Expert Talk: A RAW view of terror web

By Col Grewal (Retd)

CNN-IBN brings in an elite panel of security experts to analyse the expanding web of terror in and around India.

On the eastern borders of India, insurgency was the primary concern till the other day. But of late, insurgency has receded to the background and now it is terrorism and related activities. During the insurgency days, Myanmar hosted insurgents in various camps and because of the activities of the KIA, northern Burma or Myanmar as it is called now, was a spot that posed a direct threat to the integrity of India.

Now with insurgency on the decline, with insurgent movements getting into negotiations with the Government of India, it is the immediate east, that is Bangladesh and the Far East (Southeast Asia) that have become the focal point for anti-Indian activities.

As far as Bangladesh is concerned, it is hosting all erstwhile Bangladeshi insurgent groups that are active or engaged in negotiations with the Central Government as well as the terrorists who are launching anti-India activities. The ISI’s presence in Bangladesh is not what it used to be two years back. The ISI is maintaining a low profile in Bangladesh and the main ISI hub at present is in Nepal.

The ISI-HUJI link:

The ISI is in direct league with the HUJI (Harkat-Ul-Jihad-e-Islam) for all terrorist-related activities inside India. As far as manpower, training, recruitment are concerned, they are being done inside Bangladesh.

Their training camps are located northeast of Cox’s Bazaar, near a place called Ali Kadam. The camp is located at a place called Rangrang town, which is 5 hours of marching distance to the east from Ali Kadam.

The HUJI, some representatives of the ISI and foreign mercenaries are training the extremists in handling various types of explosives and indulging in various types of activities.

"As far as movement of explosives, arms or ammunition is concerned, it is not overland either through Myanmar or through Nepal. It is taking place via a sea route."

The actual movement of trained extremists is taking place from the Siliguri corridor because of its close proximity with the handlers and controllers in Nepal.

As far as movement of explosives, arms or ammunition is concerned, it is not overland either through Myanmar or through Nepal. It is taking place via a sea route. The takeoff point for arms, ammunition and equipment is Ranong, the southern tip of Thailand. It is under the aegis of the LTTE. They come in the LTTE-controlled trawlers into the Andaman Sea and the transfer takes place in the vicinity of the south Andamans.

All weapons and equipment meant for extremist elements are transferred into small boats, which then move into Cox’s Bazaar in which narcotics is also part and the rest is taken by the LTTE towards the Jaffna Peninsula. Earlier counterfeit currency was also transported in the same way, but now because of its bulk and modern detection techniques it is only narcotics that is the main financial resource as far as extremist activities are concerned. It is easy to handle, small in bulk and generates more money.

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Role of Far East in terms of business

As far as the Far East is concerned, it has got no direct role in terrorist activities. The procurement, the movement and the provision of the takeoff point is purely for business. It has got no direct hand either in training, sustaining or arming our extremist groups as well as the terrorists. It is the easiest transfer point because of its proximity to the arms bazaar in Singapore and Laos. All modern day weapons including anti-aircraft guns are available there for sale. It is possible to check it if we have a coordinated effort with the high-security services, but unfortunately there are some unscrupulous elements in Thailand which are aiding and abetting the procurement, movement and the shipment of these items. For southern India, arms are not coming from Nepal because it is too risky and too long a journey overland. It is coming through coastlines, especially the eastern coastline.

Bangladesh – aiding and abetting

In Bangladesh, the DGFI is in direct league with the ULFA as far as its economic activities are concerned. The generation of business, the running of establishments, hotels and other business related activities, is all with the close cooperation with the DGFI. As far as the future of insurgency is concerned, it is bleak. It may fester for some time but insurgency is not the in-thing anymore. It is now the requirement of the day that we focus our attention on terror and terror related activities. Terror is being and will be sustained by the cooperation between the ISI, the DGFI and other agencies of the Bangladesh government.

"Terror is being sustained in India, and will be sustained, through the coordinated efforts between the ISI, the DGFI and other agencies of the Bangladesh Government."

Over 90 per cent of the inputs you get are from open sources; it is only 10 per cent that is human intelligence. It is that human intelligence that is failing us, we are only collecting, analysing and disseminating intelligence, which is being fed to us.

To overcome this problem, we need to be proactive, penetrate the groups, plan activities along with these groups and then nab them. The traditional template of intelligence working is not going to work here.

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Training the terrorists

Earlier ISI instructors and DGFI instructors used to impart training to erstwhile insurgents and groups which are presently active, like the NSCN, the ULFA, the PLA and the like. But now to avoid detection and to get away from the accusation of being directly involved in training and launching them, there are foreign mercenaries available in Thailand. Specially, the French para-commandoes who have left the French Army are available in Thailand for any person who is prepared to pay them the money.

They will impart training in any part of the world and will be involved in on-the-job training as well. It has come to light that French ex-servicemen have trained the terror elements as well as the ULFA elements in handling, using, making IEDs, using of mines and the like in Bangladesh in Rangrang town area.

"French para-commandoes, who have left the French Army, are available in Thailand for any person who is prepared to pay them the money. They are imparting training to the terrorist outfits of the Northeast ."

Now as far as terror and terror-related activities are concerned, Bangladesh as an Islamic country is falling in line with all other Islamic countries, waging war against the so-called West, the Jews and the Hindus. The hub of activities has moved to Bangladesh because of the close connection and cooperation between the DGFI, the ISI as well as the American and Western presence and the check they are mounting on Pakistan, which is far removed, from the present hot area, Afghanistan. The bases in Bangladesh are meant for anti-India activities only. You can take the case of the Varanasi blast, the blast in Delhi last year and now what has taken place in Bombay. All these activities have been carried out by ex-Bangladeshi elements that have been trained, based and lodged from there.

(Col Grewal is a former RAW official)