Terrorist Activities in Pakistan
Suicide Attacks
At least 14 persons, including two policemen and a woman, were killed and 30 others, including women and children, sustained injuries in a suicide attack on a bus of pilgrims coming from Iran, at Hazar Ganji area of Quetta on June 28, reports Daily Times. According to sources, the bus that came under attack was carrying 50 passengers and was coming from Taftan, a bordering area with Iran. It was hit by a car in Hazar Ganji area near the fruit market. Two police vehicles were providing security cover to the bus, sources said, adding that the majority of the passengers belonged to the Hazara community. “At least 50 kilogrammes of explosive material was used in the blast,” Bomb Disposal Squad officials said. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the attack. The banned outfit’s spokes person Abu Bakar said the attack was carried out by Ziaur Rahman Farooqi and was in revenge for attacks on a madrassa and Tablighi centre.
Nine persons killed in a suicide attack in FATA
A suicide bomber detonated an explosive laden vehicle near the house of a pro-Government militant commander Maulvi Nabi, killing at least nine persons, including four chil-dren, three of them being girls, and injuring 13 others, in a war of attrition between two militant outfits in Speen Tall area of Orakzai Agency on July 21, reported Dawn. “This is basically between two militant groups,” Orakzai tribal region’s administrator Khushal Khan told the media. An official said that Maulvi Nabi, a militant commander, had waged a war of attrition against another outfit affiliated with the larger, more powerful Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. “Both groups are involved in killing each other’s men. Maulvi Nabi is not anti-state,” the official said. TTP spokesman in North Waziristan Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attack. He told reporters that Maulvi Nabi was targeted because he was sup-porting the Government and was against the Taliban. Maulvi Nabi had joined the TTP as a commander for Hangu District, but later developed differences with the militant organisation and shifted to the neighbouring Speen Tall.
Bomb Blasts
Five Lashkar-e-lslam (LI) militants were killed on June 31 in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast on their post on a mountain in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, reports Daily Times. Sources said three LI men also sustained injuries in the explosion in Khara Wala. However, other sources said the blast occurred on militants’ post in Sher Saley area of Zakhakhel.
At least 14 persons were killed while seven others injured in a land-mine blast in the Tooba Achakzai area near the Pak-Afghan border in the border town of Chaman in Balochistan on July 8, reports The News. According to sources, the land-mine exploded when a tractor trolley drove over it in the Tooba Achakzai area. Three women and two children were among those killed.
At least eight persons were killed and 22 others injured in a bomb blast during a political rally organised by the Awami National Party (ANP) in Kuchlak area of Quetta on July 13, reports Dawn. The rally was in its first 15 minutes when a cycle parked behind the stage exploded.
At least eight persons were injured when unidentified persons hurled a hand grenade at Picture House Cinema in the jurisdiction of Khan Raziq Police Station in Peshawar on July 13, reports The Nation. Sources said that a show was under way at Picture House Cinema at 11:00 pm when unidentified persons threw a hand grenade at the inner portion of the cinema, which resulted in injuring of eight persons. It is worth mentioning here that some years back this cinema was attacked by a suicide bomber, in which several persons had been killed and a dozen others were injured. Meanwhile, unidentified militants blew up part of a hotel near Kohat bus terminal, reports Dawn. However, no damage to human life was reported in the attack. An official of Bana Mani Police Station said an explosive device planted at Grace Hotel caused the explosion at around 12.15pm.
Unidentified assailants on July 24 hurled a hand grenade at Haji Zahoor Hotel situated in Faqeer Colony, in Karachi, leaving five men injured, reports Daily Times. An officer, quoting the eyewitnesses, informed that the assailants appeared to be of Baloch descent, adding that the incident might be linked to an extortion demand.
Targeted Killings
At least four people including a Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) official, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist and MQM supporter were shot dead in separate incidents of target killing in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, on June 26, reports The Nation.
Balochistan Levies recovered a bullet-riddled body in the Dasht area of Mastung District in Balochistan on June 26, reports Daily Times. The deceased was identified as Buland Khan, a resident of Sariab area in Quetta. According to sources, Khan went missing some five days ago.
At least 17 more people were killed in the continuing violence in Karachi on August 27, reported Dawn. Five people were killed in separate incidents of violence and targeted killings in Karachi on June 29, reports The Nation.
One Hafiz Ghulam Haider, hailing from Sheikh Wasil area in Mastung District, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on a motor-cycle at Sariab area of Quetta on June 29, reports Dawn. Separately, a person, identified as Muhammad lqbal, was shot dead near Government Degree Collage in Sariab Road area when unidentified armed assailants, riding a motor-bike, opened fire on him. Further, the bullet-riddled body of a man wanted by Police was found from the Salehabad area of Khuzdar, reports Daily Times.
Three more people were killed in the ongoing violence in different parts of Karachi on July 1, reports The Nation.
At least five persons including two workers of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and a Policeman were shot dead in a spate of target killings in different parts of Karachi, reports The Nation.
Awami National Party (ANP) District President, Khan Gul Bhattani, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the limits of Shaheed Murid Akbar Police Station on July 3, reports Daily Times. The attackers ambushed the vehicle of Bhattani and injured him critically. Later, he succumbed to the wounds. The assailants managed to escape from the scene.
At least three persons, including a local government assistant director, were shot dead in a sectarian attack on July 4 in Kuchlak, some 25 kilometres from Quetta, reports Daily Times.
Eight persons, including a Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) cadre, were killed in separate incidents of target killing in Karachi on July 5, reports Daily Times.
Unidentified assailants riding a motorbike opened indiscriminate fire on a man identified as Siddiqullah, at Baloch Khan Chowk of Pakhtoonabad area of Quetta on July 5, reports Daily Times. Resultantly, he sustained critical injuries and succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Police said the deceased was an Afghan national and a rickshaw driver by profession. However, motive behind his killing was yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, a man, identified as Abdul Malik Abro, was killed when identified armed men opened fire on him in Faizabad area of Sariab Road of Quetta while he was sitting in his shop.
Five persons, including a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist and a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) worker, were killed in separate acts of target killing in Karachi on July 8, reports Daily Times.
Unidentified armed persons shot dead an assistant Sub-Inspector of Police on Charsadda Road in the limits of Khazana Police Station in Peshawar on July 8, reports Dawn. ASI Mir Afzal Khan, posted in Bhana Mari Police Station, was travelling in his Suzuki van along with his two children when assailants attacked him. He was killed on the spot. The driver of the slain police official was also injured in the attack. However, both of his sons remained unhurt in the incident.
At least five persons, including two activists of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a worker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a Rangers official were killed in separate acts of violence in Karachi on July 15, reports Daily Times. Two men, identified as Usman Baloch and Akbar Baloch, were shot dead at Pir Mehfooz Road, within the limits of Malir City Police Station. One them was a PPP activist.
At least seven persons, including a criminal, an activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jama’at-e-Islami (Jel), were killed in separate acts of target killing in Karachi on July 17, reports Daily Times. An activist of MQM, identified as Aqeel (27), was shot dead in Qaimkhani Colony, within the precincts of Baldia Police Station.
Eleven more persons, including a Policeman and a former Sunni Tehreek (ST) cadre, were killed in separate incidents of tar-get killing in the Provincial capital of Sindh, Karachi, on July 18, reports The News.
At least 11 persons, including two Policemen, Jama’at Ulema-e-Islam-Faz1 (JUI-F) leader and a State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) employee, were killed in separate incidents of violence in Karachi on July 19, reports Daily Times. Two Policemen, Munir and Abdul Hafeez, were killed at Albela Chowk, Soldier Bazaar within the limits of Soldier Bazaar Police Station during their routine patrol.
At least six people, including a World Health Organisation (WHO) doctor, were killed in the ongoing target killing and violence in Karachi on July 20, reports Daily Times. A trader, identified as Muhammad Arif was shot dead in Banaras within the precincts of Orangi Town Police Station.
At least eight security personnel were killed and three others were injured on July 21 in an attack on the Pakistan Coast Guards camp in Pishukan coastal settlement, some 40 kilometres from the port city of Gwadar in Gwadar District, reports Daily Times. The Baloch Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the attack.
Separately, unidentified armed militants blew up one-and-a half-foot portion of the railway track in Sariab area of Quetta. However, no loss of life was reported.
Five persons, including an activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), two Policemen, and a cadre of People’s Amn Committee (PAC), were shot dead in different parts of Karachi on July 23, reports The News. One MQM activist Abdul Waheed was fired upon and seriously injured at Doli Khata in Nabi Bux Police area. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Miscellaneous
At least eight militants were killed on June 26 during a crack-down in Mamuzai and Bootakhel areas of Orakzai Agency, reports Daily Times.
