Historic talk with banned outfit ULFA gets underway....idea is to engage them like NSCN(IM)

Ulfa holds talks with Centre, meets PC

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 11, 2011, 12.46am IST
NEW DELHI: Historic talks with the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) got underway as an "ice-breaker" on Thursday with the government getting the insurgent group on board to work for reaching a "just and honourable solution" within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
Both sides agreed to set up a seven-member committee -- comprising three Ulfa members and two officers each from the Centre and Assam government -- to look into the issues of the outfit's camps, its locations, cadres, status of their arms, surrender policy and detailed modalities for discussions before the "substantive" round of talks begin after the assembly polls in May.
The outlawed group made it clear that it would not take part in the election, and also would not become an obstacle before "desire and aspiration of the people of Assam". The eight-member Ulfa delegation -- some of whom are out on bail -- was led by its chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa during the talks.
Terming Thursday's formal parleys as a "confidence building round", Ulfa `foreign secretary' Shashadhar Choudhury later said, "We did not raise any demand today. We will discuss broader issues when we meet next".
After the group's discussion with a team of officials comprising home secretary Gopal K Pillai and secretary (internal security) U K Bansal, Choudhury also made it clear that though the outfit had been in constant touch with its commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, his (Baruah) absence would not cast any shadow over the talks. Ulfa opted for the talks after the `General Council' -- the group's highest decision making body -- gave its assent.
Choudhury maintained that "Baruah is still our commander-in-chief". But, security agencies believe that the stance might have been taken just to give an impression that the outfit's C-in-C may bounce back in case talks fail at a later stage.
Stating that the outfit is hopeful that the insurgency problem in Assam can be solved through an amendment in the Constitution, Choudhury -- flanked by `vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi and `finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika -- said, "We have noted a recent statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Indian Constitution is flexible enough to accommodate the desire and aspirations of all people."
He added, "Through the talks, therefore, we proposed to evaluate various facets of the Constitution and to explore the viability of protection and enrichment of the sovereignty of the people of Assam in all its dimensions -- political, social and cultural, within the flexibility as mentioned by the prime minister."
Declaring that the agenda of the future talks with the government and ULFA's demands would be decided by the "people of Assam", he said it was necessary to amend the Constitution to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people.
On the possibility of declaring a ceasefire, Choudhury said the initiative has to come from the government. "Anyway, we have not indulged in violence in last one year,"he said, adding that Ulfa is still a banned group. He said though the members were still outlawed, they were trying to be "good citizen" to bring a lasting solution to the "conflict".
Before the delegation went for first formal talks, home minister P Chidambaram, whom the Ulfa leaders met, said, "I assured them that the government of India and government of Assam will engage them in sincere and meaningful talks and I am confident that we will find a just and honourable solution". The outfit's delegation will meet the PM here on Monday.
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September, 2008 Blast in Gujarat...the Hindu radicals' terror act

