Booby traps laid in Uri
4 Jaish militants, 3 soldiers among 7 killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 3: Even as security forces eliminated four militants of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad in Kashmir valley since last evening, three soldiers have died in a booby trap, believed to have been laid by militants, near line of control (LoC) in Uri.

Official sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that on the basis of a specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles13 Bn, RR 14 Bn and SOG Bandipore conducted a search operation at Bajpathri Vivan, in Bandipore forest area today. During the operation, a fierce gunbattle took place in which three Pakistani militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad got killed. They remained unidentified till reports last came in. Three AK-56 rifle and a pistol were recovered from the spot. Two soldiers also sustained injuries in the encounter.

Sources said that yet another encounter took place between militants and troops of 1/4 G.R. at Warsun (Dardpora) in Kupwara district. One militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad got killed. He was identified as Mohammad Jameel of Marsari, PoK.

Reports from Budgam said that troops of RR 35 Bn conducted a cordon-and-search operation in Ichhigam village this morning as a mysterious shootout had taken place during last night. Troops could not trace any militants. However, when they were returning to Chadoura, they killed one of their own helpers by throwing a grenade and firing some shots. His dead body was recovered from the spot well after the troops left for Chadoura. The slain individual has been identified as Fayaz Ahmed Sheikh S/o Ghulam Hassan Sheikh R/o Chitru-Dangarpora. However, official version of the incident was not available.

Reports from Uri said that troops of 22 Maratha Light Infantry spotted a dead body near LoC, close to Gren Hill post, in Gohalta. As they went to lift it, a powerful IED blast occurred in which, according to unconfirmed sources, three soldiers got killed and two others sustained injuries. It appeared that militants had tied IEDs to the dead body of a militant with the aim that troops would try to lift the same. In yet another incident, militant had tied an IED to a rifle and dropped it Jabla area of Uri, close to LoC. When troops of BSF 15 Bn lifted the gun, it went off, resulting injuries to constable Ram Kumar. He is said to have been rushed to hospital.

4 more bodies identified

Meanwhile, four more dead bodies of the people killed in Monday’s blast and encounter at the state Assembly, have been identified. Official sources identified them as Abdul Gaffar who was an Inspector with the State Vigilance Organisation and a resident of Kulgam, Ghulam Mohammad Beigh S/o Khizar Mohammad, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar S/o Abdul Ahad Dar and Ghulam Hassan Mir S/o Ali Mohammad Mir, all residents of Wanigam, Beerwah. Two dead bodies are still unidentified.

Omar for destroying training camps
Strike on PoK camps only after consultations: India

NEW DELHI, Oct 3: Military strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by India has "always been a possibility" but any such decision would have to be taken by the Union Cabinet after consultations with political parties, Minister of State for Home I D Swami said today.

Participating in a panel discussion anchored by Karan Thapar on Sab TV’s ‘Line of Fire’ programme, Swami was asked whether India could adopt the military means the United States was contemplating in Afghanistan and undertake an Israeli-type action.

Making it clear that he was speaking in his personal capacity, Swami replied "striking terrorist camps in PoK has always been a possibility. This has been one of the options".

Swami said Home Minister L K Advani, who is on a day-long visit of Srinagar today to review the security scenario in the wake of Monday’s bomb blast there, would be attending a meeting of the Unified Command.

When further pressed on whether Advani would be discussing any military action, Swami said Advani would be "discussing everything". He, however, did not elaborate.

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechuri and Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyer, who also joined panel discussion, strongly opposed Swami’s remarks that a military strike on terrorist camps was a possibility and said this could be a "totally irresponsible" step if taken.

Aiyer, who also maintained that he was not participating as a Congress spokesman, said any such measure would be in complete violation of the 1972 Simla Agreement and derail any possible peaceful solution between India and Pakistan.

Aiyer also warned that Indian military action in PoK could trigger a nuclear attack.