Meanwhile, a US drone strike targeting a militant compound in the Shawal area, some 50 kilometres southwest of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency, killed at least five militants. All those killed were fighters linked with Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
A senior Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ‘commander’, Umar, was killed during a Police encounter in Mashugagar area in the outskirts of Peshawar on June 26, reports The Nation. Sources said the incident occurred when Police flagged down a vehicle carrying some suspected per-sons. Instead of stopping the vehicle, militants tried to managerieir escape and opened fire on Police team. Retaliating to the firing, police also opened fire and killed a militant identified as Umar on the spot, while three militants managed to escape. Police also recovered a hand grenade, pistol and cartridges from the possession of the slain commander.
An operation to clear militants from Batwar area of Bajaur Agency on August 27 left 36 dead including three soldiers and two members of a government supported peace committee, reports Dawn. Security Forces (SFs) launched the operation to clear the Batwar area, which lies in along the Af-Pak border, of militants who had crossed over from the neighbouring Kunar province of Afghanistan. “During the clash, 31 militants were killed while three security force personnel embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” a senior official of the paramilitary Frontier Corps told AFP. “Two members of the peace committee also embraced shahadat while five security personnel got injured,” he said. Most of the area has now been cleared of militants, but the operation still continues to flush out the remaining militants, another official said.
Separately, eight militants were killed and two security personnel suffered injuries in a clash in Masozai area of Kurram Agency. Sources said that a group of militants attacked a checkpost in Masozai with heavy weapons and injured two security men. Security forces killed eight militants and injured several others in retaliatory action.
A Policeman and a private securi-ty guard were killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on a patrolling squad at Civil Colony on Kohat Road in Peshawar on August 27, reports Dawn. An official at the Bala Mani Police Station said the Policeman Kaleem Khan along with a colleague was on a patrol duty that armed men attacked them, killing Kaleem on the spot. The official said a security guard in the area was critically injured in the firing incident. However, he suc-cumbed to his wounds. His name could not be ascertained.
A man was shot dead by uniden-tified assailants in the Faizabad area of Sariab in Quetta on July 2. reports Daily Times. The assailants managed to flee the crime scene. Police said Hassan was attacked when he was on his way home. In another incident, Police recovered a di body near Pero Bridge from Dera Murad Jamali tehsil (revenue unit) of Naseerabad and moved it to a nearby hospital, where the victim was identified as Noruz Bugti. Meanwhile, a Balochistan Levies officer was killed and another injured in an incident of shooting at the Jewa Intersection in Surab area of Kalat District. According to Levies sources, a squad was patrolling the area when unidentified armed men on a motorcycle opened fire on the personnel, killing one official an, seriously injuring another. The deceased was identified as constable Fareed Khan and the injured as Constable Ahmed Din.
Militants on July 12 shot dead nine Police and prison staff and wounded three others after storming a building in Ichhra in Lahore in Punjab where they were sleeping, Police said, according to The News. The attackers arrived on motorbikes and targeted a building in the densely populated area of lchhra, where up to 35 Police and prison staff were living, mostly officers from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who were in Lahore for training.
Eleven militants were killed on July 12 in fighting with Security Forces (SFs) after dozens of militants, who allegedly crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan, attacked Katkot village in the Mamond area of Bajaur Agency, reports Daly Times. Unnamed local military officials said the militants took up positions in the Katkot village, and retreated after Pakistani forces brought in reinforcements. The militants who staged the cross-border attack appeared to be targeting members of an anti-Taliban militia in Katkot village.
The Balochistan Levies on July 12 found the bodies of seven coal miners who were abducted on July 7, in the Degari area, some 28 kilometres from Quetta, reports Daily Times. The miners were abducted in the Sorange area, 25 kilometres from Quetta. The victims worked at a private coal mining company, the United Minerals. They were residents of Swat and Dir Districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The provincial chief inspector of mines, lftikhar Ahmed, confirmed the incident, adding that some passersby had spotted the bodies and informed the Balochistan Levies. The bullet-rid-dled bodies were found dumped on a roadside in the hills of Degari coalmine fields. Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) ‘spokesman’ Jihand Baloch had claimed respon-sibility for the abduction of the miners. According to sources, a written message found from the bodies said that those coming to Balochistan from other areas to work at mines or other such places would meet the same fate.
Six bombs were recovered near the Borstal Jail in the Faisalabad city of Punjab on July 13, reports Daily Times. According to Police, six handmade toy bombs packed in a shopping bag were found on a road-side around 100 yards from the Borstal Jail. The Bomb Disposal Squad defused the devices. Madina Town Police superintendent said the bombs contained six kilogrammes of explosive material. He said it could be a terrorism plot to target the nearby Borstal Jail or Police investigation cell, which was foiled.
Army and Police commandos on July 16 foiled an attack by burqa (veil)-clad Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants who planned to take over a Police Station in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), reports Daily Times. Two TTP militants were killed and at least 10 security personnel were injured in the incident. Both the attackers were killed in the clash that lasted for more than three hours, District Police Officer (DPO) Waqar Ahmed said. “As they approached the police station, they first fired shots at the guards and then hurled hand grenades,” DPO Waqar said, adding that as a Police control-room received information about the attack, Police reinforcement and Army soldiers rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area to block any escape route for the militants. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told reporters by telephone that the attackers wore suicide vests and one of them blew him-self up while the other was killed in the gun battle.
At least five militants were killed in a clash with Security Forces (SFs) when they attacked a Frontier Constabulary (FC) checkpost in Dhand area of Thall tehsil (revenue unit) of Hangu District on July 17, reports The Nation. According to security sources, militants fired two missiles on a FC checkpost located in Dhand area partially damaging it. The FC troops retaliated and killing five militants. Later, a search operation was launched in the area to nab the fleeing militants but no arrest could be made.
At least seven militants were killed and several others injured when Security Forces (SFs) pounded militants’ hideouts in Mamozai and Kotakhel areas of Orakzai Agency on July 24, reports Daily Times. Several militants were injured and two of their hideouts were destroyed.
Separately, seven militants were killed and many others received severe injuries when the fighter planes hit their hideouts in Tirah Valley of Jamrud tehsil (revenue unit) in Khyber Agency.
PAKISTAN
Uganda detains five Pakistanis suspected of militant ties
Uganda Police on June 26 arrested five Pakistanis suspected of terrorist links, two weeks before the second anniversary of a bombing attack in Kampala for which Somali rebel group al Shabaab claimed responsibility, reports Daily Times. Officials said the country was vulnerable to further attacks from al Shabaab who has vowed to keep striking until a Ugandan army contingent, leading an African Union mandated force protecting Somalia’s Government, withdraws. The area where the five men were arrested was formerly a base for now-dormant rebel group, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF-NALU), which officials say has links to al Shabaab.
Government offers talks to Baloch leaders again
Presiding over his first cabinet meeting on June 26, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf welcomed new cabinet members to his team and said Balochistan was his priority and he had invited all Baloch leaders, in and outside Pakistan, to sit across the table and find an amicable solution to the Balochistan issue, reports The News. Speaking at the meeting, the PM promised that the Government would go beyond the people’s expectations in helping the Baloch people and give them their due rights within the domain of the Constitution.
Court-martial of Brigadier All Khan and four others concludes
Brigadier Ali Khan and four other military officers, who were facing a trial on the charges of planning a coup to establish a Caliphate, was court-martialled, as the proceedings that ended on June 26 concluded that they enjoyed ties with militant outfit Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT), reports The Nation. Brigadier Khan was arrested in May 2011, while four army majors were also arrested a day later for their alleged links with HuT. He is also accused of attempted mutiny. Brigadier Khan’s lawyer Colonel (retd) Inamur Raheem confirmed that the court martial proceedings had concluded and the final verdict would be announced in a few days. He said five witnesses from the prosecutors and two from defence were present during the proceedings. The prosecution witnesses in their recorded statements told the court that the accused had urged them to stage a rebellion against the state to materialise the dream of setting up a Caliphate.
US regrets Salala incident, says US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter
The United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on June 26 said US regrets the Salala check post incident and intends to expand ties with Pakistan in diverse fields, reports Dawn. Talking to a private TV news channel, Munter said US is serious about expanding business and social sec-tor ties with Pakistan. He said that several issues regarding NATO supply resumption with Pakistan have been settled. Both sides agree that the NATO supply issue was not handled properly, he said adding there is need for a political decision to end the deadlock. Munter said restoration of NATO supply to Afghanistan was also in the interest of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the US urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to respect each other’s sovereignty while fighting against terrorist. The US pushed for greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO forces while tackling with extremist militants, after an attack by Afghan militants at a border checkpost in Pakistan’s Dir area left several Pakistani soldiers dead. The US State Department acknowledged that while dealing with terrorists, tensions exist on both sides. US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement that regional safety and sovereignty must be respected in order to deal with cross-border terrorism.
North Waziristan Agency Political Agent asks tribals not to leave their area
Ruling out any possibility of military operation in North Waziristan Agency, the political administration has urged tribal people to stop vacating their houses and migrating to other places, reports Dawn. Political Agent Siraj Ahmed Khan assured members of a tribal jirga here at a meeting at his office on August 27 that there was no chance of military operation in Waziristan.
The political agent termed reports about possible military operation in the region mere rumours. He urged tribal people not to pay heed to such rumours. Mr Khan said that Government would keep in mind ground realities before taking such a decision. He denied receiving any directives from the Government in that regard and ruled out any possibility of operation in the near future.
Pakistan warns against attacks from Afghan side
Pakistan told the UN Security Council on June 28 that it had acted with restraint to a recent cross-border attack by Taliban that killed 17 Pakistani soldiers, but warned against recurrence of such provocations from the Afghan side, reports Daily Times. “Preventing recurrence of such incidents is absolutely imperative – and safe havens in Afghanistan of such people must be dissuaded,” Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, said of the attack that took place on June 24 in Upper Dir District. “It is a grave incident, which unfortunately is not unprecedented,” he told the 15-nation council, which debated the situation in Afghanistan. Ambassador Haroon, describing great costs to Pakistan in dealing with security challenges and refugees emanating from the Afghan situation, expressed deep concern over provocations from Afghan areas with sizable Afghan forces and international presence.
Rail terminals’ security put on high alert
Pakistan Railway Police have put security of all major railway stations in the country on high alert, reports Dawn. The steps have been taken in the wake of bomb blast at Sibi train terminal in which seven persons were killed and 15 others injured. Inspector General of Railway Police Ibne Hussain visited Rawalpindi and Islamabad and directed to beef up the security of Rawalpindi, Chaklala and Margalla Railway Stations. “We have doubled the strength of police person-nel in and around the railway stations to avoid any untoward situation,” said Raja Zaheer Arshad, acting Senior Superintendent of Rawalpindi Division Police. He said the Railway police IG during meetings asked the law enforcement agencies to keep an eye on the movement of suspicious persons in and around the railway installations. “IG Railway Police also discussed the situation with Pakistan Railways Chairman and assured him that his men will ensure the protection of passengers and staff of the rail-ways,” he said.
Eight bullet-riddled bodies found in FATA
Eight bullet-riddled bodies were found in different areas of Bara tehsil (revenue unit) in Khyber Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on June 29, reports The News. The sources said that five bodies were dumped on roadside in Karigar Garhi adjacent to Al-Haj Market in Bara tehsil where a day earlier a vehicle of Security Forces (SFs) was targeted by militants with an improvised explosive device (IED). The local sources said that the slain were not associated with the militants and were killed when the SFs opened fire following the IED attack a day earlier. However, when contacted, a senior security official rejected the allegation saying that innocent people were being killed by the militants. “We are here to protect the innocent people against terrorists and militants,” he said, requesting not to be named, adding, “The militants spread the propaganda blaming the security forces for killing of the innocent people”.
In addition, three more bodies had also been found in Qamberabad area of Bara tehsil.
TTP ‘spokesman’ among 34 militants killed in three days long clash along Pak-Afghan border in Pakhtunkhwa
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ‘spokesman’ Mullah Mansoor was among 34 militants killed in clashes with Security Forces (SFs) since last three days (June 29-July 1) along Pak-Afghan border in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Daily Times. According to a private TV channel, Mansoor was among 34 terrorists killed in fighting with SFs in Upper Dir two days back. Official sources have also confirmed the death. Mansoor belonged to the Khaal area of Dir and was ‘spokesman’ and important `commander’ of the TTP. Skirmishes between SFs and militants have been going on for the last three days on Pak-Afghan border in Lower Dir, wherein some 34 terrorists have been killed.
180 fell victim to Karachi violence in June, says report
Daily Times report on July 2 said that in the unending incidents of bloodshed, 180 innocent people lost their lives during the month of June and many were injured in Karachi, as target killers have a free hand to strike at the place of their liking. A significant number among them were first kidnapped, tortured and then their body bags were thrown on roads. According to reports in the first ten days of June, 63 people were shot, including 32 who were kidnapped, tortured and then shot dead. From June 11 to 20, another 72 people lost their lives, including 27, who were kidnapped. In the last ten days of June, the situation did not change and 45 more citizens were killed. Dead bodies of seven members of banned organisations were recovered from Memon Goth, Gadap and Manghopir area. Eight policemen also lost their lives during the month including a traffic police constable
Former President Pervez Musharraf fears military coup
Claiming that Pakistan was being run to the ground, the country’s former President General (Retired) Pervez Musharraf has not ruled out a fresh military takeover of the Pakistan, reports Pakistan Observer. “The state is being run to the ground at the moment, and people are again running to the military to save the country,” Musharraf told a gathering in Aspen in Colorado in the US. While he maintained that Pakistan’s Constitution was “sacrosanct”, the former dictator also questioned: “Should we save the country, and do something unconstitutional or uphold the Constitution of the country, and let the state go down?” Vowing to return home on his “own accord”, Musharraf shrugged off calls in his country for Interpol to arrest him saying he was prepared to risk arrest by returning for elections, which he claimed would be held this year.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to build underground jail for Taliban prisoners
After much deliberation after the April 15 Bannu jailbreak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities on July 3 decided to build an underground jail to hold terrorism suspects now incarcerated throughout the province, Central Asia Online quoting Dawn reported. Officials have begun practical work and preparation of the underground facility, PC-I. Suspected militants will be detained in a separate jail at the Peshawar Central Jail until the new jail is built. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has allocated PKR 213.5m (USD 2.3 million) in fiscal 2012-2013 (July 1-June 30) for building the under-ground jail, where it intends to hold only Taliban or other terrorism suspects. They plan to try more than 3,000 suspected militants there after completing construction.
Punjab CM’s chief security officer injuredin blast
The chief security officer of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Major (retd) Muaaz, was injured as an explosive device went off near his house in Karim Block area of lqbal Town in Lahore in the night of July 4, reports Daily Times. Sources said Major (retd) Muaaz was leaving his house in Karim Block vehicle when a device dropped from beneath the vehicle. His neighbour said that a minor servant picked up the device and gave it to Muaaz’s sister, who called him (Muaaz) on the phone and said that some part of his car had fallen down. On his return, Muaaz was given the device, which exploded when he dropped the bomb while he was examining it. He received injuries on his legs and back, while his car and another vehicle parked in the street near his house were damaged.
18 Iran-bound Punjabi-speaking passengers shot dead in Balochistan
Eighteen Punjabi-speaking per-sons, who were travelling to Iran, were shot dead and two others injured when Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) militants attacked their vehicles in the Basoli area of Turbat District in Balochistan in the night of July 6, reports The News. A Balochistan Home Department official said two pick-up vans carrying 20 persons were on their way to Turbat from Karachi. The assailants intercepted the vans in Basoli. They forced the passengers, most of them residents of the Punjab, off the bus and sprayed them with bullets. The assailants managed to flee. Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) Spokesman Meeran Baloch has claimed the group carried out the killings and said that identity cards of the victims were checked before they were killed. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has strongly condemned the killing of innocent people, vowing the cowardly act would not weaken the resolve of the Government and the people to defeat the forces of evils.
Separately, a religious scholar, Maulvi Abdul Qasim, hailing from Sunni school of thought was shot dead in Musa Colony in Sariab locality in Quetta in a suspected incident of sectarian killing, reports Daily Times. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the killing. More than 10 Sunni clerics have been killed in Quetta during the past few months.
Attack on Army leaves eight personnel dead in Punjab
Unidentified militants killed eight security personnel at an Army camp near Wazirabad town in Gujranwala District of Punjab on July 9, officials said, hours after a protest march of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) passed through the area, reports Daily Times. The encampment was attacked from a bridge over the river Chenab. Hours earlier, thousands from the DPC coalition of right-wing groups crossed the bridge on a “long march” from Lahore to Islamabad to protest against the reopening of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan. “At least seven security personnel, including a police official, embraced martyrdom and five others were injured due to firing by unidentified assailants near Wazirabad,” the military said in a statement. However, the number of dead reached eight when one of the injured soldiers succumbed to his injuries. A military rescue party had camped by the Chenab to look for the body of a pilot missing in a helicopter crash in May, the statement said, and the camp came under attack from a bridge.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings. The TTP spokesman said the Punjab chapter of the outfit had .carried out the attack. They would continue such attacks in the future also, particularly in Punjab, he added.