Modasa blast: NIA says Samjhauta accused did it

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 9, 2011, 05.00am IST
NEW DELHI: A month after Union home minister P Chidambaram credited the NIA with a "breakthrough" in the Samjhauta Express train blast, the central probe agency has now `formally' claimed to have achieved a similar "breakthrough" in the 2008 Modasa (Gujarat) blast case amid indications that both the incidents were carried out by the same group of Hindu radicals comprising members of Abhinav Bharat.
Although the confessional statement of Swami Aseemanand and subsequent questioning of Bharat Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and others made it amply clear that the Modasa blast too was the handiwork of the Hindu radicals, the NIA's latest claim is learnt to have been made after the agency collected some corroborative evidence.
Without disclosing what it has got during investigation of the Modasa blast case, the NIA -- in a brief report on its achievements during 2010 -- stated achieving a "breakthrough" in the case. The report has listed out breakthroughs in both Modasa and Samjhauta blast cases as the NIA's "significant achievements in the field of investigation".
Sources in the agency, meanwhile, said that the forensic and technical examination of the motorcycle used in the blast had made some substantial progress. It had helped the agency zero in on certain people who were linked to members of Abhinav Bharat including the absconders Sandeep Dange, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Ashwini Chauhan, they added.
The blast in Modasa was carried out on September 29, 2008 -- the day a similar incident took place in Malegaon. While one person was killed in Modasa, six persons died in the Malegaon incident. In both the blasts, the extremists had used motorcycles and similar kind of explosives.
Though the Maharashtra Police had cracked the Malegaon case quickly and arrested 11 persons including Lt Col Srikant Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Dayanand Pande after tracing the original owner of the used motorcycle (the Sadhvi), the Gujarat Police could not make any breakthrough in the case of Modasa. The probe was subsequently handed over to NIA in July last year.
Sources said the mystery behind the ownership of the motorcycle, used in Modasa blast, had delayed the probe. The perpetrators of the blast had meticulously erased all the numbers including the engine and chassis numbers, making it difficult to reach the real culprists, they added.
Questioning of American Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley, getting Red Corner Notices (RCNs) issued against five Pakistani nationals including retired and serving Army personnel (Major Sameer Ali, Major Iqbal and Syed Abdur Rehman) and terrorists Sajid Majid and Ilyas Kashmiri and arrest of prominent north-eastern insurgents like Niranjan Hojai, Anthony Shimrey and R K Meghen are the other matters listed as the "significant achievements" by the NIA in its report.
The report also said that the agency in 2010 had created a "digital repository" comprising a database on terrorists, terror organizations, cases and interrogation reports. "The total number of records available in the database is 10,380 including 4,083 interrogation reports and 407 dossiers of terrorists," it said........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzAyLzA5I0FyMDE5MDE=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

David Coleman Headley...India is expecting too much from Pakistan on American terrorist having links with ISI

India to seek Pakistan court help on Headley

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 6, 2011, 01.59am IST
NEW DELHI: India will soon send a Letter Rogatory (LR) to Pakistan, requesting it to "transfer evidence" in connection with NIA's case here against the American Lashkar terrorist, David Coleman Headley, and his Canadian associate, Tahawwur Hussain Rana.
"The LR (a formal request from a court to a foreign court for any judicial assistance) has been prepared and submitted to a Mumbai court after obtaining government's approval. It is likely to be sent to Pakistan shortly for execution and transfer of evidence," said a senior home ministry official.
The NIA needs certain information, available with Pakistan, to corroborate what Headley told Indian sleuths during his interrogation in Chicago in June last year. The information pertains to the places Headley visited in Pakistan for his terror training, his bank accounts, if any, and his 'contacts'.
"It will help the Indian agency to file the chargesheet against Headley and Rana in due course, as and when the probe against the duo is completed," said the official.
The information to be sought from Pakistan through the LR is independent from what New Delhi has already sought from Islamabad through a number of dossiers in the past two years on details about other 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused and related materials including their `voice samples'.
It was in November 2009 that NIA had filed the case against Headley alias Dawood Gilani, Rana and others for entering into a criminal conspiracy with members of LeT and HUJI to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India. The case was filed against them under Sections 121A, 120 (B) IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section-18 of the SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act, 1993.
Although the American terrorists had provided a lot of information to the Indian agency which led it to broaden the probe, the interrogation report does not have any evidence value as it was not recorded before a magistrate as per an agreement reached between Headley and FBI under plea bargaining. The FBI had arrested Headley and Rana in October 2009 in Chicago.
"Further investigation has already been conducted in India on the basis of Headley's interrogation report. The NIA now needs certain information from Pakistan to complete the probe before filing the chargesheet against the duo," said the official.
The LR will be sent to Pakistan amid indications that Headley may not be formally chargesheeted in India till the Pakistani national and fellow jihadi Mohammed Ajmal Kasab's conviction in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case is finally confirmed by the Supreme Court.
Such an indication comes from the apprehension among Indian agencies that Kasab would use the Headley charges to delay legal processes. Though Kasab has already been convicted by the trial court, the matter is currently being heard by the Bombay High Court for confirmation. If the HC confirms his conviction (death penalty), the matter will go to the Supreme Court in due course...............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMS8wMi8wNiNBcjAwOTAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Endless search for most wanted Hindu radicals (terrorists) continues....

