Blast fallout: Centre may extend ban on ULFA

Sources said that though the timing, placement and the chemicals of the bombs pointed the needle of suspicion to HuJI Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, its spread reinforced 8220;the possibility of ULFA giving logistics support8221;.

They said that the rare statement by ULFA United Liberation Front of Asom denying its involvement in the serial blasts was also a pointer as they have usually kept mum, neither denying or claiming success, save for blasts on oil and gas installations.

Since there was no new evidence to suggest that the banned outfit had mended its ways, the Centre plans to outlaw ULFA classifying it as a terrorist group and banning it under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The first ban was imposed on November 27, 1990 and the last notification of 2006 expires on November 26.

Simultaneously, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan is chairing a meeting of the NIB on Tuesday to consider ways to tighten the influx of foreigners, especially Bangladeshis, in the Northeast.

One concern before the board is the movement of outsiders in the Siliguri corridor. This 35-km chicken neck has strategic importance as any blockade of the national highway or single-track rail line could chop off the Northeast from the mainland India.

The second issue on the agenda is the changing demography of the Northeast, especially Assam, where the lower part of the state is becoming Muslim-dominated due to illegal immigration from Bangladesh. The board has to consider ways to stop the tide of migrants who are believed to be providing support to the extremists, HuJI or ULFA, sources said.

This is demonstrated by the number of Muslim youths recruited by ULFA which has increased in the past two years, they added.