Beheaded bodies of two abducted Shias found in Quetta
Two bodies, including that of an imambargah leader, were recovered in Mian Gundi area, an outskirt of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on July 11, according to Daily Times. The bodies were identified as those of Satellite Town imambargah leader Mulana Nour Ali Nour and Syed Haseeb Abad Zaidi, a resident of Sirki Road Quetta. A slip was found from one of the body in which Lashker-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed the responsibility of the killings. “They were slaughtered and beheaded in a brutal manner,” hospital sources said adding that their ages were around 28 to 30. The rel-atives of Haseeb told the media that he had been abducted from Satellite Town some 19 days earlier. They said the abductors had initially demanded a ransom amount of PKR 1.9 million, which they increased by another million upon receiving the PKR 1.5 million.
Balochistan Government decides to start operation against militants and criminals
The Nation reported that Balochistan Government on July 15 during a high-level meeting decided to start operation against militants and criminals involved in kidnap-ping-for-ransom, target killing and other crimes. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani also decided to eliminate dens of violence breeders and bring them to justice by utilising all avail-able resources as directed by the Supreme Court. The meeting thoroughly discussed the overall law and order situation of the province, particularly terrorism in Quetta, kid-napping-for-ransom and other anti-social activities and approved a strategy to tackle these.
It was also decided that coordination between the departments would be improved to promote confidence building. The meeting observed that Police force would be boosted and decided that latest training would be given to Police force and latest weapons would be provided to Police on priority basis. The participants of the meeting decided that 100 cameras would be installed at different secret places in Quetta and Police would be provided soon with GSM Locator to locate the criminal hideouts. The meeting further decided to improve internal and external security of the province and in this regard it decided to take joint steps by the departments concerned. The Law enforcement agencies were directed to increase the number of their personnel in city as well to enhance patrolling to prevent criminals’ escape after any crime. It was also decided that mining sector and other development activities would never be allowed to be affected by terrorist activities and complete protection would be provided to the people working in different sectors.
REGIONAL
Bangladesh —Internal Dynamics
Two regional leaders of GMF arrested in Jhenidah
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel arrested two ‘regional leaders’ of outlawed Gono Mukti Fauj (GMF) at Hudaputia village in Sadar sub-District of Jhenidah District on June 26, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees are identified as Zillur Rahman and Hanif Biswas of the village. The RAB team also recovered a foreign made rifle and a light gun (LG) from their possession.
NE terror outfits moving to Myanmar following crackdown in Bangladesh says Assam Rifles IG Satish Dua
Terrorist outfits of the northeast-ern region have shifted their bases to neighbouring Myanmar following crackdown by the Bangladesh Security Forces said Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IG-AR), Satish Dua said in Agartala, reports Hindustan Times on August 25. IG-AR, Dua said, “Several terrorist groups of the northeast India have been shifting their camps to Myanmar after the Bangladesh Security Forces continued their crackdown against them. All the central and state security forces have been asked by the union home ministry to maintain a strict vigil about the movement of the militants in the northeastern region.” Regarding Tripura IG-AR said, “Separatist outfits have been trying to strengthen their groups in Tripura. They are now trying to be pro-active ahead of the next year’s assembly polls,” he said. Dua warned, “The security forces, including the central forces, are also getting ready to retaliate in a befitting way.”
Security agencies unmoved by Naxal audio-visual propaganda in Maharashtra
The security agencies engaged in anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)] operations seem to be viewing the audio-visual propaganda of Naxals, presently making the rounds in the form of clippings on mobile phones in the Maoist stronghold of Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra, as nothing different than regular party activities, reports The Times of India. The clippings highlight the Maoists’ dream to capture power in the country and also see their red flag fluttering atop the Red Fort. But the agencies are not attaching much significance to the propaganda clips and have not even alerted their counterparts in New Delhi. The clip-pings, which already reached media houses too, are not considered threatening by senior officials. They claim that the contents are nothing new. The clippings have dramatic and bold visual graphics showing the Indian map with regions where the reds have established ‘domination’. The series of images culminate in an Indian map in red with the rebels’ symbol at the heart.
Two JMB cadres arrested in Rajshahi District
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel arrested two cadres of the outlawed Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from the villages in Bagmara sub-District of Rajshahi on June 28, reports The New Age. The arrested were identified as Abdul Mannan and Azadul Islam. The RAB personnel told that some cases were lodged against them with Bagmara Police Station on charge of massive extortion in 2009. Subsequently, on issuing arrest war-rant they fled away from the area. After returning back to the area they have started extortion again.
PCJSS reformist faction leader shot at and injured in Khagrachari District
A gang of 5-6 masked armed men of Santu Larma faction of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS-Santu Larma) allegedly opened fire on a leader of the rival M.N Larma faction of PCJSS (PCJSS-M.N Larma) in Rubber Bagan area of Dighinala sub district of Khagrachari District on June 30 leaving him seriously injured, reports Daily Star. The leader was identified as Preeti Khisha Chakma (40) ‘general secre-tary’ of PCJSS Marung union unit. President of PCJSS- M.N Larma Dighinala unit, Pritimoy Chakma, alleged that Preeti Khisha was shot at around 5.00pm while he was returning home from party meeting held in Marung Bazar area. However, press secretary of PCJSS- Santu Larma, Sajib Chakma, refuted the allegation against his partymen and said that the incident might be a sequel to internal feud in the rival faction.
PBCP militant arrested in Pabna District
Security Forces arrested a ‘regional leader’ of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) at Kodimbogid village in Atghoria sub-district in Pabna District on July 3, reports Daily Star. The arrested mil-itants have been identified as, Jalem Uddin (45).
Militants hurl bomb at Jessore regional passport office
Unidentified militants on July 12 hurled several home-made bombs on the Jessore regional passport office premises in Jessore District, reports The New Age. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Police recovered 12 live bombs from near a food godown in Bejpara area and Shashthitala Para PTI road area in the Jessore District on July 12, reports The Daily Star. Police said, following a confessional statement by listed criminal Shuvo Rahman, they recovered eight bombs from the food godown area and four bombs from a coconut garden in Shashthitala Para area.
Two bombs recovered in Jhenidah District
Security Forces recovered two powerful bombs from Water Development Board (WDB) office area of the Jhenidah District town on July 17, reports Daily Star.
Two HT cadres arrested in Bagerhat District
Two cadres of Islamist outfit Hizb-ut Tawhid (HT) were arrested from in front of Daratana Bridge toll plaza in the Bagerhat District on July 18, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees were identified as Mohibul Islam (22) and Shawkat Molla (50). Abu Zihad Fakhrul Khan, Inspector of Bagerhat Model Police Station, said a team of patrol police arrested the duo from the area while distributing leaflets and jihadi books.
Meanwhile, according to a report by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, two Bangladeshi banks, the Islami Bank Bangladesh (IBBL) and Social Islami Bank (SIBL), have alleged links with terrorist financing. Taking advantage of the weak internal governance of the US branch of HSBC, the two banks have allegedly been routing funds to different international networks suspected to have terrorist links. HSBC’s Financial Intelligence Group provided infor-mation that the chief of a Bangladeshi Islamist terrorist outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Shaikh Abdur Rahman main-tained accounts with IBBL.
Four JMB militants arrested in Dhaka
Security Forces (SFs) arrested four suspected members of the banned Jama’atul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB) along with books on militancy from Sector-10 of Uttara in Dhaka city on July 19, Daily Star. The four militants were identified as Shamsul Huda, an ehsar (full-time member), Fatik alias Badsha alias Abdullah, Badrul alias Badar alias Badal, both gayeri ehsar (part-time members), and Abu Bakkar, an active member.
RAB arrests 17 HuT cadres from different parts of Dhaka
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel in separate drives arrested 17 members of banned militant outfit Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) from different parts of Dhaka on July 19 and 20, reports The Daily Star. A team of RAB -1 conducted a drive in Nikunja Boro Masjid of Khilkhet on July 20 and arrested nine members of the outfit. The arrestees were found to be holding anti-government rally and distributing leaflets containing anti-state statement among people of the area during the drive. In another raid at Gandaria, RAB -10 personnel arrested four operatives of the outlawed party while they were holding an anti-government rally. On July 19, a team of RAB -2 conducted a drive at New Market area and arrested Dr Md Manirul Hague (27). Following information extracted from Manirul, RAB officials raided Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas and captured three operatives of the outfit. The elite force recovered a large number of jihadi books, magazines, leaflets, a laptop and a personal computer from their possession.
