). We told US delegates that look, it is affecting not just us, but it will affect you in future. The FICN is also financing terror. At some point of time, Americans who have maximum influence in Pakistan, need to put pressure on Pakistan to stop it because it is all state sponsored. There is enough evidence that the FICN is coming from Pakistan. Besides the number of arrests and seizures in India from people who came from Islamabad or Dubai or via Bangladesh, there are instances where Pakistani nationals flying from Islamabad straight to Malaysia were caught at Kuala Lumpur carrying lakhs of rupees worth of FICNs.

Q. One of the issues on the Indo-US homeland security agenda was relating to mega-city policing. What was discussed on the matter?

A. Discussions took place keeping in mind vulnerability of big cities and how to protect them. You cannot make gated colonies and protect yourself. You have to protect the entire city. There are different philosophies. There is a question of access control, surveillance and CCTV cameras networked into a command and control network. There is a system of video analytics, which is now there... technology is there... we have to put it all together. At the same time, our vulnerability has increased with technology. Literally, one guy, sitting in his home, can put in a virus and destroy systems. So, we discussed all these in view of having a system in place and providing security. There are different joint working groups, looking into all such issues in detail.

Q. There have been reports of infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir. How will you tackle this and other issues affecting people of the state?

A. There have been 30–40 people who infiltrated this year so far. We (security forces) killed five of them recently in Sopore and Nawpora of which two were Pakistanis. The situation in the state is ‘so far so good’. My assessment is that it is a governance issue. Panchayat elections have seen over 80% turnout despite bandh calls by separatists. It is a good sign.......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDUvMzAjQXIwMTQwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

New York lawsuit against ISI and LeT ----- a litmus test

Joining NY trial against ISI a political call: G K Pillai
May 29, 2011, 11.57pm IST TNN
Vishwa Mohan & Himanshi Dhawan

NEW DELHI: India could implead itself as a `party` in the lawsuit against Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistani spy agency ISI in a New York court if the government here decides to do so. "It is a question of decision... it's a political call," home secretary G K Pillai told TOI in an exclusive interview.

"I think if (Tahawwur) Rana gets convicted, then you are establishing credibility of (David) Headley`s claim of an ISI linkage. Then those records will go to the New York court case... that is where the pressure will come... and now if you want to get involved, that is really a political call (because) on the one hand you said that you want to be friends with Pakistan, and then you want a case against Pakistan," Pillai said.

The home secretary was referring to the ongoing trial against 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana in a Chicago court where his accomplice David Headley gave details of their links with the ISI in his testimony as a witness. Judgment in Rana`s case is expected sometime next month.

The lawsuit in a New York court, filed in November last year by relatives of Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who were killed by Lashkar gunmen at Chabad House in Mumbai in November 2008, has accused the ISI of aiding and abetting the LeT in killing 166 people including six American citizens.

It said, "The ISI has long nurtured and used international terrorist groups, including the LeT, to accomplish its goals and has provided material support to the LeT and other international terrorist groups." The lawsuit referred to the disclosure made by American-Pakistani Lashkar terrorist David Headley and blamed top ISI officials of providing "critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks (2611)".

The New York court had issued summons to senior ISI officials including its chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha and LeT leaders Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi. Though the lawsuit is now stuck in procedures after the Pakistani government decided to defend its spy agency and got 'waiver' for Pasha's visit to the US, India appears to be keen on following the matter in whatever way it can to expose the ISI for its misdeeds.

Officials here do not rule out the possibility of some back-channel efforts to help the petitioners of the lawsuit which may also become a starting point for people of other countries whose fellow citizens were killed by the Lashkar terrorists.

Besides Indians, 28 foreign nationals including citizens of France, UK, Germany, US, Singapore, Israel, Canada, Australia and Japan were gunned down by the terrorists during the three-day carnage in Mumbai................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDUvMzAjQXIwMDEwNg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

AND

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