Terrorism in Indian Subcontinent
India has been a victim of terrorism for many decades, much before the West experienced its deadly reality on September 11, 2001 . The terrorist menace in Jammu and Kashmir has its roots in Pakistan and is supported financially and materially by the government and institutions of that country. Despite the assurances of the Pakistani Government, infiltration continues across the border.
The Indian Armed Forces have dealt with the problem of cross-border terrorism with a multi-pronged strategy that includes psychological warfare, innovative military tactics and counter intelligence methods. India's long experience in tackling terrorism can be of valuable help to other countries that are facing similar challenges now.
For any terrorist movement to be contained, the Government’s resolve and the security forces’ firmness are a must. India’s fight against terrorism has been a long and arduous one and the Indian Armed Forces are fully geared to handle any problem that may arise in future. It is important that the state support for any form of terrorism must cease. Terrorist organizations have long arms and global reach. The world, therefore, has to fight a united battle by pooling resources in order to remove this scourge from the face of the earth.
In the wake of the attacks of 9-11 came the recognition that states that sheltered and sustained numerous groups that utilized terror were themselves terrorist states. This is what led to the attacks on Afghanistan. However, geopolitics has led to the media overlooking another terrorist state. One of the states that are apparently a 'frontline ally' in this war against terrorism is Pakistan.
The mastermind of the first attack on the WTC was Ramzi Yousef, a Pakistani national with links to the Pakistani government. The attacks on the US embassies in Africa were masterminded by terrorists based from Pakistan.
The finances used by Mohammad Atta (the ring-leader of the hijackers that attacked the WTC-Pentagon) were wired by terrorists with links to Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence - an agency with deep links to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. All the 19 terrorists, as well as Zacarias Moussaoui (the suspected 20th hijacker) and Richard Reid (the shoe-bomber) are known to have spent time training in Pakistan in institutions funded by the Pakistani intelligence.
In addition to this are the extensive links between the Al Qaeda/Taliban and Pakistan. The Taliban forces that occupied and controlled Afghanistan were supported militarily, politically and logistically by Pakistan. The links between the Taliban and the Pakistani government were so extensive that all Taliban Ministries could only be reached through Pakistani area codes.
Al Qaeda is but one of 12 groups that make up the Islamic Front that has issued a jihad on the United States. In addition to Al Qaeda are Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba, and Harkat-ul-Mujaheddin. These three groups are classified as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the US State Department. All four, including Al Qaeda are known to raise funds openly, train openly and receive military and logistic support from the Pakistani government agencies.
Pakistan has used terrorism as an instrument of state policy through the tenure of General Zia ul-Haq, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and now General Musharraf . What this means is that state sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan is institutional in nature rather than embodied in the leadership.
India has been a victim of terrorism for many decades, much before the West experienced its deadly reality on September 11, 2001 . The terrorist menace in Jammu and Kashmir has its roots in Pakistan and is supported financially and materially by the government and institutions of that country. Despite the assurances of the Pakistani Government, infiltration continues across the border.
The Indian Armed Forces have dealt with the problem of cross-border terrorism with a multi-pronged strategy that includes psychological warfare, innovative military tactics and counter intelligence methods. India's long experience in tackling terrorism can be of valuable help to other countries that are facing similar challenges now.
For any terrorist movement to be contained, the Government’s resolve and the security forces’ firmness are a must. India’s fight against terrorism has been a long and arduous one and the Indian Armed Forces are fully geared to handle any problem that may arise in future. It is important that the state support for any form of terrorism must cease. Terrorist organizations have long arms and global reach. The world, therefore, has to fight a united battle by pooling resources in order to remove this scourge from the face of the earth.
In the wake of the attacks of 9-11 came the recognition that states that sheltered and sustained numerous groups that utilized terror were themselves terrorist states. This is what led to the attacks on Afghanistan. However, geopolitics has led to the media overlooking another terrorist state. One of the states that are apparently a 'frontline ally' in this war against terrorism is Pakistan.
The mastermind of the first attack on the WTC was Ramzi Yousef, a Pakistani national with links to the Pakistani government. The attacks on the US embassies in Africa were masterminded by terrorists based from Pakistan.
The finances used by Mohammad Atta (the ring-leader of the hijackers that attacked the WTC-Pentagon) were wired by terrorists with links to Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence - an agency with deep links to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. All the 19 terrorists, as well as Zacarias Moussaoui (the suspected 20th hijacker) and Richard Reid (the shoe-bomber) are known to have spent time training in Pakistan in institutions funded by the Pakistani intelligence.
In addition to this are the extensive links between the Al Qaeda/Taliban and Pakistan. The Taliban forces that occupied and controlled Afghanistan were supported militarily, politically and logistically by Pakistan. The links between the Taliban and the Pakistani government were so extensive that all Taliban Ministries could only be reached through Pakistani area codes.
Al Qaeda is but one of 12 groups that make up the Islamic Front that has issued a jihad on the United States. In addition to Al Qaeda are Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba, and Harkat-ul-Mujaheddin. These three groups are classified as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the US State Department. All four, including Al Qaeda are known to raise funds openly, train openly and receive military and logistic support from the Pakistani government agencies.
Pakistan has used terrorism as an instrument of state policy through the tenure of General Zia ul-Haq, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and now General Musharraf . What this means is that state sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan is institutional in nature rather than embodied in the leadership.
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