Two JMB militants arrested from different places
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on July 23 arrested Mahtab Khamaru (45), a key leader of out-lawed militant group Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), from Talgharia village in Bagmara sub-District of Rajshahi District, reports The Daily Star. Khamaru was a regional commander and the second-in-command of JMB in 2004, when its leader Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai was oper-ating in the region. In a separate incident, the Police arrested one cadre of JMB from Nejampur sta-tion area in Nachole sub-District of Chapainawabganj District on July 23. The arrestee was identified as, Abdul Gofur (55), son of late Mokbul Hossain of the area.
India —Internal Dynamics
Policeman killed in Jharkhand
One policeman was killed and 12 other were injured when Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres ambushed their mini-bus near Topchachi Police Station of Dhanbad District of Jharkhand in the night of June 26, reports IBN Live. Two of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
Maoists kill former ward member in Odisha
A former ward member was killed by suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres in Gumudaguoda village under Bandhugaon Police limits in Koraput District of Odisha on June 25, reports The Times of India. The Maoists had killed Pidika Sarbo (55) suspecting him to be a Police informer, according to the Police. A Maoist letter left at the spot reads that Pidika was punished as he was cheating people in the area by working as a Police informer and being involved in liquor trade.
PLFI cadres kill three persons including live-in couple in Jharkhand
Cadres of the Peoples’ Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of India-Maoist killed an unmarried couple for main-taining a live-in relationship in Atheldih village in Khunti District in the night of August 25, reports The Times of India. The victims were identifies as Sanjay Purty and Itwari Oriya. “We are trying to know whether PLFI had given any warning to the couple’s parents or not,” said Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) M Tamilvanan. It might also be that Purty had refused to join their ranks or had done some-thing against PLFI’s interests.
Meanwhile, the PLFI cadres also allegedly killed one of their colleagues who apparently opposed this sort of moral policing. “A body has been recovered from a nearby jungle,” said an officer at Murmu police station. The body is yet to be identified.
Maoist movement could spread, says former Army chief General (Retd) V K Singh
Addressing a seminar in Patna on August 27, former Army chief General (Retd) V K Singh said the Maoist movement could spread throughout the country if remedial measures were not taken to address the root cause behind its growth, reports Business Standard. Singh said there were political rea-sons and lack of governance, particularly in the rural areas, due to which poverty and backwardness prevailed providing a breeding ground for Maoists.
NTRO was missing from Government’s initial bid to block inflammatory web content, claims report
National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) was complete-ly absent from Government’s bid to block fake and inflammatory messages spreading across the internet that contributed to violence and exodus of thousands of people, reports The Times of India on August 28. NTRO is supposed to counter such cyber crises. On August 14, the Centre had issued a nation-wide alert about safety of northeast origin people, and by August 17, it had imposed stiff restrictions on SMSs and MMSs over mobile phones. On August 18, the Union Home Ministry (UHM) had forwarded the first list of internet sites and Uniform Resource Locator (URLs) to be blocked. It was only by August 17 evening that NTRO was brought on board for internet monitoring and related actions. There were 75 websites and URLs on the first list given to CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) for blocking. Almost all of them were identified by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and some probably by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). Not one of them was provided by NTRO. Once NTRO resources were mobilized on August 17, there was a sudden jump in the number of suspect sites and URLs identified by the Government.
Two civilians killed in Assam
Security Forces (SFs) on June 30 recovered the bodies of Hatigaon-Belpara Lower Primary School headmaster Kameswar Rabha and Goalpara District All Rabha Student Union’s (ARSU) executive member Sharit Rabha from the Thanti Hill area near Kachumari village under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara, reports The Telegraph. The duo was abducted by suspected Garo National Liberation Army militants on May 13, 2011. The Police, however, had been maintaining that the duo was abducted by a gang of armed men.
NSCN-Khole-Kitovi cadre killed after being abducted in Nagaland
Nagaland Post reports that one cadre of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khole-Kitovi (NSCN-Khole-Kitovi) faction identified as Aloto Raju Peyu was reportedly abducted on July 1 around 6 pm from Zunheboto town and was later killed allegedly by NSCN-Khaplang cadres. The body was later found at Kawoto village. According to Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP) kilonser (minister) Akato Chophy, Aloto went to visit some relatives in Zunheboto when he was abducted and later shot dead. Meanwhile, NSCN-Khole-kitovi has condemned the killing on its functionary by “reck-less NSCN (K) cadres” and said such cold blooded killings would not be tolerated at a time when the citi-zens were yearning for peace.
Police constable killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres killed a 25-year-old trainee Police constable in a crowded market place at Bhansi town in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on July 3, reports post.jagran.com. Jaikumar Mandavi was shot in the back by suspected Maoists, dressed as locals, in the village when he was returning home after buying grocery with his father, Superintendent of Police (SP, Dantewada) Narendra Khare said. Mandavi was undergoing training at Bastar District’s headquar-ter at Jagdalpur and had come to his hometown three days ago on leave, the SP said.
More than 20 Police weapons missing in Nagaland, says report
Nagaland Post reports on July 3 that a high level Police team led by Inspector General of Police, (Crime) detected loss of more than 20 rifles that included 16 Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) and five .303 from the Police Kote (armory) in Zunheboto during the last week of June, 2012. A Policeman in the rank of Sub Inspector (SI) was arrested in Dimapur on June 30 and after interrogation by the Zunheboto Police, was taken back to Zunheboto for further investigation. It may recalled that two SLRs, recovered from an injured and another slain cadre by Police, were traced to the Police armoury, after a clash between National Socialist Council of Nagaland-khaplang and NSCN-Khole-Kitovi in Zhekiye village under Zunheboto District on June 19. Earlier, in April, one Superintendent of Police (SP), two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) and one Armed Branch Sub-Inspector (ABSI) of Wokha Police were suspended as suspects in the loss of ammunition. Another Police constable was arrested on May 30 after a huge cache of ammunition was seized from his house in Chumukedima which were believed to be on transit to be sold to one militant faction. Meanwhile, State Director General of Police, O.Alem had directed a high level Police team to conduct verification of various armouries in the State.
Maoist trade unions quietly setting up base in Tamil Nadu factories, says report
Industry in Tamil Nadu is trying to come to grips with a startling internal discovery that ‘fringe militant trade unions’ – code phrase for cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist have incognito established a foothold in key industrial belts in a state far removed from the heartland of Maoist extremism, reports The Economic Times. In recent weeks, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Employers’ Federation of Southern India have, in closed-door meetings, discussed how to deal with this problem, two senior members of the associations told Economic Times on condition of anonymity. The Cll’s sub-committee on human relations and industrial relations itself is said to have held at least three meetings in this regard. A member of the CII said the issue came to light when a number of small and medium companies started getting suspicious about the entry of new labour groups in their plants and decided to investigate.
Naxal violence has claimed 244 lives in the first six months of 2012, says report
In the first six months of this year [2012], Naxals [Left-Wing Extremists] have killed as many as 82 Security Force personnel, while losing only 48 of their cadres, reports The Indian Express. Naxal violence has claimed 244 lives in the first six months, includ-ing those of civilians who get dubbed as Police informers. The figure includes the recent deaths in the encounters that happened in Bijapur. The total number of deaths is only slightly better than in the same period last year [2011] when 301 people had lost their lives, according to the latest official data. And while Chhattisgarh remains the main battlefield, Naxal groups are enhancing their presence and influence in Odisha and Jharkhand, an official assessment says. The total number of casualties in Chhattisgarh, 211 in the first six months, has actually declined as com-pared to the same period last year, when it was 243, but both Jharkhand and Orissa saw more deaths.
Civilian killed in Meghalaya
The Shillong Times reports that the Garo National Liberation Army militants dumped the body of a villager after executing them close to a Police camp in East Garo Hills District in the night of July 13. The GNLA militants tortured to death the unidentified villager in Dobu killing with a blunt weapon and then left the body with its hands tied behind close to a police anti dacoity camp.