Missing SIM cards key to Hindu terror absconders

Vishwa Mohan\ TNN
New Delhi: Seven missing mobile SIM cards, procured by the gang of Hindu radicals in 2006 to carry out a number of terror attacks in India, hold the key to the mystery behind the whereabouts of three most wanted absconders who executed the ‘bomb for bomb’ plan.
Police of two states (Rajasthan and Maharashtra), CBI and NIA have so far not been able to trace the deadly trio — Sandeep Dange, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Ashok alias Ashwini Chauhan — despite camping at various places in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
These three, along with Sunil Joshi (who was reportedly killed in December, 2007 by his own men to cover their misdeeds) and a couple of others, had carried out all the operational works including planting the bombs at Malegaon, Hyderabad, Ajmer and Samjhauta Express.
“Devendra Gupta, who had procured these SIM cards using fake identities, has given Rajasthan police a lot of details about the users of these cards which can lead us to the absconders,” said an official of an investigating agency.
The accused might have destroyed it making the links cold beyond a point. But if, officials believe, they can trace the people who might have used it later on, it will lead them to the trio who are important to join dots in the probe.
“Details procured from three telecom service providers and technical examination of all the SIM cards have, so far, not served any purpose. But, trailing those details is the only way out now to reach the absconders,” said the official, admitting that the probe was initially hampered due to delay in handing over the Mecca Masjid blast probe by Andhra Pradesh police to CBI in 2007.
The ‘bomb for bomb’ plan was first discussed during the gathering of 10 Hindu radicals, including Swami Aseemanand and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, at Ujjain during the occasion of ‘Singhasth Kumbh’ in 2004. It was formalized with basic details at Shabridham in Gujarat at the occasion of another Kumbh (Shabri) two years later in February, 2006 when it was decided that Gupta along with others would be the part of the team to arrange logistics.
Gupta, who is currently in Jaipur jail in connection with his alleged role in the Ajmer blast, had procured 11 SIM cards from Jamtara in Jharkhand and Asansol in West Bengal between May 24, 2006 and November 26, 2006. He and two others had also procured eight mobile phone handsets (Nokia) from different places during the period.
These SIM cards and mobile phones were procured to use them as ‘timer device’ in bombs for terror attacks. While two of the SIM cards were used in Mecca Masjid blast in May 2007, another two were used in Ajmer blast in October, 2007.
One SIM card each was destroyed in these two incidents whereas the police recovered one each from unexploded bombs in both these incidents. “The probe about the remaining seven continues,” said the official, adding it were the unexploded bombs which helped us in cracking the case.
Similarly, one mobile handset each was destroyed in Hyderabad and Ajmer blast, the two unexploded ones were in the custody of investigating agencies. One out of remaining four was recovered from another accused Chandrashekhar Leve and two from his contact Vishnu Patidar whereas the fourth was thrown away by another gang member.
Four mobile phones were procured by Devendra Gupta from Jharkhand and West Bengal, the remaining four were procured by the arrested accused Lokesh Sharma and absconder Ramchandra Kalsangra from Delhi and Faridabad.
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ULFA...proposed peace talks may see Chetia back to India

