MULTI AGENCY
APPROACH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POTA LEADS TO SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
IN DETECTING FUNDING CHANNELS FOR TERRORIRST AND SECESSIONIST
ACTIVITIES IN INDIA
The Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Home
Ministry was informed that multi-agency approach and implementation
of the Prevention Of Terrorism Act (POTA) has led to significant
achievements in detection of funding channels to terrorists operating
in Jammu & Kashmir. The Consultative Committee’s meeting was
presided over by Union Home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani and was
attended by 18 Members including Shri Shivraj V. Patil, Dr. Karan
Singh, Dr. Jayanta Rongpi, Shri Mirza Abdul Rashid and Shri Narendra
Mohan.
The Committee was told that Pakistan spends several crores annually
to fund terrorist and secessionist activities in India and the
funding channels used by Islamabad need to be intercepted. The
Members were informed that Pakistan funded these terrorist organizations
by remunerating the cadres, maintaining infrastructure, supply
weaponry/logistics and providing maintenance to families of terrorist
killed. Islamabad also provides finance to over-ground workers
and sympathizers to create safe havens for terrorists and funds
expatriate Kashmiri organizations to articulate its view-point
in international fora. The Channel of funding is through trans-border
smugglers, infiltrating mercenaries, through the Pak High Commission
in New Delhi, through Hawala operators and also charitable organizations.
A brief factual Presentation before the Consultative Committee
held in New Delhi today also revealed illustrated cases of Banking
Channels. Mehrajuddin Hafiz who was arrested earlier revealed
that since August 1995, he handled transactions of nearly Rs.18
lakhs through his account in SBI, Khaniyar. Most of these funds
had been received from Saudi Arabia through one Riyadh-based Mohd.
Latif. The money was channeled through Prof. Ramzan Sofi, a resident
of Srinagar. Several such cases of Hawala transactions and funding
through Couriers/Over-Ground Workers were also detected and busted
by the security agencies. Security Forces also busted a fake currency
racket and arrested 4 persons including Shamsada Begum, Sr. Manager,
State Cooperative Bank, Ganderbal Branch, Srinagar during this
month. Initially, Rs.5,53,500 was recovered but later her revelations
led to recovery of 50 packets of fake currency notes of Rs.500
denomination. Cases were also detected where Terrorist Organizations
advertised their account numbers in Banks to solicit donations
from public. The Organisations included the JeM, JeL, Al Badr,
LeT, MDI, HuM and TuM.
The Home Ministry’s assessment said that POTA has been an effective
instrument in tackling the overground support base for the terrorist.
Multi-agency approach yielded better results in tackling the menace
and Speedy trial of cases will have deterrent effect. It said
that Charitable institutions funded from abroad should be closely
monitored and Banks and Credit institutions based in J&K should
be regularly audited for suspicious transactions.
While appreciating the Government’s
effort to curb terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir, Shri.
Mirza Abdul Rashid said that the vacuum created in the interior
areas of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly Rajouri
and Poonch after the deployment of Army on the Border should be
filled by Para-military forces. Otherwise the situation will be
exploited by the terrorists by creating new cells and enhancing
their influence and personal rapport with the local population.
Shri V. Shivraj Patil urged the Home Minister that the present
funding for modernization of the Police Force is quite inadequate
and it should be enhanced as the situation demands for providing
the State Police Force with armed vehicles and sophisticated weapons
to effectively deal with the terrorists.
Replying to a clarification sought by Members on the ground reality
on the Border with Pakistan the Home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani
who chaired the Meeting said there has been some decrease in the
infiltration but it has not totally stopped. He told the Members
that Government has the information that over 3000 Al Qaida men
have crossed over to Pakistan from their earlier bases.
The Consultative Committee
also discussed the North-East problem. Participating in the discussion
Shri Holkhomang Haokip urged that this region should not be made
a training ground for counter insurgency. He said the people are
feeling totally insecure because of the insurgency activities
of the underground outfits. Dr. Jayanta Rongpi said that the problem
of North-East should not be taken up in piece-meal. The entire
area has been neglected and it is high time that a comprehensive
approach is needed for restoring confidence in the people of this
area, he said.
The Home Minister said the Centre is doing everything
possible for the development of these States which were seven
sisters and have increased to eight with the addition of Sikkim.
Those who attended the Meeting today are S/Shri Ananda
Mohan Biswas; Holkhomang Haokip; Bishnu Pada Ray; Rajbhar Babban;
Ali Mohd. Naik; Shivraj V. Patil; Saiduzzaman; Sahib Singh Verma;
Joyanta Rongpi; Avtar Singh Badhana; and Smt. Ranee Narah all
from the Lok Sabha and S/Shri Devi Prasad Singh; Ram Gopal Yadav,
S. Viduthalai Virumbi; Narendra Mohan, Debabrata Biswas; Dr. Karan
Singh; and Mirza Abdul Rashid all from the Rajya Sabha. The Ministers
of State Shri Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and Shri I.D. Swami also attended
the Meeting.
