ISI fomenting violence in India — US media

The daily quoting Indian and Bangladeshi sources said their governments had determined independently that ISI angents in Bangladesh were encouraging, training and arming some of the militants of the United Liberation Front of Assam and other groups.

The militants for more than ten years have been blowing up trains and shooting policemen and civilian officials with a goal of winning independence for Assam.

The accusations come as US President Bill Clinton prepares to visit India, Bangladesh and Pakistan from March 19 to 26 – despite recommendations by his Secret Service that he faces a risk from terrorists in Pakistan.

The daily recalls that India for years has claimed that Pakistan is aiding militant separatist groups in Assam. But the comments by the senior US official in an interview were the first indication that the US also believes that Pakistan is working to spread discord away from its border with India.

The US, earlier this year, accused Pakistan of granting refuge and support to the Harakat ul-Mujahedeen, the group blamed for hijacking an Indian Airlines passenger plane from Kathmandu, Nepal, in December.

The daily quotes Indian diplomatic sources as saying that Pakistan also gave arms and training in the 1980s to Sikh separatists crusading in Punjab for a separate state. India also blames Pakistan for encouraging Islamic militant groups in Pakistan to cross over to the Indian-held portions of Kashmir and spreading terrorism. It also quotes deputy chief of mission at Pakistan embassy in Washington Zamir Akram denying all the charges. He in turn accused India’s intelligence agency – the research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – of sponsoring terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

It quotes Akram as saying: "It’s not unusual for India to blame the ISI for everything. It’s impossible what kind of outreach can ISI have in Assam?."

The Washington Times also quoted a senior South Asian diplomat who is not from India having said yesterday that that Pakistan’s isi had been infiltrated by islamic militants who are working with fundamentalists in bangladesh to prepare attacks on India.

The isi is active in bangladesh, he said, speaking on conditionof anonymity. Isi is very active and has a large number of fundamentalists in the organisation and they have links with fundamentalist groups in bangladesh.

We are very watchful about it, and if we find any link we try tobring them to Justice. We have told the U.S. State department to be careful about that and keep a watch on their activities.

Bangladesh ambassador K M Shehabuddin said yesterday thatPakistani intelligence had been operating terrorist cells in his country, but they have been stymied by the awami league government of sheik hasina, who is grateful for India’s help to her father, sheik mujibur rahman, in the struggle against Pakistan in 1971.

The present government makes it impossible for isi to operateagainst India from bangladesh-the president won’T allow it, he said. We are careful about it we are always opposed tofundamentalism. We want good neighbours.