Intricate terrorist network in U.P.

By J. P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, APRIL 22. While the Uttar Pradesh police and intelligence agencies are relieved at their success in Lucknow on Wednesday when three hard core Pakistani terrorists were killed, the ramification of terrorist activities in the State that have come to light during subsequent investigations is baffling.

The three terrorists had been in India for several months, established contacts with vulnerable religious elements at a number of places and were provided shelter by bigots. This itself indicated their wide and intricate network, according to sources.

It is now learnt that the police encounter in which the three terrorists belonging to Jaishe-Mohammed of Maulana Masood Azhar were killed had followed a long drawn surveillance of terrorist activities. A major role in tracking down their movements was played by intelligence agencies. The terrorists had planned to blow the makeshift Ram temple at Ayodhya. They had visited the pilgrim town earlier too.

Now a number of cities, including Allahabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Aligarh, Deoband, Azamgarh, Bhadohi, Sambhal and Gonda, have come into focus where terrorists had tried to create their bunch of followers. While three of them have been killed no one can say with any degree of certainty how many of their associates were at large chalking out plans for further acts of subversion. Some of them were stated to be impersonating religious preachers. Their main target is students as they felt it was easier to influence young minds in the name of religion.

A group of terrorists is stated to have been in Allahabad during the Kumbh Mela. A major mishap could be averted only because the terrorists could not find a loophole in the security arrangements there.

In Allahabad the police have already taken into custody three brothers - Ubaid Ullah, Wasi Ullah and Wali Ullah - belonging to Phulpur town. They have been booked for giving shelter to the terrorists.

Wali Ullah, a madrassa student of Deoband, was the first to come in contact with the terrorists. He is believed to have later introduced them to his brothers. Wali Ullah has now confirmed that Abdullah Rehman stayed in his hostel and had even offered to send him to Afghanistan for training. It was he who later introduced him to Salim, one of the terrorists killed on Wednesday at Lucknow. It was on the request of Rehman that Waliullah asked his brothers to give shelter to Salim.

A Kanpur report said that the terrorists killed at Lucknow had met the leaders of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on March 4. The SIMI was used by terrorists because it had a well knit network in U.P., Bihar and West Bengal. Intelligence sources said terrorists had found a fertile ground in SIMI for the recruitment of new sympathisers.

The police, however, feel the plans of terrorists to consolidate their base in U.P. have suffered a setback due to the encounter. Moreover investigating agencies have precious leads to reach their associates. This may further obstruct in their activities for the time being.

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