Swami said that any decision on military strikes in PoK would have to be taken by the Cabinet after consulting political parties.

On New Delhi’s demand that terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, which has claimed responsibility for Monday’s suicide bomb attack in Srinagar, be banned by the US, Swami said he was confident that Washington would give a "positive response" and proscribe JeM.

He was also optimistic that in the next phase of the global fight against terrorism, militancy in J and K would be targeted.

The minister said India has made it clear that its patience is "not inexhaustible" and that it would be free to take action against terrorism in the interest of national security.

But, both Aiyer and Yechury felt the US was basically using the international community to fight its war against terrorism and India, by offering all assistance to Washington, was only demonstrating its "servility".

Rejecting the charge, Swami said the NDA Government would never be servile to any country and continue its battle against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

Meanwhile Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah said, India should send its forces into Pakistan to destroy terrorist training camps.

"Over the last week or ten days I have been saying that it is better to utilise the resources of external intelligence agencies, military intelligence and people like that to go in there," he told BBC’s `Question Time India’ anchored by NDTV’s Prannoy Roy.

Giving his personal opinion, Abdullah said "it does not have to be (done) overtly...You can do it covertly and destroy these training camps because otherwise bleeding by a thousand cuts is really not the way to go about it".

Terming as a "mistake" the Rajiv Gandhi-Farooq Abdullah accord, he said it was "possibly one of the causes of growth of terrorism" as "it stifled all legitimate democratic opposition". A series of political errors, he said, was the reason behind the rise of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an NDTV release.

Observing that his father and J and K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah may not agree with him, he said "I believe the Farooq accord of 1987 played a part in the spread of fundamentalist practices in J and K because it closed the channel of legitimate opposition.

"Prior to this in J and K if you were with the National Conference you opposed the Congress, if you were with the Congress then vice-versa. Once the two came together you closed the real channel for legitimate political opposition".

To a question on the ban on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), he said the "same standards" should be used to judge other organisations as well. (PTI)

No trace of militants
Gujjars migrate from Kathua

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Oct 3: A number of Gujjars have deserted their huts on outskirts of the town while others were in process of doing so following Monday’s violence against them during an all party bandh called to protest the killing of two brothers by a group of militants, who included a local Gujjar guide.

"Not even a single Gujjar was now left in Mai Chak, Nagri, Narot and Fatehpur villages in the district, where a large number of Gujjars had put up their temporary sheds. All of them packed up their sheds and cattle and left for an unknown destination in neighbouring Punjab", sources said.

Migration, according to sources, took place during last two days in the wake of mob attacks on the Gujjars in which over a dozen sheds of the community were demolished. However, the Gujjars had also retaliated at village Jakhbar and stabbed four youths causing serious injuries to them. One of the injured was referred to PGI Chandigarh while another was admitted in Medical College, Jammu.

Sources said that Gujjars in other parts of the district were also seen packing their sheds and goods and leaving the villages in panic. Migration took place despite intensified patrolling by police and CRPF in all sensitive areas, where Gujjars were staying.

Authorities at several places tried to persuade Gujjars to keep staying in the villages. The Gujjars did stay till authorities were there but deserted the villages soon after police and civil officials left, the sources said.

As reported, the Gujjars were targeted by mob during a day’s bandh on Monday following reports that the militants, who had kidnapped and killed two brothers of Ghati village, included a local Gujjar guide. "The brothers—Madan Singh and Raj Singh—were kidnapped and killed only because they had identified Gujjar guide with the militants", the sources believed.

Meanwhile, reports said the militants involved in kidnapping and subsequent killings of youths were part of the same group which had an encounter with troops of 11 JAK Li on September 22 at Pacce Kothe in Dinga Amb area. Two army jawans were injured in the gun-battle. The militants had infiltrated through International Border in Hiranagar sector on September 19.