Maoists have labs to test weapons, says report
It has been revealed during investigations by the National Investigation Agency and other Central intelligence agencies following the arrest of Sadnala Ramakrishna alias RK, the head of the technical committee the Communist Party of India-Maoist that Maoists have now developed a fully hi-tech weapons testing laboratory, reports Deccan Chronicle. Intelligence agencies have information that the Maoists have two fully developed weapons testing labs operational in Chhattisgarh, where they have been putting to test their sophisticated weapons like rocket launchers, clay-more mines and a range of booby traps. Though Security agencies have launched a massive hunt to track the exact location of these two laboratories, it is suspected that they are situated deep inside the thick forests in the Abujmaad area.
Maoist dump unearthed in Rayagada District in Odisha
The Security Forces (SFs) unearthed a Communist Party of India-Maoist arms and explosives dump during a raid on a Maoist hideout in the forested area in Rayagada District of Odisha on July 17, reported The Hindu. According to the District Police, the dump was located inside Sapalguda forest under Chandrapur Police Station limits in the border of Rayagada and Gajapati Districts, following information given by ‘deputy commander’ of CPI-Maoist, Ramesh Tama alias Dasarath, who was arrested along with two other Maoists in Koraput District on July 11. Police sources said that the hidden explo-sives and arms were intended to target the SFs in future. The recovery came before the Maoist’s call for martyrs’ week from July 28. Usually the Maoists resort to blasts and other acts of violence during the period. The arms and explosives seized from the spot includ-e”, ed six landmines, one country made revolver, 10 rounds of 8mm ammuni-4 tions, and electronic detonators.
Two PLFI cadres lynched to death in Jharkhand
Two cadres of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, were lynched by residents of Siyang village under Sisai Police Station in Gumla District of Jharkhand on July 19, reported The Times of India. The slain cadres have been identified as Indrajeet Oraon of Dahutoli and Rama Oraon from Shivnathpur village. Rama Oraon started off as a Maoist but joined PLFI later. Both were acting under Sukra Oraon of the same out-fit, Officer-in-Charge of Sisai Police Station Kuldeep Ram said.
Three persons injured in bomb blast in Manipur
Kanglaonline reports that three persons, including two women, were injured in a bomb explosion at Mayotang in Ukhrul District at 7.50pm on July 18. The explosion took place at the residence of one TS Boonson who works as a village level worker at Ukhrul Block Developemnt Office (BDO). The injured persons were identified as Boonson’s mother Ruth, his brother Terek and sister-in-law Chaini. Meanwhile, a hand grenade was recovered at a drain near the residence of a retired Police inspector, identified as Okram Shamungou, of Kwakeithel Laishram Leikai in Imphal West District at around 10 am on July 19. Police bomb experts later detonated the grenade safely.
Three persons killed by GNLA in Meghalaya
The Shillong Times reports that the Garo National Liberation Army militants killed a young Science teacher in Resubelpara in East Garo Hills District in the night of July 19 simply because they believed he was close to the Government authorities. The GNLA militants, assisted by over ground workers from within the same village, entered the home of
32-year-old Denybirth G Momin and in the presence of his wife and two young children dragged him away to the village road where they shot him dead. To prevent public anger and retribution, the GNLA militants left behind a note branding him a Government collaborator. Sources said, Momin was also a successful rubber plantation owner that was the envy of many including GNLA militants who wanted to get a portion of the revenue from the plantation.
14 people killed in clashes in Kokrajhar and Chirang Districts of Assam
Fourteen people have been killed so far in clashes between Bodo and Muslims in the Districts of Kokrajhar and Chirang, reports The Telegraph. Moreover, as many as 40,000 people have moved to 38 relief camps, 28 in Gossaigaon subdivision and 10 in Kokrajhar subdivision, in the Kokrajhar District. Curfew has been clamped on both the Districts. Shillong Times adds that the clashes started when founder president of All Bodoland Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU) , Mohibul Islam and former leader of All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU), Abdul Siddique Sheikh were seriously injured in the attack on July 19. In a retaliatory attack, a mob of people at Joypur under Kokrajhar Police Station lynched to death four former militants of disbanded Bodoland Liberation Tiger (BLT) -Pradip Bodo (32), Jonson Bodo (36), Nip Goyari (25) and Jamin Goyari (24) on July 20 night.
| Monthly Fatalities The following deaths, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism, occurred during the period June 26 to July 25, 2012: |
| Civilians | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 06 | 00 | 07 | 13 |
| Manipur | 00 | 00 | 04 | 04 |
| Meghalaya | 06 | 00 | 00 | 06 |
| Nagaland | 00 | 00 | 02 | 02 |
| Left-wing | 20 | 06 | 48 | 74 |
| Total | 32 | 06 | 61 | 99 |
Nepal —Internal Dynamics
NC and CPN-UML soften their position on the issue of PLA’s integration in Nepal Army
Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) leaders on June 29 said that they are ready to attend a meeting of the prime minister-led Special Committee for the Integration, Supervision and Rehabilitation of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Nepal Army. NC leader Minendra Rijal said “We were never against attending a meeting of the Special Committee. We have stressed that the prime minister must reach out to parties and create an environment of trust”. Similarly, CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal said there should be political consensus among the parties on the structure of the general directorate and ranks to be conferred on the combatants at the top level before the committee meeting is held. The Nepal Army is all set to start groundwork for the selection next week.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the newly-formed Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist (CPN-M), Mohan Baidhya, on June 29 urged the party cadres to take the breakaway from the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist as a natural process. He said formation of the revolutionary party was a must to pave a way to the current political transition.
Chitwan District paralysed by warring Maoist parties
Daily life was adversely affected in Chitwan District on July 2 due to a day-long bandh (general shutdown strike) imposed by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, reports Nepal News. UCPN-M enforced the bandh protesting against the clash that occurred between its cadres and that of the breakaway party, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist, Baidya), in Chitwan over the issue of party office on June 30. At least ten persons were injured, from both sides, when dispute over the ownership of the party office located at Krishna Nagar turned into a violent confrontation.
Separately, the dispute between the rival Maoist parties over the ownership of party offices seemed far from over with the vice chairman of the breakaway CPN-Maoist, C.P Gajurel, on July 2 demanding that his party also wanted its share in the central office of the UCPN -M locat-ed at Peris Danda in Koteshwor.
Prime Minister consults Janajati leaders onidentity-based federalism
Prime Minister (PM) Baburam Bhattarai on July 4 met with Janajati (indigenous) leaders of various polit-ical parties who have been demanding identity-based federalism, reports Nepal News. PM Bhattarai called the Janjati leaders at a time when the latter are said to have agreed on the formation of a cross-party joint front to press for identity based federal-ism. More than 30 Janajati leaders including Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) vice chairman Ashok Rai, UML politburo member Prithivi Subba Gurung, DB Lama, Malla K. Sundar, chairman of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Raj Kumar Lekhi, former chairman of NEFIN Dr Om Gurung, former minister Rakam Chemjong, Minak Lal Shrestha, Indra Kumar Gurung Pari Thapa.
Baidya describes his party as ‘third force’
Chairman of the newly formed Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Mohan Baidya (CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya) has described his party as the “third force”, claiming that it was capable of leading the nation, reports Nepal News. Speaking dur-ing a book launch in the capital on July 7, Baidya said his party emerged as the third force in order to give an outlet to the political deadlock. He, however, did not explain on what basis his party could claim third position.
Gyanendra Shah wants to be king again
Six weeks after Nepal’ Constituent Assembly (CA) expired without delivering a constitution, Nepal’s last monarch Gyanendra Shah has said he wants to be the king again, reports The Hindu on July 10. Shah expressed his desire in an interview to a private television channel. The CA had abolished the monarchy at its first sitting in May 2008. Shah’s claim rests on what he says was a private agreement with the leaders of political par-ties on April 24, 2006 — the final day of the People’s Movement. On that night, after 19 days of street protests, the king conceded that sovereignty lay with the people, not the crown, and accepted the roadmap of the political parties to bring about peace and democracy. Meanwhile Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said, “The former king does not seem to have learnt any lessons. He will lose what-ever facility he is getting.” Nepali Congress general secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula, a key negotiator during the final days of the People’s Movement, rejected the contention that there was any “agreement” with the king. “This is a lie. His remarks are outrageous and objectionable and I challenge him to provide proof of any deal. He is dreaming.”