Bangladesh agrees to send Chetia back to India

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Jan 24, 2011, 11.37am IST
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has agreed to deport Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia to India. The deportation can, however, take place only when the fugitive withdraws his petition seeking "political asylum" in the neighbouring country.
Referring to the recent discussion between New Delhi and Dhaka over the issue, sources here said that though Bangladesh had in principle agreed to deport Chetia, the Ulfa leader's petition was acting as "a major stumbling block" in this direction as the matter has come up in a court there.
"Unless the court takes a decision denying Chetia political asylum or he himself withdraws his petition, the matter may not move. Efforts are, therefore, being made to communicate to Chetia and convince him through recently released top Ulfa leaders, including chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, to withdraw the petition," said a source.
Rajkhowa, who was released from jail on January 1 after the Assam Police did not object to his bail plea, will soon write to Chetia about withdrawing the petition so that he can come back and be part of the proposed peace talks. "These matters were discussed during the home secretary-level talks between two countries in Dhaka last week," said an official. India wants Chetia to be part of the peace talks, particularly when he is learnt to have expressed his support to Rajkhowa and others.
"His participation in the proposed talks will strengthen the peace efforts with Ulfa, even without the involvement of the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah who is strongly opposed to any such move," said the official. Besides Rajkhowa, others who are in favour of the talks include Ulfa vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, former deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and senior political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDEvMjUjQXIwMTEwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah....getting ready for tough days ahead

J&K cops to replace central forces

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Jan 20, 2011, 03.21am IST
NEW DELHI: J&K government is ready to put in more than 5,000 locally-recruited policemen, trained as commandos, to tackle possible separatist protests like the ones seen last year, and fill the void that will be created when the Centre pulls out paramilitary boots from the Valley and parts of Jammu. CM Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said efforts were being made to increase the role of J&K police even in the counter-insurgency grid.
This was, however, not going to happen overnight. ''This is a constant endeavour of the state government, supported by the Centre that more and more role is transferred to the J&K police. Gradually, we will reduce the role of Army and central paramilitary forces, particularly in urban areas. This is an ongoing process and it will continue,'' he said.
In fact, nearly 40,000 personnel (both from Army and paramilitary) had been relocated from populated areas in the state in 2009 when there was a period of calm. They all had to move in again after street violence erupted last year.
The CM explained that there was no harm in moving forces out of civilian areas, one there is no protest or violence over a longer period. He said forces could well be placed in such a way that they can quickly be deployed, if needed.
Of course, this is not the only measure which governments, both Centre and state, have in mind. Removal of bunkers, revoking the operation of Disturbed Areas Act from some urban areas and recruitment of local youths in state police, paramilitary forces and Army are some of the other measures that are at different stages of implementation.
''As many as 26 bunkers of security forces have already been removed from Srinagar. More such bunkers will be removed from the city and other towns in due course if peace continues,'' he said.
About the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he said he had set up two groups consisting of Army Corps Commanders of Srinagar and Nagrota, J&K director general of police and home secretary to examine areas where the Disturbed Areas Act, which gives special powers to the armed forces, was not needed.
''Unfortunately at that time both the corps commanders and the northern army commander were due to be shifted. Now the new incumbents are in place. These group will meet and finalize recommendations in a time-bound manner.,'' he said......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDEvMjAjQXIwMTkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

MORE FROM OMAR:

A few hiccups aside, interlocutors have done a good job in Kashmir

TNN, Jan 20, 2011, 03.28am IST

In an interaction with reporters at The Times Of India's office, J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah discussed peace, politics and people of the Valley

During the last year of protests what kind of learning have you gone through?

A very mixed sort. We had a good budget session, we had unexpectedly strong support from planning commission in terms of plan size. We really set about approaching 2010 as a year with a lot of development and a lot of activity on the ground. It really started that way and if you see the number of tourists that flooded in to the state March, April, May, and the first week of June it looked like its going to be a record year. If things had remained as they were we would have crossed 7 lakh for the year easily and in spite of the trouble we crossed 5.5 lakh and that was the four months of our peak season. Then of course June happened and what can one say. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what triggered this off. Now lessons. First that you need to avoid incidents like Macchil, which even the Army publicly and privately will admit its essential. Second, equipment designated as non-lethal if not used properly can prove lethal. Third, there could be better ways of managing forces, to lock down areas, selective use of restrictions and curfews so protests don't spread, more opportunities and interactions with youngsters like we saw recently in downtown Srinagar with the requirement drive. Things like that are all aspects that hadn't been done for Srinagar. Srinagar hasn't had a direct police recruitment for more than 20 years. This was the first time it was done. So things like this will definitely help

How are the interlocuters doing?