They kidnapped the brother on September 27 from Ghati village and then took the route of Ramkot and Billawar forests to reach upper reaches of Udhampur. Militants killed the brothers in Panjtirthi forest area of Billawar.

Local people have voiced concern over the fact that militants kept on moving from one place to another in the jurisdiction of Kathua for about 10 days. Still, they regretted, police couldn’t trace them.

PoK leader for attack on Pak training camps

NEW DELHI, Oct 3: Prominent leader of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Mohammed Mumtaz Khan has cautioned the US not to be selective in its fight against terrorism, stating that "all terrorists camps and institutions operating in Afghanistan or Pakistan" need to be smashed and dismantled.

"If Washington overlooks the reality of the Taliban connections with the ISI and Pakistani Madrasas, it would make the present fight against this scourge a farce," Mr Khan, leader of the United Kashmir Peoples National Party, said in his faxed statement from Canada.

He raised doubts about America’s sincerity in destroying terrorist bases in Pakistan which, he claimed, is a "territory where fundamentalists are running training camps and raising funds in the name of Jihad". The US was showing no signs of dealing with Pakistan-based terrorist groups, he added.

Mr Khan said if the fundamentalist and Jehadi groups managed to survive at this juncture in Pakistan, "humanity and freedom will remain hostage to terrorism forever".

It is no longer a secret that Pakistan has been an active base for terrorist groups like Lashkar Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, he said adding that their leaders publicly vowed to destroy the US and India.

Mr Khan, who on several occasions in the past has raised the issue of human rights violation in the PoK and northern areas in the commission of human rights, said that Pakistani Madrasas were being used by religious zealots to spread hatred against the US and other European nations.

He accused all military regimes of encouraging these Madrasas and seminaries to exploit them for their vested political objectives. He impressed upon the world community to take serious note of the presence of large number of terrorist training camps in Pakistan.

"If the network of Madrasas in Pakistan remain intact, it will be difficult to uproot terrorism," he said.

He said terrorism cannot survive or sustain without the support of the state. "Individuals are only tools of the whole network".

Mr Khan claimed that the Taliban would not have been able to replace the Government of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani without active support of Pakistan.

It was the US flexible policy that encouraged Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to lend their support to the Talibans, he said. (UNI)

US looking at sustained engagement
Jihadis to continue strikes

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 3: The jihadi elements operating in Jammu and Kashmir have received fresh orders from across the border to make their presence felt by carrying out more strikes against Indian security personnel and their camps and installations.

Radio intercepts in three areas of J&K, namely, Srinagar, Kupwara and Rajouri on Tuesday-barely a day after the deadly attack by fidayeen on the Srinagar complex of the State Legislature-revealed two important features of the impending onslaught by the jihadi elements.

First, attempts by "freedom fighters"-an obvious reference to the local militants- to increase their numbers should be, demanded one message intercepted in Kupwara, intensified in urban and rural areas in the State. Second, the fidayeen based in different areas of Jammu and Kashmir, two other intercepts pleaded, who have undertaken the task of eliminating "Brahmani samaraj" (Hindu imperialism) in Kashmir, should be encouraged and helped by their co-religionists across the State to carry out ferocious attacks against the "Indian occupation forces".

Radio intercepts, a top security officer told EXCELSIOR, clearly indicated that the jihadi elements operating in Jammu and Kashmir will, in the coming days, try and exploit the prevailing strategic uncertainties at the international level and go all out to make their presence felt by desperate, deadly strikes.

The officer divulged that two captured foreign militants had revealed that the dreaded terrorist organisations, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba, had planned to target vital installations, including bridges, power transmitting stations and telephone exchanges, in J&K.

The two terrorist outfits, interrogators were told, had already mobilised trained men-their exact number could not be ascertained-to create chaotic conditions in J&K, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh by attacking airports and hijacking aircraft.

At a time when New Delhi wants Washington to press Islamabad to turn off the tap of terrorism against India, Pakistan-based militant organisations have dropped clear hints vis-à-vis their scheme of things to intensify cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. And at a time when the Vajpayee Government began to caution Washington and Islamabad not to take its restraint for granted, the US Administration let it be known that cooperation from Pakistan was critical for the drive against Afghanistan-based terrorist elements and outfits.

After the Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed credit for the suicide attack in Srinagar on Monday and identified the suicide bomber as a resident from Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province, India sharply reacted and demanded that Islamabad rein in the like of the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

In fact, the Minister for External Affairs, Mr Jaswant Singh, following his telephonic consultations with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee from Washington on Monday evening, pointed during his short meeting with the US President, Mr George Bush, to the Srinagar outrage as yet another substantive ground for Washington to move decisively against all militant groups operating in Kashmir, not selectively.

The Bush Administration chose to repeat that action against the jihadi groups in general was very much a part of its anti-terrorism campaign and that the focus in its first phase would be on Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network. New Delhi appreciated Washington’s argument in this regard, but made it clear at the same time that India was not prepared to watch Pakistan step up terrorism in Kashmir. In fact, Mr Vajpayee did suggest that any further escalation might compel him to act in defence of India’s "supreme national interest".

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of Defence, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, has warned: "When we invade the enemy’s territory, we may well be invading his cyberspace… Forget about ‘exit strategies’. We are looking at a sustained engagement that carries no deadlines". Mr Rumsfeld’s another warning: "This will be a war like none other America has faced. It will not be waged by a grand alliance united to defeat an axis of hostile powers. Instead it will involve floating coalitions of countries, which may change and evolve".

Stating that countries will have different roles and contribute in different ways, the US Secretary of Defence placed himself on record by saying: "Some will provide diplomatic support, others financial, still others logistical or military. Some will help us publicly, while others, because of their circumstances, may help us privately and secretly".

Mr Rumsfeld has also let it be known: "Our response may include firing Cruise missiles into military targets somewhere in the world. We are just as likely to engage in electronic combat to track and stop investments moving through offshore banking centres… While we may engage militarily against foreign Governments that sponsor terrorism, we may also seek to make allies of the people those Governments suppress".

Another killed in rocket attack
Civilian beaten to death

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Oct 3: A middle-aged civilian was beaten to death by the militants while another person was killed in a rocket explosion at Thanna Mandi and Surankot areas overnight.

Reports said three militants entered into the house of Hakim Din, 45, son of Mir Mohd at village Mangota in Thanna Mandi area last mid-night. Trio asked Hakim to accompany them to a forest area, which was resisted by Hakim’s family.

Later, the militants kidnapped Hakim and his son and took them at a distance of about 200 meters from the house. They started questioning Hakim and then thrashed him with rifle butts and sticks. They continued to beat Hakim till he was rendered unconscious.

Hakim’s son shifted his father to house where he succumbed to his injuries before being taken to hospital. Militants escaped from the village.

A police party from Thanna Mandi police station visited Mangota village early today for investigations. Body of the victim was shifted to local hospital where he was declared as ‘brought dead’. Reason behind civilian’s killing couldn’t be ascertained. Police was investigating the case.

A Defence spokesman said Hakim Din was closely associated with some terrorist outfits. However, of late, the terrorists were suspecting Hakim was a police informer.

Meanwhile, another civilian was killed in a rocket attack by the militants at village Morha Bachchai in Surankot tehsil of Poonch district late this evening. He has been identified as Mohd Riaz, 25, son of Fazal Khan, a resident of Morha Bachchai.

It, however, couldn’t be ascertained as from where the rocket was launched by the militants and what was their target, the sources said, adding body of the civilian has been shifted to hospital for post-mortem.

Army and police was carrying out searches for the militants involved in rocket attack.

UK assures India of cooperation to fight
terrorism in Kashmir

LONDON, Oct 3: External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today met Prime Minister Tony Blair during which the two leaders exchanged views on the developments following the recent terrorist attacks in US and the car bomb attack in Srinagar on Monday even as Britain pledged full cooperation with India in fighting terrorism in Kashmir.

