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Four days ago on December 19, in a historical judgment, the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad awarded death sentence to Pakistan trained Indian Mujahideen (IM) leader Yasin Bhatkal and four others for taking part in twin blasts in Hyderabad in February 2013 in which 19 innocent persons were killed and more than 130 were injured. 

In this âÂÂrarest of the rareâ case besides Yasin Bhatkal alias Mohammad Ahmed Siddibappa , Zia-ur-Rahman of Pakistan, Aizaz Shaik, Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi and Mohammad Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu, all from different states of India were also given capital punishment.

Nonetheless Riyaz Bhatkal alias Shah Riyaz Ahmad Mohammed Ismail Shahbandari the chief conspirator of the multiple terrorist activities in India including Hyderabad blasts is presently residing safely in Karachi under the patronage of nefarious Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). Sharad Kumar, Director General of NIA, rightly mentioned that âÂÂit was a wonderful investigation carried out byâ NIA and it was âÂÂthe first ever conviction of Indian Mujahideen cadresâÂÂ. The IM operatives use improvised explosive devices (IED) in carrying out bomb blasts at sensitive places, as they were extensively trained by ISI in use of IED.

The police nabbed Bhatkal and Asadullah from India- Nepal borders while other culprits were arrested in India and were charged for several offences including criminal conspiracy, murder and waging war against India. It was a great success as sometimes back Abdul Karim Tunda an important Lashkar-e-Taiba operator, who is expert in using IED, was also caught from India Nepal borders.

Bhatkal went to Pakistan via Dubai in 2006 and was trained in handling of small arms and in preparation of bombs from locally available material.

IM carried out several terrorist activities in India including 2007 serial bomb blasts in Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad courts in which more than 18 persons were killed. In May 2008 IM carried out serial bomb blasts in Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi in which more than 166 persons lost their lives and several hundred were injured. Again in 2010 IM and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives carried out bomb blasts in German Bakery, Pune in which 17 persons were killed while in Jama Masjid in Delhi, two IM terrorists shot dead two Taiwanese nationals and again in bomb blast at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi 2 persons were killed and 37 people were injured. The ISI trained IM cadres used IED in Mumbai on 13 July 2011 and killed 26 persons and more than 130 were injured.  Again in 2013 IM operatives planted bombs in Bodhgaya, to avenge the killings of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, in which several persons were injured. ISI instructs IM operatives to put the bombs in sensitive and crowded places so that more people are killed and communal harmony of the country is disturbed. 

Mohammed Ahmed Sidibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal and his brother Riaz Bhatkal constituted IM on behest of ISI, with the sinister plan to recruit young Indian Muslims to carry out terrorist activities in India. First of all as Indians it is easy for them to move in the country and secondly in case they are caught or killed it will be difficult for Indian security agencies to link them with ISI.  On the other hand Pakistanis and human right organisations of India and abroad will also project that Indian Muslims are involved in terrorist activities as they are discriminated by Hindus.

The ISI agents target Muslims of lower stratum and motivate them by telling fictitious stories of the atrocities committed on Muslims in the world including India hence they must revenge it by participating in Jihad. Young and less educated Muslims are shown fabricated videos in which Muslims are tormented by Hindus. The ISI agents also render financial assistance to new recruits as well as to their family members.

After brainwashing these young Muslims few of them are sent to Pakistan through Middle Eastern countries and Nepal. After receiving training these young persons return to India and train others for carrying out terrorist activities. The training camps are under the control of terrorist organisations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM); Lashkar-e-Taiba (L-e T) but the real trainers are Pakistan army personnel. The terrorists are trained in handling of small arms, use of IED, selection and reconnaissance of the targets.

The ideology of IM is to establish Islamic Caliphate in whole of South Asia including India. They do not believe in democracy and have no faith in Indian constitution and judiciary and want to bring down the lawfully elected government.

IM was banned in June 2010 in India and beside India it was also banned in several countries. IM has close relations with diverse terrorist organisations including L-e-T, Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakatul-Jihad-e-Islami (HUJI), Hizbut Tahrir (HT), al Qaeda etc.

Military controlled ISI has launched a low intensity war against India and Pakistan considers it as an important component of its foreign policy hence the changes in Chief of Pakistani army or chief of ISI would not make any substantial change in Pakistani policy towards India. Hence India must chalk out a long term strategy to deal its western neighbour.

First of all government must strengthen its security forces particularly the intelligence organisations. There are numerous intelligence agencies but there is acute shortage of actionable intelligence. Besides HUMINT (human intelligence) due emphasis should also be given in collection of electronic intelligence.

(Jai Kumar Verma is a Delhi-based security analyst. In his long career, he has served in Indian missions abroad in Dubai, Washington and Islamabad in various capacities. Views are personal.)”