Sri Lanka —Internal Dynamics
LTTE remnants mobilizing funds in Europe
Swiss Director of Prosecutions revealed on June 6 that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had taken fraudulently substantial funds as loans from financial institutions on the basis of false documents, reports Lank Web. It was also revealed that these funds were channelled to LTTE for purchase of arms through S. Ramachandran, a leader in the LTTE overseas front. The Swiss investigators had proceeded to Netherlands to question S. Ramachandran. Similarly, the Netherland’s intelligence services have collected information going up to 6000 giga bites. It was made clear that the new fund raising was to finance the activities of some of the LTTE fighting cadres still hiding in Sri Lanka. Ramachandran had been controlling a fund Euro 136 millions. The Netherland’s intelligence agencies have found out the names of the banks where the money had been deposited. It was found that Ramachandran had even fraudulently taken $104000- from two leading Swiss banks .At present 12 leading Tamil Tigers are in custody and the authorities have con-firmed that they have enough evidence to prove their acts of fraud. The Netherland’s intelligence agents have now discovered that a new fund has been set up to start a new war in Sri Lanka. Ramachandran had purchased gold from some of the funds and exported to a number of countries to sell through their agents.
International LTTE network behind VavuniyaPrison unrest, says Prison Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera
The recent unrest in the Vavuniya Prison in Northern Sri Lanka is a well-planned conspiracy of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s international network, Prisons and Rehabilitation Minister, Chandrasiri Gajadeera said on July 3, Colombo Page reported. He noted that the LTTE suspects at the prison have had in their possession satellite mobile phones and various communication equipment and added that some of the suspects transferred to Colombo following the incident were prepared to con-fess to that effect.
Trouble erupted at the Vavuniya Prison, last week, when Police tried to take a suspect, who is a former LTTE leader, away under a court order to hand over to the Terrorism Investigation Department and the inmates started protesting. In the ensuing disturbance the former LTTE suspects took three prison officials hostage and held them until a combined Police, Army and Special Task Force (STF) operation them a day later. Accordingly, 28 LTTE detainees were transferred to the Mahara Prison in Gampaha District and four detainees injured during the rescue operation were sent for treatment at the Ragama Hospital in Colombo. The Commanding Officer of the STF, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Chandrasiri Ranawaka, told the state-run radio that in the search operations carried out in the prison after the incident, 54 satellite mobile phones, additional batteries, SIM cards and various other communication equipment were discovered. Ranawaka revealed that about 28 LTTE prisoners, detained in the Vavuniya prison, had satellite phones to pass information to the Tamil Diaspora abroad. “We also recovered Rs 23,047, iron bars, knives and four radios. They also had large stock of food items, including biscuits, chocolates and noodles,” an unnamed senior Police official told The Island newspaper.
TNA demands pardon for LTTE detainees
The leader Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R. Sampanthan making a special statement in the parliament on July 6 urged the government to pardon all the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam detainees, who he described as political prisoners, without prosecuting them, according to Colombo Page. The TNA leader told the parliament that the government had failed to expedite the judicial process with regard to the prosecution of these despite assurances to do so. “If the legal proceedings could not be initiated against those who are kept in detention, why not release them under an amnesty? Tamil political detainees are being tortured and this raises serious human right concerns,” he said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa calls on diplomats to counter threats from pro-LTTE Diaspora
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 7 said that despite the country having a concise foreign policy the threat of the pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eealm Diaspora in the West remains to be a massive challenge and asked the country’s diplomatic envoys to counter them, according to Colombo Page. The President said the Sri Lankan diplomats in overseas missions, especially in countries where, the pro-LTTE Diaspora is active, to be aware of the relentless campaign carried out by them to dis-credit Sri Lanka. He noted that the Diaspora interact with policy makers, media and non-governmental organizations in those countries to carry out their misinformation campaigns and asked the diplomats to launch suit-able campaigns to effectively counter the adverse publicity created by the LTTE elements against Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa noted that the aim of the government was to fortify national security both domestically and internationally while also achieving the required financial goals.
Army strength in Jaffna is 10,000, say Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya
Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya on July 11 categorically denied the statement that there is an Army strength of one to five civilians in the Jaffna peninsula and stated that there was a population of half a million in Jaffna while the strength of the army was 10,000, according to Daily News. He added that the Army remaining in Jaffna is confined to barracks. He also stated that the Army will attend to the matters relating to reconciliation, reconstruction etc according to the needs of society.
Two former LTTE cadres arrested along with LTTE war video in Trincomalee District
A memory card containing a six minute LTTE war video was seized and two suspected former LTTE cadres were arrested by the Muthur Police in Trincomalee District, according to Daily Mirror. The memory card was seized while the suspects were watching the video. In addition to the memory card the suspects had in their possession cash to the value SLR 50,000. The arrested were residents from the Pathanapuram area in Muthur.
Mobile phones in possession of LTTE detainees recovered in Colombo prison
Sri Lankan prison authorities at the Magazine prison in Colombo on July 12 recovered 32 mobile phones in the possession of Liberation Tigers of Tail Eelam detainees at the prison, reported Colombo Page. According to the Ministry of Rehabilitation & Prison reforms, five amongst the 32 recovered mobiles were sophisticated in nature. The mobile phones had been concealed within the premise of the prison complex. The officials suspect that the suspects may have used those phones to communicate and maintain contacts with foreign media. As reported earlier, during the June hostage rescue attempt at the Vavuniya Prison, the authorities found 43 mobile phones, some of which were satellite phones.
Recent unrest in Vavuniya Prison was a conspiracy with links to the LTTE, says Police
Police have gathered information that the recent unrest in the Vavuniya Prison was a conspiracy with links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s international network and it was the same evil forces that tried to mask the particular incident by Vavuniya prison inmates, as a humanitarian act, Police Media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana in a special press release announced on July 17, according to Daily News.
As reported earlier, the incident occurred when three prison officials were held hostage for 19 hours by inmates during a protest by prisoners at the Vavuniya remand prison against the transfer of a suspected LTTE prisoner to another location. The suspect who was a former LTTE leader was being transferred on a court order to be handed over to the Terrorism Investigation Unit. The suspect Nadaraja Saravanabawan alias Seettu was directly involved in terrorist attacks carried out by LTTE. The Police Spokesman revealed that Nadaraja was involved in bombing a vehicle bearing number 58-9203, on May 27, 2006, in Wipattu Reserve killing seven civilians. The suspect was also responsible for setting up a claymore mine on December 23, 2005, targeting a bus that was trans-porting Navy personnel. 13 Navy personnel died and another four were injured in the incident. In addition to that, he is alleged to have been responsible for a number of terrorist activities where innocent civilians and soldiers were killed and injured.
Former LTTE leader of Batticaloa arrested at Colombo airport
Sri Lanka Police on July 17 arrested Sinnatambi Pathmanathan, a former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader for the Batticaloa area in the Eastern province, at the Colombo airport upon his return to Sri Lanka, Colombo Page reported. Police Media spokesman Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana said that Pathmanathan was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Bureau when he returned to Sri Lanka after staying abroad. Pathmanathan had fled the country in 2002, Hiru FM reported. He had reportedly led several terrorist attacks in the East.
INTERNATIONAL
Gunmen storm Syrian TV station, kill 3 staffer
Gunmen stormed a pro-government Syrian TV channel headquarters on Wednesday, June 27 bombing buildings and shooting dead three employees, state media said, in one of the boldest attacks yet on a symbol of the authoritarian state.
President Bashar al-Assad declared late on Tuesday that his country was “at war”. U.S. intelligence officials said the Syrian regime was “holding fairly firm” and digging in for a long struggle against rebel forces who are getting stronger.
Kuwaitis protest
Thousands of Kuwaitis rallied against a court ruling scrapping legislative polls as the opposition called for a constitutional monarchy and a full parliamentary sys-tem. “This is the beginning of the road to a constitutional monarchy,” prominent opposition MP Mussallam al-Barrak told a large gathering that lasted until around midnight Tuesday, June 26 to protest the court ruling. This is the first time that Kuwait’s mainstream opposition called for fundamental reforms, a demand usually made by youth activists. Thousands of opposition supporters braved high temperatures at over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and gathered outside parliament in the capital Kuwait City to protest the court ruling. In an unprecedented verdict last week, the constitutional court, whose rulings are final, declared February’s legislative election, won by the opposition, illegal and rein-stated the previous pro-government parliament. It based its decision on the grounds that two decrees dissolving the previous parliament and calling for a fresh election, both issued in December, were found to be flawed.
Nine more dead in Iraq-wide bombings
Police say a series of bombs around Iraq’s capital have killed nine people and wounded more than 40. The deadliest strike came at dawn Thursday, June 28 in the Sunni city of Taji, just north of Baghdad. Officials say two cars blew up outside a government office, damaging nearby homes and killing five people and wounding 18.
Extradition —Julian Assange
British police served Julian Assange on June 28 with a demand that he report to a police station as the first step in his extradition to Sweden to face sex crime allegations. The letter was delivered to Ecuador’s London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up for nine days. The Metropolitan Police said it had “served a surrender notice upon a 40-year-old man that requires him to attend a police station at a date and time of our choosing. This is standard practice in extradition cases and is the first step in the removal process.” The force did not identify Assange by name but offered the statement when asked about him. Assange is seeking political asylum in Ecuador in a bid to escape extradition for questioning about alleged rape and sexual assault against two women. He denies the claims, and says the case against him is politically motivated. Assange has said he fears the United States plans to charge him for leaking hundreds of thousands of secret U.S. documents via the secret-spilling WikiLeaks website. A U.S. soldier, Pfc. Bradley Manning, a 24-year-old Crescent, Oklahoma, native, has been charged with aiding the enemy by passing the secret files to WikiLeaks and is awaiting trial. The 40-year-old Assange was arrested in London in December 2010 at Sweden’s request and has spent the last 18 months on bail fighting extradition. He has exhausted legal appeals in Britain, and has been ordered deported to Sweden.
Afghan officials hail talks with Taliban: NYT
A flurry of informal contacts between the Afghan government and insurgent representatives over the past week suggests that long-stalled peace negotiation efforts may be inching forward, Afghan officials say, though American officials played down the significance of the meetings. Afghan government negotiators sat with representatives of the insurgents first at an informal meeting in Paris this week and then at an academic conference in Kyoto, Japan, through the past two days, officials said. President Hamid Karzai’s top peace negotiator, Salahuddin Rabbani, hailed the public contacts this month as an indication that the Taliban were backing off their demand that Americans be the main interlocutors in any talks.
But the Taliban, in a statement on Thursday, July 28 insisted that their policies had not shifted, implying that the group still has no intention of talking to the Afghan government.
Dozens killed by mines in Yemen
More than 50 Yemenis were killed by mines planted by al Qaeda-linked fighters as they fled two of their main strongholds in Yemen’s restive south this month, the defense ministry said on Saturday, June 30. Ansar al-Sharia, a group which swears allegiance to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, seized control of several cities in Abyan province last year during a wave of protests that forced former President All Abdullah Saleh to step down. Yemen’s army drove the militants out of the provincial capital Zinjibar and strategic city Jaar this month, a major break-through in a U.S.-backed offensive aimed at securing stability in the wider oil-rich Gulf region.
The militants planted thou-sands of mines before they left the strongholds, the defense ministry said on its website, citing Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahwi, the deputy governor of Abyan. The dead included Yemeni civilians and soldiers, said government sources. Mines were still being removed from Zinjibar so residents should not return yet, he added.
30 murderers of Muslims held in Myanmar
Police in Myanmar have arrested 30 people in connection with the vigilante killing of 10 Muslims that helped spark days of sectarian violence in Rakhine state last month in which at least 80 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced. The 30 suspects were in detention and “action is being taken against them according to the laws”, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Monday, July 2 referring to the incident on June 3, when the Muslims were hauled off a bus, beaten and killed.
The riots and killings underline the big challenges facing Myanmar’s first civilian government since the end of five decades of authoritarian military rule. The 15-month-old administration says it wants to forge peace and unity among the many ethnic groups and religions in Myanmar. Northwestern Rakhine state in particular is fraught with longstanding communal tension.
The lynching of the Muslims was apparently retribution for the gang rape and murder of a Buddhist woman six days earlier, an attack they had no connection with. Three Muslim youths were found guilty of murdering the woman. One committed suicide and the other two were sentenced to death on June 18.
Syrian general close to Assad defects
Syrian Brigadier-General Manaf Tlas, who headed a unit of the elite Republican Guard and was a long-time ally of President Bashar al-Assad, has left Damascus and is on his way to Paris, a close family friend told Reuters on Friday, July 6. Tlas, in his mid 40s, arrived in Turkey on Thursday from Syria and was making his way to France where his father Mustafa Tlas, a former defense minister, now lives, said the family friend.
Seven terror suspects held in UK
Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses in Britain after a routine vehicle search turned up firearms and weapons, police said Friday, July 5. The arrests, which took place earlier this week, were announced one day after officers in London detained six other terror suspects using stun guns and smoke grenades in an early-morning swoop on a home close to London’s Olympic Park. West Midlands Police said Friday a car was stopped on the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire on June 30 and impounded for not having insurance. It said “firearms, offensive weapons and other material” were later found hidden in it, which prompted police to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and other suspects. Police said three of the men were arrested Tuesday, three on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Six of them are in their twenties and from the West Midlands area of England, while one is from West Yorkshire.
The men have been arrested on suspicion of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism. They were being questioned by officers and their residences were searched. The items found in the vehicle were undergoing forensic testing. Britain’s terror level is currently ranked as substantial — the third highest point on a five-point scale — and means an attack is a strong possibility.
US cell phone surveillance rises
Newly released figures indicate that US mobile phone carriers encountered a dramatic spike in requests by law enforcement authorities for cell phone sub-scribers’ information. In response to a congressional investigation into cell phone surveillance, mobile phone companies said they received more than 1.3 million requests from US law enforcement agencies for consumers’ cell phone records during 2011.
This is while Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who demanded the reports from nine carriers said, “I never expected it [the volume of requests] to be this massive.” He launched an inquiry into the issue after The New York Times revealed in April that cell phone tracking is used extensively by law enforcement authorities.
The data provided include callers’ locations, text messages and call logs among other information. “We cannot allow privacy protections to be swept aside with the sweeping nature of these information requests, especially for innocent consumers,” Markey noted. The report revealed that Verizon Wireless as US number one carrier has seen a 15 percent increase a year in requests over the last five years, with almost 260,000 requests last year.
Data also showed an annual increase of between 12 and 16 per-cent in all kinds of requests made by law enforcement agencies among the other carriers as well in the last five years.
Dy Chief Mufti Tatarstan shot dead
A top Muslim cleric in Russia’s Tatarstan province was shot dead and another was wounded by a car bomb in separate attacks appar-ently related to the priests’ criticism of radical Islamists, investiga-tors said Thursday, July 19. Valiulla Yakupov, the deputy to the Muslim province’s chief mufti, was gunned down Thursday as he left his house in Tatarstan’s regional capital of Kazan, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
Chief mufti Ildus Faizov was wounded in the leg after an explo-sive device ripped through his car in central Kazan, Tatarstan investigator Eduard Abdullin told The Associated Press. Both clerics were known as critics of radical Islamist groups that advocate a strict version of Islam known as Salafism. Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Russian news agencies that his agency was looking into the clerics’ professional activity as a possible reason for the attacks.
The 49-year-old Faizov became Tatarstan’s chief mufti in 2011. He has also been criticized by media in Tatarstan for allegedly profiting on tours he organized for Muslim pilgrims and for trying to gain control of one of the oldest and largest mosques in Kazan that receives hefty donations from thousands of believers. The rise of Salafism in this oil-rich Volga River province has been fueled by the influx of Muslim clerics from Chechnya and other predominantly Muslim provinces of Russia’s Caucasus region, where radical Islamists have been involved in a violent confrontation with secular authorities for years.’♦
| Current Threat Levels : | ||
| City/Region | Threat Level | |
| Islamabad | Level 2 | ** |
| Karachi | Level 2 | ** |
| Lahore | Level 2 | ** |
| Punjab | Level 2 | ** |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Level 3 | *** |
| Peshawar | Level 2 | ** |
| Quetta | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper Balochistan | Level 3 | *** |
| Lower Balochistan | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper/ Rural Singh | Level 2 | ** |
| Gilgit and Northern Areas | Level 3 | *** |
| Tribal Areas, Close to Afghan Border | Level 3 | *** |
| Index to Threat Level Perceptions | |
| Threat Level 1 Indicates there is no threat to foreigners although there may be isolated incidents involving petty crime. No security precautions are required | * |
| Threat Level 2 Indicates there is no specific threat to foreigners; however because of the overall general law & order situation, some security precautions are advised if traveling. | ** |
| Threat Level 3 Indicates that law and order situation is cause for concern and travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Level dictates that foreigners should rehearse plans for evacuation. | *** |
| Threat Level 4 Indicates complete breakdown of civil administration and law & order leading to anarchy. All foreigners advised to remain indoors and confined to their own city. Families and staff not required to be evacuated retaining only a skeleton staff | **** |
| Threat Level 5 Indicates complete breakdown of law and order, enemy action/hostilities, invasion /occupation by enemy. | ***** |