After 30-minute talks with Blair, Singh told PTI that Britain had assured India that it would not allow its soil to be used as a base for raising funds to fuel terrorism in Kashmir.

The issue of militants using Britain as a base to raise funds for Kashmir militants figured in the discussions and Britain planned to take certain measures to end such practice, Singh said.

The Blair-Jaswant meeting took place hours after the British Prime Minister spoke to his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee during which the two leaders agreed that terrorism cannot be dealt with in compartments and has to be "viewed globally and tackled globally."

Singh had a meeting also with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw who expressed "outrage and horror" at the militant attacks on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly and said the incident reflected a "deliberate intent to target the symbol of democracy and elected representatives of the State who defied terrorist threats to be part of the democratic process."

"I am happy to report that the British leadership has shown full appreciation of India’s role, as being central in the global coalition against international terrorism," Singh said.

He said India and the UK shared a wide-ranging and close relationship. "We continue to cooperate in the fight against this scourge of terrorism through the mechanism of a joint working group."

He said the "tragic events of Sept 11 and the discussions today have further strengthened the resolve of both countries to work closely in this area."

The claim of responsibility by Jaish-e-Mohammed for the Monday attack, an organisation based in Pakistan, and proscribed under Britain’s anti-terrorism laws, Singh said, "its actions demonstrate that our fight against terrorism cannot be limited to Al Qaeda and bin Laden alone."

Speaking at a joint briefing after the talks, Straw said, India had suffered a double blow as a result of recent terrorist violence. It has lost the highest number of its citizens in terrorist strikes at World Trade Centre in the US after the Americans. The Indian death toll of 250 was higher than that of even the British.

"We deeply grieve for everyone of those who lost their life. The fact that India continues to suffer at home and at US where 250 of its citizens have lost their lives demonstrate that we have to fight unitedly against the terrorists worldwide," he said.

Straw said the decision of the British Government to proscribe three major terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, under the UK’s terrorism act, has been fully "vindicated."

Singh who visited France before proceeding to US said he had very useful exchange of views with President Jacques Chirac in Paris and with Secretary of State Collin Powell in Washington where he also met President George W Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice.

He said he would be continuing this process tomorrow in Berlin where he would meet Chancellor Schroder and German Foreign Minister Fischer.

Jaswant Singh said the fight against terrorism could not be "uni-dimensional and it can not be limited to Al Qaeda."

To a question on details of the talks he had with Blair, Singh said the talks covered regional and global situation and the international communities’ approach against the challenges posed by terrorists to the society.

Asked about India’s interest in Afghanistan, Singh pointed out that India’s relations with Afghanistan went back to the 4th century B.C. when the Buddha statues were erected there - much before the advent of Islam.

"The people of Afghanistan want peace and stability which is not possible when all sections of the society do not find their voice in the Government. We are trying to see that voice of all sections are reflected in any future Government in Afghanistan," Singh said.

He also said that the US had shared with India the evidece it has concerning Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden’s link with the terrorist attacks in New York and Pentagon on September 11. (PTI)

Laden training LeT, JeM terrorists
Pak commandos co-ordinate militant activities

From Dinesh Manhotra

DODA, Oct 3: Though Pakistan, which has been providing aid and comforts to the Islamic terrorists, has been forced to join US led Jehad against Jehadis but a good number of its army regulars have managed to sneak into this militancy plagued district to further intensify terrorism in the hilly Doda district.

Notwithstanding statement of Pakistani President General Parveez Musharraf to give only ‘moral support’ to, what he called, ‘freedom fighters’ of Kashmir, Pakistani Army regulars have now joined rank and file of some militant out-fits and most of the militants’ operations being carried out in this district are co-ordinated by these Pak armymen.

