ISI plans to launch operations in NE

GUWAHATI, August 21: Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Islamic militant outfits like the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have set up strong bases in Dhaka to launch their operations in the northeastern region of India, police sources said here. The police came to know about the bases of the Islamic militant outfits in Dhaka following the recent arrest of four ISI agents in Guwahati and more than 20 Harkat-ul-Mujahideen militants from different parts of Assam. According to information gathered by the security forces so far, the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen had established a strong base in a madrassa at Yatrabari in Dhaka. All Harkat-ul-Mujahideen activists who come to Dhaka come in touch with each other in the madrassa and plan out their strategies. The youths taken to Pakistan for training are also first taken to the base, and from there the tickets and other documents are arranged for them to proceed further. The Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and ISI also have strong bases at Rajshahi in Bangladesh. They bring explosives to India through this base. Sources revealed that the explosives recovered recently in a joint raid of the Assam and West Bengal police were also first brought to a religious institution in Rajshahi and from there those were brought to India to carry out subversive activities. After the recent arrests of ISI agents and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen activists, it became clear that the virtually open Assam-Bangladesh border provided safe route for militants to take youths from Assam for training. The youths were taken to Pakistan via Bangladesh in batches for training and they used different routes in the Assam-Bangladesh border for the purpose. One of the frequently used routes was via Karimganj. The ISI men arrested in Guwahati, have also come to the state via the Karimganj border by allegedly paying bribe to Border Security Force (BSF) personnel posted there. Some youths were taken to Bangladesh through West Bengal and some through the border in Dhubri district.