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India-Pakistan
Terror in the ranks: 2 soldiers taken in for LeT links
2006-07-26
Within days of an ominous warning by the country's top security adviser about terrorists infiltrating the armed forces, two soldiers have been picked up in Kashmir for possible links with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In the first such case in 17 years of terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, two policemen were also taken in by intelligence officials, besides the two J&K Light Infantry men. Last week, TOI made public a letter by national security adviser M K Narayanan warning the states that terrorists could have found a way into the Air Force.

Military Intelligence officers picked up the soldiers - identified as Lance Naik Mohammad Shakeel and Sepoy Abdul Haq - to interrogate them about alleged links with a LeT field commander responsible for organising attacks in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. The arrested policemen - Sikander and Kabir - were picked up after a LeT module was busted at Mendhar in Poonch district. Police sources said they had been working for LeT for the past three years. The depth of their involvement is being probed. Military sources said jawans Shakeel and Haq, who are from Gursai village in Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district, were taken into custody on Saturday following a tip-off that they had been contacted by Pakistani national Abu Osama, who is LeT's divisional commander for the Jammu region.
Posted by:Fred

#2  JAMMU/NEW DELHI: Three Indian Army soldiers have admitted to providing logistics support to terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), but the authorities stressed they were too junior to have any access to vital information.

The trio - a sepoy, a lance naik and a naik, the three lowest ranks of the Indian Army - have been in custody since July 8 and have admitted to providing three SIM cards (meant for mobile phone connection), batteries, boots and food to LeT cadres after the terror group threatened their families, highly placed army sources said Wednesday.

"It does not appear that anything sensitive has been passed on," a source said, adding that the issue would figure Thursday in form of a starred question that Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee would answer in the Lok Sabha.

The trio, sepoy Abdul Haq, lance naik Mohammad Shakeel and naik Mohammad Sharief, belong to the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) and were posted in a border area of the Jammu region.

All of them belong to Gursai area of Mendhar in Poonch district bordering Pakistan-administered Kashmir where incursions are said to be very common.

They were on leave when sleuths of the police, army and intelligence agencies picked them up for interrogation.

These soldiers had come under the scanner on the basis of the information put together by investigating agencies following the interrogation of one Tipu, an LeT operator.

ipu was arrested June 15, three days after the grenade explosions at the Jammu bus stand in which one civilian was killed and 30 were injured.

The LeT operator had revealed the names of two policemen, constables Sikander and Kabir, who had assisted him in staging the grenade explosions as also his future plans, which included assassinating former chief minister Farooq Abdullah at his Bhatindi residence, according to the sources.

On sustained interrogation the three pointed to the soldiers, who were subsequently picked up.

While Sikandar was found to be deeply involved with militancy, Kabir was let off as his involvement was said to be marginal.

The JAKLI, one of the Indian Army's youngest regiments, comprises of around 11 battalions with strength of 10,000 men that are deployed in various parts of the country.

A Territorial Army battalion comprising surrendered militants is also attached to the JAKLI.
Posted by: john   2006-07-26 14:56  

#1  Recruitment of mainly muslim soldiers to the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment has increased in recent years, part of a deliberate campaign.

Posted by: john   2006-07-26 06:51  

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