Highly placed defence sources have made startling disclosures that as many as 50 commandos of Pakistani Army are active in the district who are not only providing training to the militants but also providing leadership to terrorists while carrying out some important operations. "Recent massacres of Hindus at Atholi, Wadwan and Chattru areas were executed by the foreign mercenaries under the guidance of Pakistani Army regulars", said sources.

Pointing towards Friday’s encounter at village Hanch in which one Army Major laid down his life while fighting with militants, defence sources said that two of the escaped militants were Pak Army regular. "The way they (militants) were fighting is a clear indication that they were neither local militants nor foreign mercenaries. They were rather trained professional soldiers", disclosed a soldier, who was among the troops’ party which killed two militants.

As reported earlier, one Army Major namely Ashok Singh Baturia was killed during an encounter with militants at village Hanch near Doda.

Sources further said that Pakistani commandos have sneaked into this side not only to intensify terrorists activities in region but also to train more and more suicidal bombers.

Making another stunning revelation, defence sources linked Fidayeen attacks in the State with suicidal bombers of Osama bin Laden, who attacked the twin towers of World Trade Centre at New York and the Pentagon in Washington. "After September 11 attacks it is now clear that militant groups active in Jammu and Kashmir have links with Osama bin Laden", sources said while pointing towards intercepted messages from across the border.

Sources said that Laden had stuck a deal with the ISI that his people would carry out terrorist strike in India in return for Pakistan support, protection and sponsorship. "Though Pakistan offers support to US to locate Laden but Saudi millionaire militant, through his loosely held net-working continues his supports to militants groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed", sources said.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Yossef Badansky-author of the book ‘Bin Laden-The Man Who Declared War on America’ has also confirmed that Laden has stuck deal with ISI that his people would carry out terrorist strike in India in return for Pakistan support to him.

Sources said that Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit has executed various militant acts in the State with the help of one Abdul Karim Tunda, who is man of Osama bin Laden.

ISI has started training camps for for Lashkar-e-Toiba, one of the main terrorist groups operating in the State, and Jaish-e-Mohammed at Khost, Shashgao, Nangarhar, Karga, Gazni, Jewara and other areas of Afghanistan with the help of Osama bin Laden.

Laden’s outfit has also organised training for LeT and JeM militants at Kotli, Astor, Chilas and Skardu areas of Pakistani occupied Kashmir.

Most of the militants trained in these camps have infiltrated into this side. Sources further said that Osama bin Laden, is said to be having links with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and recruits from these outfits have received training, if not arms, from him.

"Though Laden is on the run but he holds weight in Kashmir through loosely held net work and providing funds and training to most of the militant groups active in the State", said sources and added that ISI has been actively asserting Laden in the expansion of an Islamic infrastructure in India.

Defence sources said that not only in Kashmir but ISI is also utilising services of Osama bin Laden to expand Islamic terrorism in other parts of the country.

Defence sources said that there are reports that Osama bin Laden has developed links at Bangalore, Hydrabad, Mumbai and Chennai.

As reported earlier, one Abdul Raouff Hawash and four others were arrested from Delhi on June 14 this year. They were planning to blast US embassy but they were arrested before they could accomplish their designs. Links of Abdul Raouff Hawash, a Sudanese, with Osama bin Laden were established.

Police firing in Sandhwa, mob attacks PP

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 3: Police opened firing to disperse a big group of people, who attacked Sandhwa police post of Domana police station this evening protesting alleged corrupt activities of cops.

Reports said a large number of people including women gathered in village Sandhwa this evening after local cops allegedly assaulted a tractor operator for not paying him ‘hafta’. Agitated people marched towards Sandhwa police post and attacked it with stones and lathis to voice their anguish on assault.

Finding himself helpless, a sentry on duty at police post opened firing on the mob to disperse them. A clash between police and people continued for few minutes after which the people dispersed. No one was reported to be injured in police firing.

Local people have demanded stern action against the accused police personnel.

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