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| India-Pakistan |
| Pak jehadi assembly line still functional |
| 2002-06-05 |
| Satellite images sourced by the Hindustan Times shows terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir buzzing with activity. Credible intelligence inputs show terrorist launch pads — the points at which terrorists are briefed by ISI operatives about their missions in India — are also operational. Terrorists are kept in waiting at these points before being sent to army posts on the Line of Control (LoC), from where they cross into India. Transcripts of a radio intercept convey the impression that Musharraf's current crackdown is temporary. Militants, whose close links with Pakistan are clearly revealed in the transcripts, seem to believe they have to lie low only until international pressure on Pakistan to stop infiltration eases. The images show, for instance, functional terrorist camps adjacent to the Pakistan Army's Chakothi cantonment close to the LoC. They also show a firing range close to the Jhelum. Another image shows a launch pad on the banks of the Kishenganga. In Almaty, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee estimated the number of terrorists waiting in such launch pads at 3,000. "It will take at least four to six weeks for a clear picture to emerge," said a senior military officer. "It is too early for an assessment yet, but there are both positive and negative indicators. For one, levels of violence have gone down over the last few days. Communication to convey operational instructions to militants by their Pakistani mentors too has reduced," the officer said. On the negative side, he said, there was no end to infiltration. "Pakistani cross-border firing too is heavy. It is often a cover for infiltrators," he added. My guess would be that they have a lot of guys in the chute and it's hard to stop the "machine." ISI and the relevant parts of the military may have the order to stop operations or to scale them back, but they're probably implementing them at a snail's pace, if at all, anticipating another turn-around once the coast is clear. A major blow-up in the Middle East, Afghanistan if they can swing it, or possibly Chechnya will divert attention and allow the infiltration to start up again, accompanied by pious denials and accusations of perfidy against the Indos. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |