Early accounts of Indians trained at terror camps in Pakistan date just prior to the Kashmir insurgency in the late 1980s, when a still missing SIMI leader from Kerala, C A M Basheer, reportedly trained at a camp for Afghan mujahideens in the North West Frontier Province. Investigations into the Mumbai blasts of 1993 then threw up accounts of several of the accused undergoing a fortnight’s training in the basics of handling of arms and explosives at camps in Pakistan in the run up to the March 12 serial blasts.Subsequently, especially post 2002, investigations around the country have provided security agencies in India a fair idea of the nature of the terror training camps in Pakistan, their structure, content, location, and people involved.Most people sent from India to camps in Pakistan, including several of the accused named in the chargesheet for the July 2006 Mumbai blasts, have reported participating in a 21-day basic training module called the Daura-e-Aamma. Only a few handpicked youth get to the complete course ware at camps in Pakistan, like Sabahuddin Ahmed, a key Lashkar man accused in the December 2005 Indian Institute of Science case and currently being investigated by the Mumbai police for prior knowledge of the conspiracy leading to the November 26 terror siege in Mumbai, and Kasab, the only captured 26/11 attacker.Emerging from corroborative accounts of these maaskars or camps, specifically Lashkar ones, is a picture of rigorous set ups where admissions — especially for advanced forms of training — need reference letters, where data is maintained regarding all trainees and where advanced training facilities include an electronics laboratory.Apart from the Daura-e-Aamma training modules available to most recruits, specially handpicked trainees undergo training under various modules like Daura-e-Khaasa, an advanced commando training, the Daura-e-Ribat, an intelligence gathering module, Daura-e-Mutafajjirat or exclusive training in explosives.Daura-e-Aamma• A compressed three-week training programme largely focused on motivating recruits for jehad where the basics of different types of arms, ammunition and explosives are provided. According to several accounts given to the agencies in India, this camp is typically held at Baitul Mujahideen, near Muzaffarabad, the base of LeT’s operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.Overall in-charge of all Lashkar training camps Abu Nasar Javed is also based here according to various accounts. He oversees admissions after perusing references and detailed profiles provided by trainees. Sabahuddin, for instance, provided the reference of a Dr Salim Salar from UP, while Raziuddin Nasir, a Hyderabad native, reportedly got a reference from Shahid Bilal another former Hyderabad resident who was then associated with the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan. When trainees arrive at this camp they are typically frisked for possession of cigarettes, tobacco, and opium before being accorded entrance. More than 100 trainees are reported to comprise every batch. A day begins at almost all the camps at 3 am with prayers and physical exercise. This is followed by lessons on various types of weapons, discussions on jehad and religious lessons. Daura-e-Khaasa• Admissions to the advanced commando training course are under the scrutiny of a person called Abu Dawood who also maintains records of all trainees undergoing the course. There are as many as 15 trainers at the course, who are called ustaads. The four-month course has a focus on survival in crisis situations and stresses on physical endurance with border crossing, river crossing, night marches and jungle survival being among the key elements in the programme. The course also gives detailed training in the handling of weapons introduced in the basic course. The Mumbai attackers are all said to have undergone the Daura-e-Khaasa.Daura-e-Ribat • The 15-20 day training programme in intelligence gathering and functions is reportedly under the tutelage of a man called Fahadullah. The lessons include surveillance and reconnaissance activities, maintenance of false identities, how to carry out personal meetings, how to do ‘live drops’ of consignments by using anonymous middlemen, how to do ‘dead drops’ of consignments without direct human contacts.Daura-e-Mutafajjirat• The 20-day training in the manufacturing and planting of improved explosive devices teaches trainees about various chemical combinations for explosives, different kinds of timer devices and how to carry out controlled explosions. A man called Abu Walid has been identified as one of the trainers at the course. Electronics laboratory and communications training • The electronics laboratory teaches trainees to use electronic equipment, including the manufacture of electronic switches for bombs. Some accounts describe the communications training as a short two- to three-day programme in the use of modern communication and navigation techniques including the use of satellite phones, Internet resources like Google Earth, chat and e-mail services. The training provides inputs on ways to use different kinds of phones without coming on the radar of security agencies.