There have been a couple of hiccups but I think they have done a good job. What they haven't done is parked themselves in a guesthouse in Srinagar. They have gone out saying look we are here and we are not leaving till the time you talk to us. So they have gone to Anantnag, to Baramulla, Rajouri, Poonch. They have gone into colleges and universities. They have heard students. Some of the stuff they've heard has not been pleasant. But it's important that they get a chance to be heard and these people factor that in to whatever its going to recommend. Because you can't be sitting in Srinagar or Jammu imagine what the thought process is in Rajouri, Kupwara or far flung areas like that.

Is this principally a political task? How come the political class has not been able to listen to people, understand their grievances, find solutions to them?

I think if the interlocuters' role becomes one of bijli, sadak, paani, I will be the first person to stand up and say hang on; thus far and no further. Because that is not their job. Their recommendations also have been largely in the nature of what can help confidence building for a political dialogue. But so far, I think what has also helped the process is that they haven't been treading on our toes as a sort of super government or a super cabinet that is there to decide on where a bridge is built and where a road is extended or things like that.

Back to those three bad months last year. Why do you think the violence didn't stop. It just went on?

I think the mood was very raw and they were so many groups that were there to fan the flames. I mean the end goal may have been slightly different. But the short term goal of a few of them was the same —my removal as chief minister and placing the state under governor's rule with elections in the near future — and their sympathizers or supporters here in Delhi were happy to write in the newspapers calling for exactly the same thing. I mean mainstream political parties who you would have thought would have at least condemned the closure of educational institutions, attacking of health infrastructure, government infrastructure were happy to support what was happening, (saying) this is just the sign of anger against the state government and it has nothing to do with anything else, until they found that even they weren't able to leave their homes.

That was a large part of it and I think really that changed after a cabinet (CCS) meeting some time in September, where the government of India made it very clear that the state would not change, that the Centre will not impose the governor's rule and that this situation has to be dealt with politically. But it is not going to have a change of dispensation and that message went out to a number of these fringe elements............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzAxLzIwI0FyMDIzMDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Mysterious murder of Sunil Joshi adds another twist to Hindu radicals' terror acts

NIA to probe murder of Samjhauta bomber


Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Jan 13, 2011, 05.38am IST
NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) "will eventually" probe the killing of one of the bombers of Samjhauta Express, Sunil Joshi as the ongoing investigation points at enough evidence linking his death with the Hindu radicals who were "directly or indirectly" involved in a number of terror attacks during 2006-08. Joshi was mysteriously murdered outside his house in Dewas in December 2007.
Though Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan had recently ruled out handing over the case to NIA, officials here indicated that "the central probe agency will eventually probe it" by taking it up suo motu considering the "terror angle" behind Joshi's murder.
"Had his killing not been linked with the terror cases, the issue of NIA taking up the case would not have even be discussed," said an official. The revelation comes at a time when the NIA, CBI, Maharashtra and Rajasthan police have been looking for 10 to 15 Hindu radicals for their "direct or indirect" role in the terror incidents.
While NIA is probing the blasts in the Samjhauta Express train and at Modasa in Gujarat, the CBI has the Mecca Masjid case. On the other hand, the Ajmer dargah blast case probe is with the Rajasthan police while the Maharashtra ATS had probed the Malegaon blast cases.
"All the agencies have been coordinating with each other in their respective probes as footprints of the accused appear to be everywhere linking them with many incidents, specifically the blasts in Malegaon (2006 and 2008), Samjhauta, Ajmer, Modasa and Mecca Masjid ( Hyderabad)," said an official.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzAxLzEzI0FyMDE1MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom