Incidents and Statements involving Lashkar-e-Taiba: 2010

2010

• December 31: The Security Forces foiled another attempt made by a group of five to six militants to infiltrate into Indian Territory under the cover of Pakistan Army firing and darkness at the Line of Control (LoC) in forward area of Kanga in Balakote sub sector of Mendhar tehsil (revenue unit) in Poonch District . It couldn’t be ascertained immediately as to whether the militants had retrieved to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from where they were launched by Pakistan Army and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commanders’ or were still holed-up in the area. No casualties or damage was reported on this side during the firing, they added.

  Meanwhile, a top militant of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), identified as Khurshid Ahmed alias Vakas, surrendered before Police in Doda District. At the time of surrender, he handed over one AK rifle, one magazine and 30 rounds. Police said Khurshid Ahmed was active in militancy since April 2000 and had been rated in ‘A’ category. The militant surrendered following pressure after the recent arrest of two HM ’divisional commanders’ Ghulam Nabi Sheikh alias Javaid Qureshi and Jameel Qureshi by the Police in Dehradun (Uttaranchal) and Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) respectively.

• December 30: A Rajouri based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ has turned out to be a mastermind of engineering stone pelting in Kashmir in 2010 summer and was reportedly preparing another brigade of youth in different parts of the Valley to create trouble in June 2011. Sajjad Ahmed Khan alias Shamas, a resident of Firdousabad in the Batmaloo area of Srinagar District, operating in Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District, engineered stone pelting in several parts of Srinagar especially Batmaloo by mobilizing youth to join the brigade of stone pelters after making them handsome payments through hawala (illegal money transfer) operators of Rajouri District.

  Interception of the mobile telephone number of Shamas—8803638050—exposed his activities and links with the militants in the Valley, leading to formidable evidence with Police about the connivance of militant-stone pelters. The interception of mobile telephone number of Shamas led to arrest of a number of militants and stone pelters, with whom he spoke on their mobile numbers issuing them directions for subjecting paramilitary and Police personnel to stone pelting. Sources said several other militants and stone pelters were also identified and some of them arrested after being called by Shamas from his Thanna Mandi hideout. Shamas was reported to have sent a series of consignments of hawala money for the militants and stone pelters from Rajouri through Over Ground Workers of the LeT outfit.

   A serious attempt is being made to forge a nexus between Kashmiri militants and Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists] with a so-called "noted human rights activist’’ of the country playing a notorious role to bring the both groups closer reportedly "at the behest of Pakistan’’. ”The ‘human rights [HR] activist’ and some militant ‘commanders’ in Kashmir were under strict surveillance. The HR activist has come under the radar of Intelligence agencies and some of his calls to the separatists have been intercepted’’, official sources confirmed. The henchmen of the HR activist have also established a direct contact with Pakistan backed militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in the Kashmir valley.

  Meanwhile, the State Government has decided that spouses and children of all militants from Jammu and Kashmir, who decide to return to the State adopting recently announced ‘Rehabilitation Policy’, will be treated as ‘foreign nationals’ unless they are granted citizenship rights by the Union Government, reported Daily Excelsior on December 27. "Normal visa rules will apply to the spouses and children of the militants, who return from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) or Pakistan after giving up the gun culture, to lead a normal life back home under the guidelines prepared by the State and approved by the Union Home Ministry in the just framed Rehabilitation Policy’’, official sources said. Data prepared by the State Government with the help of Intelligence agencies and Police Department revealed that there could be at least 3000 militants and youth from Jammu and Kashmir, mostly from the Valley, who were held up in Pakistan and PoK after their arms training and other activities across the border.

• December 28: Ahead of the New Year, the Home Ministry sounded a country-wide terror alert, especially for Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Goa and Bangalore, after getting intelligence inputs that the Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was planning to strike these Cities. The Centre asked all the States to tighten security by deploying additional forces in all sensitive locations to prevent any terror attack.

• December 21: The Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) ‘chief’ and November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed made his first public appearance since his release in 2009, on December 16 in the national capital, Islamabad, in the company of leading Pakistani politicians, and stoutly opposed Pakistani Government's move to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy law, reports Times of India. Several hardliners were present on the stage along with the JuD chief, while politicians like former caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Shujaat Hussain and Federal Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq, too, showed up. Hafiz Saeed called for a ''well-organized media campaign'' in favour of the law. Saeed, who earlier addressed rallies across Punjab province, was put under house arrest in December 2008 after the UN banned JuD following the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Islamabad also acknowledged that part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and blamed the JuD, a front of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), for the attacks on Mumbai that left 166 persons dead.

• December 24: A manhunt was under way in Mumbai for four alleged cadres of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit that attacked the city in 2008 (November 26), amid warnings of a strike on foreign targets over Christmas and New Year. Roads were closed in and around the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the focus of the militant siege two years ago that killed 166 people, while armed Police were out in force at high-profile sites, including overseas consulates. Mumbai Police warned that four operatives of the LeT were preparing a “violent attack” during the festive season and called for residents to be vigilant. “The four recently sneaked into the city to carry out extremely dangerous activity,” joint Police commissioner Himanshu Roy said, adding, “It is going to be a violent attack.” Roy had no information about the nationalities of the four men but they were identified as Abdul Karim Musa, Noor Abdul Elahi, Walid Jinnah and Mehfooz Alam. “If they have issued an alert of this level it will be credible,” homeland security specialist Ajai Sahni, the utive director of the Institute of Conflict Management in New Delhi, said, adding, “Alerts are issued fairly frequently. They might not have names attached to them as clearly. There seems to be more specific information than there usually is.”

  In a fresh proposal, India conveyed to Pakistan that it wants to send a Commission to Islamabad to question seven Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarrar Shah and Abu Al Qama, in connection with the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks (also known as 26/11). In a communication, New Delhi told Islamabad that it wanted to send a Commission to get voice samples of the masterminds who were present in the control room directing the 26/11 attackers. New Delhi's move is being seen as a response to Islambad's insistence on sending a Pakistani commission to interview chief metropolitan magistrate R V Sawant Waghule, who recorded Ajmal Kasab's (lone surviving Pakistani LeT terrorist involved in the 26/11 attacks) statement, and Mumbai Police inspector Ramesh Mahale, who is the investigating officer in the case.

• December 23: The Mumbai Police issued an advisory stating that four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants had entered Mumbai with the intention of causing an “extremely dangerous and violent attack” on the city in view of the coming festivals and New Year celebrations. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy, at a press conference in Mumbai identified the militants as Abdul Karim Musa, Noor Abu Ilahi, Walid Jinnah and Mehfuz Alam. Of these the photograph of Walid Jinnah has been published for wide circulation among the public. Roy, however, declined to reveal the nationalities or other details of the intruders.

  A Pakistani militant, identified as Ubaidullah, believed to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Baramulla District. Acting on a tip off, the SFs launched a search operation at Zaloora forest on Sopore-Handwara road in Baramulla in the morning to flush out hiding militants, official sources said. On seeing the approaching search parties, the hiding militants opened fire on them around noon triggering a gun battle which ended with the killing of a militant. An AK rifle and some ammunition and grenades were recovered from his possession. The search operation in the area was still continuing as SFs had information about presence of one more militant in the forest area.

  Separately, four LeT militants, including a top ‘commander’, were arrested by the SFs in Pulwama District, a Defence Ministry spokesman said. He said a joint operation was launched by Army and State Police at Awantipora following a tip-off about the presence of militants. During the operation a top ‘commander’ of LeT, identified as Muzaffer Ahmad Wani alias Bulbul was arrested on December 22. On his disclosure three more militants were arrested along with arms and ammunition, included pistol, ammunition, grenades, explosive and detonators. The investigation also revealed involvement of these LeT militants in the recent incidents of agitation, instigating protests and burning of Government property, the spokesman said.

  Further, some Pakistani militants have been segregated in high security Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu after they assaulted a Policeman in the jail.

  Meanwhile, rail service in the Kashmir Valley was restored on December 23 after having remained suspended for nearly five months following attacks on railway property during the summer unrest, official sources said. The first train carrying a handful of passengers started in the morning from Budgam District in Central Kashmir and passed through Srinagar and Pulwama Districts on its way to Qazigund in Anantnag District of South Kashmir, a senior Railways official said. The rail service connecting North and South Kashmir was suspended on July 31 after tracks were damaged in the summer protests and several railway stations were ransacked, forcing non-Kashmiri railway staff to flee.

• December 21: Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative   David Coleman  Headley, accused of plotting the Mumbai terror attacks (November 26,  2008 also known as 26/11) had hatred towards India and warned that he would stop helping the probe if his admission of guilt was linked to cooperation with New Delhi. The information was conveyed by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller during his meeting with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in February 2009, according to a secret U.S. embassy cable made public by the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks.

• December 20: Jammu and Kashmir Police said they had neutralized two militant modules which were instigating, motivating and funding youths to resort to stone-pelting in the Valley by arresting nine militants in Anantnag and Pulwama Districts. Nine grenades, 35 kilograms of explosives, a pistol with a magazine and 11 rounds, four combat uniforms and two improvised explosive devices ( IEDs) fitted in a pressure cooker were recovered from them, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG, South Kashmir) Shafqat A. Watali said. "These (modules) were instigating, motivating and funding youths to indulge in stone-pelting. There is a clear link between militant groups and the recent law and order situation in the Valley," Watali said. The modules were also involved in a string of grenade attacks in South Kashmir, he added, saying, "Most of the militants are associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT] but also have links with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

• December 18: During a meeting between Richard Boucher, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, and then Union foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon, on January 8, 2009, the latter alleged that the Pakistani Army was hand-in-glove with the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This fact came to light from a secret cable sent by US ambassador in Delhi Timothy Roemer to Washington which was leaked by the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks. Menon highlighted that the Pakistan Army paid wages to LeT and sustained the organization, and until these ties were severed, India would continue to regard the Pakistani security services as complicit in the Mumbai terrorist attacks ( November 26, 2008, also known as 26/11).

• December 17: The Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) ‘chief’ and November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed made his first public appearance since his release in 2009, on December 16 in the national capital, Islamabad, in the company of leading Pakistani politicians, and stoutly opposed Pakistani Government's move to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy law, reports Times of India. Several hardliners were present on the stage along with the JuD chief, while politicians like former caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Shujaat Hussain and Federal Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq, too, showed up. Hafiz Saeed called for a ''well-organized media campaign'' in favour of the law. Saeed, who earlier addressed rallies across Punjab province, was put under house arrest in December 2008 after the UN banned JuD following the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Islamabad also acknowledged that part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and blamed the JuD, a front of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), for the attacks on Mumbai that left 166 persons dead.

• December 16: The Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) ‘chief’ and November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed made his first public appearance since his release in 2009, in the national capital, Islamabad, in the company of leading Pakistani politicians, and stoutly opposed Pakistani Government's move to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy law. Several hardliners were present on the stage along with the JuD chief, while politicians like former caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Shujaat Hussain and Federal Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq, too, showed up. Hafiz Saeed called for a ''well-organized media campaign'' in favour of the law. Saeed, who earlier addressed rallies across Punjab province, was put under house arrest in December 2008 after the UN banned JuD following the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Islamabad also acknowledged that part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and blamed the JuD, a front of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), for the attacks on Mumbai that left 166 persons dead.

• December 15: The Centre has prepared a list of 31 absconding terror suspects, including 19 from the Indian Mujahideen (IM), and asked all the States and Union Territories to locate and arrest them. Official sources said the Centre, in coordination with the States, was forming special teams to hunt them down. The suspects at large also include 12 members of an outfit called Jam-I-yyathul Ansarul Muslimeen (JIAM), which is suspected to be a joint front of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The Centre also plans to coordinate the search with foreign countries. Detailed dossiers about the IM and JIAM militants have been shared with a few Gulf countries like the UAE and Qatar, as intelligence inputs suggest that some of them holding Pakistani passports were currently based there. The sources said some of the countries had already begun surveillance on some suspects.

• December 13: Slain Mumbai Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare was on the hit list of the Islamist militant outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM). Three months before Karkare was shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai (November 26, 2008, 26/11), their Indian comrades belonging to IM had directly threatened for what his team was doing to neutralise the terror threat. In a clear warning to Karkare, the IM in its email on August 23, 2008, had said: "Let us notify you, especially the top officials of ATS like Hemant Karkare and allies that our line of attack has already been masterminded for you". Besides Karkare, the IM had also mentioned about the then Gujarat Police Chief P C Pande and joint commissioner of police (crime) Ashish Bhatia as the trio had launched a major crackdown against its cadre in various joint operations after the July 26, 2008, serial blasts in Ahmadabad.

• December 12: Police arrested maternal uncle of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘divisional commander’ Habib Gujjar alias Salman in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District for providing support to militants especially Salman in carrying out activities in the upper reaches. The arrestee, identified as Jalal-ud-Din Gujjar, was third relative of Salman arrested by Police in less than a month. Reports said Jalal-ud-Din was helping Salman in carrying out his activities in Saranwan and Keshwan areas.

  Meanwhile, Police said that Farooq Ahmed Akhoon, a resident of Lidri in the Dachan area of the District was not arrested for his links with the militants. He had only been called as a witness in a case to record his statement, they added. It was reported earlier that the Security Forces have arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of militants, Farooq Ahmed Akhune (38), from Kishtwar District on December 11.

  An Army Captain and a Pakistani militant affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in a 20-hour-long gun battle in Sopore town of Baramulla District, reported Daily Excelsior. The gunfight erupted in the town on Srinagar-Kupwara highway in the evening of December 7 when a joint search party of Police and Rashtriya Rifles (21st Battalion) laid a siege around a house following specific information about presence of two suspected LeT militants. An Army Captain was injured in the initial encounter. The Captain succumbed to injuries in the morning of December 8. The Captain was identified as Upmanyu Singh, according to Times of India.

  "The operation was halted for the night to avoid collateral damages and resumed this morning," a Police spokesman said on December 8, adds Daily Excelsior. Official sources said the operation ended at around 3pm after the house, where the militants were believed hiding, caught fire during the exchange of fire and was gutted. Dead body of a militant, later identified as Abdullah Ubaid, a Pakistani national owing allegiance with LeT, was recovered from the debris of the house. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from his possession. However, the other militant, identified as Abeedullah, also a suspected Pakistani, had reportedly managed his escape, apparently last night under the cover of darkness.

  Earlier in the day, when the Security Forces resumed the operation to flush out the militants, groups of protester took to streets and indulged in stone-pelting on Police and Paramilitary Forces at several places to divert their attention. "Miscreants early morning surfaced in Chan Khan, main town and Bus Stand areas of Sopore, and resorted to stone pelting on Police and security forces deployments," the spokesman said.

• December 8: Union Government on December 8 said that militant groups, especially those based abroad, were trying to revive militancy in Punjab. “Available reports suggest that militant groups, especially those based abroad, continue to persist with their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab," Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken said in a written reply. The Minister, however, added that there were no specific inputs indicating the development of any nexus between Khalistani outfits like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) or Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and militant Islamist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

• December 7: Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana, co-accused with the Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11), will be tried in a federal court in Chicago on February 14.

  A local court in Mumbai remanded two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) operatives, arrested for allegedly plotting strikes on oil and military installations in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and a railway station in the metropolis to judicial custody till December 20, reports PTI. The militants, Mohammed Shareef Thakkar and Mohammed Isak Kumlakh were arrested on November 15 from Thane District in Maharashtra by State Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS).

  An Army officer was injured in an encounter with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in Sopore town of Baramulla District in the night of December 7, official sources said, according to Daily Excelsior. The Security Forces (SFs) launched an operation in Model Town area of Sopore after receiving information about the presence of militants. The militants opened indiscriminate firing on SFs when they were zeroing-in at a house. An Army Captain was injured in the initial firing. At least two LeT militants were suspected to be hiding in the house, Police said. Intermittent exchange of firing between the two sides continued for several hours, they said, adding that firing stopped at dusk.

• December 6: According to a recent secret diplomatic cable of the United States State Department released by WikiLeaks, Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had made elaborate plans in June 2009 to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The cable, created on June 19, 2009, was sent from the office of the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to the “Security Officer, Collective Priority,” and to the US embassies in Tripoli, Casablanca and Johannesburg. The cable identified a Pakistani LeT member, Shafiq, as the mastermind of the plot that was to be executed by a module led by an Indian operative, identified as Hussein. The hit job was to be carried out by one Sameer, an India-based LeT cadre. Providing some geographic information for the operations, the cable further said that Shafiq had been seeking out information on possible training sites for the operations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.

  According to yet another leaked cable which was sent on November 27, 2006 by former US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C Crocker, American officials pressurized the Pakistan Government to crack down on the LeT and its frontal organisation Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) but were unable to make much headway.

• December 6: China, at Islamabad's behest, blocked efforts in the UN Security Council to put sanctions against Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) and its leader Hafiz Saeed which was operating against India from Pakistan, reported quoting WikiLeaks revelation of American diplomatic cable. A State Department cable signed off by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released by WikiLeaks also suggests that the JuD continues to operate and raise funds and it was unclear what steps the Pakistan Government has taken to freeze its assets to implement UN sanctions.

• December 5: Saudi Arabia is the key source of funding for radical Islamist outfits including al-Qaeda , the Taliban, Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), according to a United States (US) diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks. "Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide," said the document, an assessment from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dated December 30, 2009. "Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban, LeT, and other terrorist outfits, including Hamas, which probably raise million of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during Hajj and Ramadan," the cable revealed. It said that the Saudis had made "significant progress" under US pressure to deal with the issue, especially disrupting al-Qaeda’s sources of money in Saudi Arabia. However, it added, "Riyadh has taken only limited action" to interrupt the flow of money to Taliban and LeT linked outfits which have launched attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

• December 4: Exactly two years before the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks, American officials pressured the Pakistan Government to crack down on the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its front organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) but were unable to make much headway. A cable sent on November 27, 2006 by former US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C Crocker, one of the hundreds released by WikiLeaks, said the US embassy had raised the operations of the two groups with "contacts throughout the Government of Pakistan" after the LeT was designated a terrorist organisation under UN Security Council resolution 1267 the previous year. Crocker took up the activities of LeT, Al Akhtar Trust and Al Rashid Trust - all designated under following the Mumbai attacks, the UN Security Council designated the JuD a front for the LeT and imposed restrictions on its assets and efforts to gain access to weapons. "No (Government of Pakistan) official, however, has committed to taking direct action to close the operations of these entities," Crocker wrote in the cable exactly two years before November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks.

• December 2: Pakistan's Army and ISI are covertly sponsoring four militant groups, including LeT, and will not abandon them for any amount of US money, the American envoy to Islamabad wrote in a secret review in 2009, reveals diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

  Meanwhile, Siddhirganj Police of Narayanganj District submitted charge sheet in the case filed against Bangladesh coordinator of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Maulana Mohammad Imran. The charge sheet was submitted under Anti-Terrorism Act.

• December 3: A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team seized four bombs and two axes and arrested a militant of Allar Dal, identified as Zahir Howlader (35) from Jalisha village under Dulmki sub-district of Barisal District on December 1, reports Daily Star. A case was filed with Dumki Police station under the Arms Act in this regard.

  Pakistan's Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are covertly sponsoring four militant groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and will not abandon them for any amount of US money, the American envoy to Islamabad wrote in a secret review in 2009, reveals diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, Times of India reports on December 1. According to a report in British Newspaper The Guardian on November 30, the review said that Pakistan had received more than USD 16 billion in American aid since 2001, but "there is no chance that Pakistan will view enhanced assistance... as sufficient compensation for abandoning support to these groups", former US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson wrote in the review of Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy in September 2009. Secret cables, which were leaked by WikiLeaks, show that US diplomats and spies believe Pakistan Army and its ISI continue to quietly back four militant groups — the Afghan Taliban, its allied Haqqani and Hekmatyar networks on the western Afghan frontier, and LeT on the eastern border with India. Some ISI officials "continue to maintain ties with a wide array of extremist organisations, in particular the Taliban, LeT and other extremist organizations," US secretary of state Hillary Clinton wrote in December 2009.

• December 1: Spanish Police arrested six Pakistanis and a Nigerian suspected of providing forged passports to outfits linked to al Qaeda, including the outfit accused of plotting the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11). Three others, two Pakistanis and a Thai national were held in Thailand as part of the same Operation Kampai, which “neutralised a vast cell that helped provide passports for al Qaeda”. Spanish Police detained the seven suspects in raids in and around the north eastern city of Barcelona, which has a large Pakistani community, late on November 30. The gang stole documents, including passports, which were sent to Thailand to be forged and then delivered to al Qaeda-linked “terrorist groups”, in particular the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused of plotting the Mumbai attacks, the ministry said.

• December 1: Doda Police have initiated a process to attach the property of about 100 militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), who were involved in a series of subversive activities in Doda District, including killings, but were presently operating from Pakistan or Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Proceedings to attach property of two ‘commanders’ —one each of LeT and HM — were set into motion on November 30 after Police got proclamation against the militants issued under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code from the court. The militants against whom the process to attach property has been initiated, included Mohammad Amin alias Khubeb son of Dawood Bhat, a resident of (r/o) Kathwa, Thathri, a LeT ‘commander’, who has been operating as 'Launching Officer’ in PoK with the name of Gazi and Abdul Rashid son of Arsala Khandey r/o Khanpura in Thathri, who is reportedly based in a Muzaffarabad camp of HM in PoK. The militants have property in the form of houses, shops, and costlier goods etc. in Thathri and other places in Doda.

  The cases are being prepared to get proclamation against many other militants issued from the court to attach their property and send a stern message to the militants and their commanders that they could face action in the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against them despite fleeing to Pakistan or PoK, official sources said. To avoid from getting their property attached, the militants would have to return and surrender. The State Government has already announced a Rehabilitation Policy for the militants under which they could return to the State from PoK.

• November 29: The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in Thane District in Maharashtra. The duo was allegedly trying to recruit members for carrying out terrorist activities targeting oil installations in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. They were also instructed to provide details about military installations in Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad. The arrestees were identified as Mohammad Shareef Makkhandeen Thakkar and Mohammad Isaac Mohammad Rashid Kumlakh, both hailing from Gakhrot in Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir.

  Three militants and a Policeman were killed in a gun battle at a market place in Srinagar in the afternoon of November 29, reported Daily Excelsior. The militants riding on a motorcycle were intercepted by a patrolling party at Qammarwari Chowk in the city, said Inspector General of Police (IGP, Kashmir) S M Sahai, adding, the militants hurled a grenade towards the Policemen and in the retaliatory action got killed. A civilian was also injured in the cross-fire. Although the identity of the slain militants could not be established immediately, Police sources said one of the slain militants was believed to be a foreigner. Two silencer-fitted pistols, three grenades and some ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

  Further, asked about the number of militants active in the city, the IGP said there were no militants in Srinagar. "The militants come from other parts of the Valley, strike in the city and go back," he added. "It is very natural thing that they will try to regroup and reorganise. They took advantage of the unrest in the Valley," Sahai said reiterating that there was a definite link between separatists and militants. The militants instigate and fuel the unrest so that they get time to regroup, he added.

  Meanwhile, revealing identity of two Pakistani militants killed in a joint operation by the Security Forces (SFs) in Handwara belt of Kupwara District on November 27, Police on November 29 said the deceased included a ‘commander’ of LeT instrumental in ex-filtration, infiltration and further distribution of LeT cadres in North Kashmir. "We have established the identity of the militants killed in a joint operation by Police and Army at Moldari Wadder forest on November 27. They are ‘divisional commander’ of LeT for North Kashmir Abdul Rehman alias Naveed alias Talood and his close associate Muslim Zaraar alias Muslim Bhai, both Pakistani nationals," the IGP said. He said while Rehman was active in Handwara belt for the last four years, Zaraar had been active in Sopore and Rafiabad belt of Baramulla District.

  Separately, a group of militants with whom the SFs exchanged firing at Mohalla Gujran in the Bhati Dhar area of Mendhar in Poonch District in the night of November 28 were reported to have escaped from Bhati Dhar forests. An Army trooper was inured in the operation. While the security agencies have put the number of militants involved in the operation at six, Police said the militants were three or four and belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit. Three of them were stated to be Pakistanis.

  Elsewhere in the District, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, identified as Abdul Majeed Sheikh alias Farooq, 32, surrendered before Army and Police at Jabbi dhok in Loran area in the morning of November 29. He handed over one AK-74 rifle, two magazines and 40 rounds at the time of surrender. Official sources said Sheikh had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 2006 along with five other militants for arms training. He returned to Kashmir valley in 2009 as a part of a group of three militants from Kupwara sector.

• November 27: Army shot dead two unidentified militants during an encounter in Zachaldara area of Handwara in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir, reports Daily Excelsior. Two AK rifles and some ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the slain militants. The militants, suspected to be Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, had set up their base in the area with the view to spend the winter months in hibernation. "So far, 900 kilograms of ration have been recovered. It will take a while to prepare a complete list," the sources said.

  Meanwhile, an infiltration bid was foiled near the line of control (LoC) in Trehgam sector of Kupwara District in the night. The militants were forced to flee back to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in view of the strong resistance of the Security Forces (SFs) and tight cordon laid in the area. However, the militants left behind huge quantity of the weapons, ammunition and communication equipment including a radio set. More than 40 infiltration bids have been foiled in the past three months in North Kashmir Districts of Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla in which dozens of militants have been killed.

• November 27: An arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant rejected Pakistan’s claim that it has dismantled the terror infrastructure on its soil after the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11). "The training camps of LeT and other outfits were still active in Pakistan and its occupied Kashmir, despite a crackdown launched by the authorities there," Mohammad Saleem Rehmani alias Abu Saad, a resident of Nawab Sahib area of Sindh in Pakistan, told reporters. "About 250 to 300 militants were with me during the Daura-e-Khas (advanced course). We were being trained in handling weapons and launching attacks on security forces in Kashmir," the militant, who was part of an eight-member infiltrating column and managed their entry through Lolab sector of Kupwara District, said. Rehmani claimed that the permanent training camps were sealed by Pakistani authorities after 26/11. However, he added that various make shift camps have come up in the forests to facilitate the training of the recruits.

  He admitted that Pakistani Army was helping the militants to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir. "There are four to five launching pads active in 'Azad Kashmir' where 45 to 50 militants are always ready to infiltrate. When they are given green signal by the Army, they cross over," he said. Expressing his ignorance about involvement of Pakistani Army in training militants, he said, "I have not come across any Army officer during my training at several camps in Pakistan and PoK."

  Presenting the LeT militant before the media persons, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Shiv Murari Sahai said he was arrested by Police from Panzan area in Budgam District a few days back.

  Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Shiv Murari Sahai on November 26 said that Police has concrete evidence about links between militants and separatists in triggering and planning the recent unrest in Kashmir valley, reported Daily Excelsior. "There is a concrete evidence that the recent agitation was planned," Sahai said, adding, Police have found evidence that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants planned the unrest and were in league with the separatist politicians. "As our investigations are making headway, we find that increasingly there is a very well-planned operation on part of the Lashkar to carry out incidents of stone-pelting and arson," he said. Sahai said Ghulam Mohammad Tantray, the tehsil (revenue unit) president of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) in Sopore town, had stayed with LeT ‘commander’ Furqan and was also maintaining contact through telephone with him. "There are the direct evidences to show how militant organisations and the so-called separatist leaders, who are leading a so-called peaceful agitation are very deeply linked," he added.

  The IGP said the recent upsurge in militant activity after the decline in the stone-pelting incidents was another link to prove that the unrest was planned. "Stone pelting has subsided and suddenly there is an upsurge in militant activity. There are arrests of Pakistani militants, there have been killings, this cannot be an innocent balance that once the stone pelting increases the militant violence decreases," he said. Sahai also claimed that during the interrogation of a stone-pelter in Sopore it was revealed that militants are hiding in a house in Sopore. "When the house was raided, we make some recoveries which included uniforms with badges of (different) ranks. We conclude that militants were planning to operate in uniform and these are the likely signs of fidayeen (suicide) attacks," he said. He said Police has busted a module of boys, recruited by a LeT operative from Batamaloo locality of Srinagar, who were involved in hurling grenades.

  Talking about training camps in Pakistan Sahai added, "The militant groups including Lashkar are openly motivating youth to train them for attacks on security forces in Kashmir. The militant has revealed that most of the camps and motivation centres, which were claimed to have been closed by Pakistan government, are still functional." Sahai said the militants were put through three courses before being selected for carrying out suicide attacks. "The first phase is Daura-e-Aam (ordinary training) followed by Daura-e-Khas. The best out of the second stage are selected for Daura-e-Lashkar (Lashkar or Army training) to carry out suicide attacks," he said adding it indicated the kind of training received by Rehmani before being sent here.

• November 25: Army and Police killed three Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) after a three day long operation at Marha in upper reaches of Sailan in Surankote tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District. Official sources said all three militants were killed after daylong heavy exchange of firing with troops. The militants were being searched since evening of November 23 when first contact with them was established at Marha in which a Special Police Officer (SPO) was injured. However, the militants had managed to escape then. A contact with the militants was established in Sailan forests in the morning of November 25. The militants lobbed grenades and opened firing on the Security Force (SF) personnel, who retaliated. Later, the militants entered a dhok which was blasted by the SF personnel in which all three militants were killed. The encounter ended late in the afternoon with the recovery of dead bodies of all three militants. An Army soldier and a civilian identified as Subba, a resident of Marha, were injured in the firing. Also, four Army soldiers were wounded when a tree fell on them with the impact of a rocket launcher fired by the troops towards the dhok where the militants had been hiding. Recoveries made from the slain militant’s possession included three AK rifles with four magazines, one pistol, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), one Thoraya satellite telephone, three mobile telephones, 98 used cartridges, two pistol magazines, three bags and a set of documents.

  The slain militants included Abu Ujefa, a ‘divisional commander’ of LeT, Abu Ali, the outfit’s in-charge for twin border Districts of Poonch and Rajouri, who was operating for last 15 years and was the longest surviving militant in the two Districts and Abu Ikramat. All three slain militants were Pakistanis affiliated with the LeT outfit, official sources said, adding Abu Ujefa was ‘commanding’ them after his predecessor, Abu Osama was killed. Sources said with the killing of these three militants the strength of LeT, especially in the border Districts of Rajouri and Poonch, has come down to 15. Only 25 to 30 militants were now active in the two Districts.

  Separately, Police unearthed an arms dump of militants from the bed of a stream at Gundarvaish-Amarbugh in Shopian District and recovered eight kilograms of RDX, three Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) rounds, three hand grenades, 10 meters of Cordex wire, 132 PIKA rounds and 147 AK assault rifle rounds.

  Further, Police arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of LeT, identified as Ghulam Nabi Dar, a resident of Harn village, during vehicle checking at Kulangam in the Handwara area of Kupwara District, along with three Chinese grenades. Another OGW, Manzoor Ahmad, was arrested from Waripora area in Pattan tehsil of Baramulla District. The OGW led the SFs to recovery of huge cache of arms and ammunition which included two solar powered rockets, four hand grenades, two RPG rockets, a satellite phone and a Global Positioning System (GPS). In addition, SFs arrested two OGWs of the militants from village Koat in Kishtwar District. The arrestees were identified as Qadir Hussain Lone and Farooq Ahmed Lone.

• November 24: The United States (US) added Pakistan’s Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FeF), a charity associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), to its official list of blacklisted terror outfits. The US State Department said the FeF had been dubbed an “alias” of LeT, which is already on the State Department’s list of “designated foreign terrorist organisations”. Daniel Benjamin, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, said adding that the move “shows the US will not tolerate any support to this organisation. LeT has attempted to use FeF as a way to evade scrutiny.”

  A United States (US) court issued summons to senior officials of Pakistani Intelligence Agency Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI), including its Chief Major General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, along with alleged masterminds of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi in response to a lawsuit filed by relatives of two American victims accusing them of providing material support for the 26/11 attacks, PTI reported on November 25. The 26-page lawsuit was filed before a New York Court on November 19 against the ISI and LeT by the relatives Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, who were both shot dead by militants at the Chhabad House in Mumbai.

  Pakistan Army, violating the cease-fire aiming at facilitating infiltration attempt by the militants, opened firing on Indian posts on the Line of Control (LoC) at Sona Gali in the Mankote area of Poonch District in the morning of November 24 injuring a trooper, reported Daily Excelsior. The Security Forces (SFs), however, thwarted attempt by the militants to infiltrate into this side of the LoC.

  Official sources said a group of four to five Pakistani militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) tried to intrude into Indian Territory breaching the LoC at Peer Post near Sona Gali in Mankote area at 2.30am (IST). Simultaneously, Pakistan Army opened firing on Indian positions to give covering fire to the infiltrators. On e trooper was injured in the firing. Meanwhile, the SFs retaliated to neutralize the infiltrators and forced the militants to retrieve to their launching pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from where they had been launched.

  Meanwhile, a top ‘commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Showket Ahmed, was arrested by the SFs at Kakapora in Pulwama District, official sources said.

• November 23: The Security Forces neutralised a hideout belonging to a Pakistani militant, Abdul Razaq Baloch alias Abu Qitaal who was arrested on November 19, and recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including two solar powered rockets and a satellite phone, in Baramulla District. On the basis of information provided by Baloch, the SFs neutralized the hideout in Waripora falling under the jurisdiction of Pattan Police Station and recovered two solar rockets, four explosive rods, four Improvised Explosive Device (IED) circuits, five kilograms of explosive powder, six IED detonators, one pistol along with magazine and six. One AK magazine, 121 rounds of AK ammunition, satellite phone with two batteries, one radio set, one binocular, one anti tank mine, four IED pipes, two IED fuse and one Chitra uniform were also seized. The SFs also arrested one person in this regard.

  Separately, the SFs arrested three persons, including brother and father of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Habib Gujjar alias Salman, who along with his associates was responsible for several subversive activities, including the recent killing of the mother of Special Task Force Head Constable Qasim Din in-charge at Nagnigarh in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District. The SFs arrested the trio, identified as Jamaal Din and Khair Din, brother and father respectively of Salman and Shahid Baroo, another associate of the militant ‘commander’ from Nagnigarh and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, Qasim Din’s brother, Noor Din, confirmed the presence of Jamaal Din, Khair Din, Shahid Baroo and four to five militants along with Salman when Qasim and Noor’s mother, Gujra Begum was shot dead by the militants in the night of November 21. Jamaal Din had reportedly displayed a weapon during attack on the house of Qasim Din. Police also confirmed the arrest of three persons in connection with the killing of Gujra Begum.

  The New York Post reported that a law suit was filed against Pakistan's external intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at the Brooklyn Federal Court in New York in the US by the relatives of a Rabbi (Jewish religious teacher), who was shot dead along with his pregnant wife during terrorist attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11). Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, who originally were from Brooklyn, were killed in front of their two-year-old son Moshe when the militants entered the Chabad Lubavitch centre in Mumbai..

• November 21: India will reiterate its demand with Pakistan, asking it to hand over 'voice samples' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who have been in jail for their involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and arrest the other key players including Hafiz Saeed and Sajid Majeed. New Delhi will send its formal communication to Islamabad ahead of the second anniversary of the Mumbai carnage.

  Intelligence inputs sent to Mumbai Police by Central Agencies have hinted at Islamist militant outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Indian Mujahideen (IM) joining forces to carry out a terror attack on a five-star hotel in Mumbai, similar to the November 26, 2008 offensive, Times of India reported on November 21. Security agencies said a seven-member gang comprising operatives from the three outfits has apparently been dispatched to the city.

  The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Habib Gujjar alias Salman in the night of November 21 struck in the house of Special Task Force (STF) Head Constable Qasim Din, in-charge Nagnigarh, at Anjol village of Keshwan area of Kishtwar District and shot dead his mother. Sources said Habib Gujjar along with his two associates forced his entry into the house of Qasim Din and held his brother Noor Din as hostage. Habib wanted to take Noor Din with him. However, Noor Din’s 55 year old mother Gujra Begum came to the rescue of her son and grappled with the militants. Sources said Habib Gujjar opened firing on Gujra Begum and killed her on spot. He also tried to kill Noor Din but he survived. Qasim Din’s wife and two children sustained minor injuries. Later, Habib Gujjar along with his two associates escaped from the incident site. Qasim Din was on duty when his mother was killed.

  Earlier, on November 20, Habib Gujjar had escaped along with his associates during an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Nagnigarh in the same District while his uncle, Mohammad Shaffi, who was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the outfit, was killed in the exchange of firing. One pistol, one grenade, one radio set, one mobile telephone, one torch and a bag full of dry fruit were recovered from the possession of the slain OGW. Official sources said Qasim Din had also led a Police team in the encounter in which Shaffi was killed while Bashir Gujjar had escaped. Meanwhile, people in Nagnigarh and surrounding areas held a demonstration in the morning of November 21 to protest the killing as they described the OGW as a civilian. Four SF personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were injured in stone pelting by the protesters.

  At least eight civilians were injured in a grenade attack by militants on an Army convoy in Anantnag District. "Militants hurled a grenade towards an Army convoy at Goriwan in Bijbehara, which missed the intended target and exploded on the road," official sources said. Eight persons, including four aboard a Santro car, were injured in the grenade blast, which damaged the car and a scooter parked by the road.

  Meanwhile, Police arrested, Abdul Razaq Baloch, a LeT militant and a resident of Multan in Punjab Province of Pakistan, from village Budhnumbal in the Kralpora area of Kupwara District. He was active in north Kashmir for several years. One AK rifle, two magazines, eight rounds, one hand grenade, one mobile phone and three memory cards were recovered from Baloch's possession. Separately, Police arrested a militant of Tehreekul Mujahideen militant outfit from Sunderabad in Narbal area of Budgam District. Shabir Ahmad Ganaie, a resident of Dasan in Beerwah area of the District, was arrested late in the night of November 20 along with one pistol, six rounds and one hand grenade. Another militant, identified as Munshi Khan, a resident of Drang in Tangmarg area of Baramulla, was arrested from Shalimar Colony in Sopore town of Baramulla District on November 21, where, according to an earlier report, an unidentified LeT militant was killed in an encounter with SFs in the evening of November 20. While, one pistol, one magazine and eight rounds were recovered from the possession of the arrested militant, the SFs also recovered one AK rifle, 122 rounds and one hand grenade were recovered from the encounter site.

• November 19: Government counsel Ujjwal Nikam told the Bombay High Court that Pakistani Lashkar-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11), and his companions were instructed by their LeT handlers on telephone to hold as many hostages as possible during the terrorist attacks to demand from the Indian Government the creation of a "separate state for Muslims". To fulfil the demands for a separate State for Muslims in India and liberation of Kashmir, LeT advised the militants on phone to take VIPs as hostages to compel the Government to act on them, Nikam told the court. He said that LeT handlers had also advised the attackers to identify themselves as Indian Muslims belonging to Indian Mujahideen and hide the fact that they had come from Pakistan. Nikam added that these informations were contained in the intercepts of telephonic conversations the handlers in Pakistan had with the terrorists during the 26/11 attacks.

• November 17: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a profoundly dangerous outfit but not greater than al Qaeda, Daniel Benjamin, State Department coordinator for counter terrorism said. "Obviously, LeT is a profoundly dangerous group and its support that it derives from doing social services is like Hamas, is like Hezbollah, and is of course of great concern," Daniel Benjamin said. "I don't think I ever said LeT was more dangerous than al Qaeda, but it is certainly a very, very dangerous group. That is why the work that we are doing with Pakistan, aside from the law enforcement cooperation and we have been very supportive of Pakistan's efforts to bring Mumbai perpetrators to justice," Benjamin told reporters in response to a question.

• November 16: Bangladesh Government handed over three Pakistani nationals, who were arrested by the Detective Branch of Police on November 13 for their link to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), to the Pakistan Government through its embassy in Dhaka, reports Daily Star. Senior Superintendent of Dhaka Central Jail Towhidul Islam told that Pakistani nationals Syed Abdul Kaiyum Azhari alias Sufian (22), Mohammad Ashraf alias Zahid (24), and Mohammad Monwar Ali (30), were freed from prison at around 12:30pm at the directives of the Home Ministry.

  A Delhi Court has acquitted an alleged Jammu and Kashmir-based militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) of the charge of waging war against the country, saying recoveries of huge cache of arms and hawala money from him were not proved. "Recovery of the arms and ammunitions have not been proved, by no stretch of imagination, the charge of sedition can be said to be proved against the accused (Irshad Ahmed Malik)," Additional Sessions Judge J R Aryan said.

  Malik, hailing from Doda District of the State who was staying at Rajdhani hotel in South Delhi, was arrested on the evening of March 27, 2004, by the special cell of the Delhi police on a tip off. The police had recovered INR 2.75 lakh cash, alleged hawala money and a pistol along with eight live cartridges, the charge sheet said. During the probe, the militant also helped recover an AK-56 assault rifle and 60 cartridges from a place near the Humayun's tomb in the national capital, it added.

• November 15: The Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) is openly running a public campaign to collect donations and hides of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha festival despite Pakistan's Interior Ministry placing it on a list of 16 militant or hardline groups barred from such activities. The JuD has set up at least seven camps in Lahore to collect funds and hides of sacrificial animals that are later sold to raise money for the outfit. The camps are marked with large banners of the JuD or its front, the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation.

• November 14: The United States should use drones to target LeT hideouts if Pakistan does not destroy them, says US bipartisan task force. In a report to the Barack Obama administration, the task force warns that another Mumbai-like attack could lead to a full-fledged war between India and Pakistan. "What we are suggesting is that we include LeT in this target list, because if the Pakistanis aren't willing to see this as a threat and indeed an existential threat to them, then we see it that way, and we are going to prosecute it," Richard Armitage, former deputy Secretary of State said.

• November 13: The United States should use drones to target Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) hideouts if Pakistan does not destroy them, says US bipartisan task force. In a report to the Barack Obama administration, the task force warns that another Mumbai-like attack could lead to a full-fledged war between India and Pakistan. “What we are suggesting is that we include LeT in this target list, because if the Pakistanis aren’t willing to see this as a threat and indeed an existential threat to them, then we see it that way, and we are going to prosecute it,” Richard Armitage, former deputy Secretary of State said.

  Richard Armitage, while talking to the media after the release of the task force’s report on Pakistan and Afghanistan, urged Islamabad to realise that the Haqqani network also posed an existential threat to the Pakistani state. “I would hope they would see the Haqqani network in the same way they see Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), that this is ultimately a threat to them as well,” said Richard Armitage. “On Lashkar-e-Taiba, they have to see this as something that could, in a single stroke, cause war between India and Pakistan, something that I think would delight Al Qaeda no end,” he observed. “And why do I say this? LeT is trouble. As I have already indicated, if they have one more strike, another Mumbai-type attack, I do not think the Indian government can be held back,” he added further.

• November 10: According to sources, two operatives of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attended a meeting of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) near Bastar region of Chhattisgarh early 2010, Director General of Police (DGP) Vishwa Ranjan said on. "Two LeT operatives attended a CPI-Maoist central committee meeting as observers, held sometime in April-May this year. They met in a jungle inside Orissa, close to Bastar," said the DGP. "This information is based on a single source, and needs to be cross-checked," he added. The DGP, a former Additional Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), took charge as the State's Police Chief in July 2007.

• November 8: The US formally sent to India the reply of Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. on the review of slip-ups following the warning received by US agencies about the Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley's possible connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and involvement in the 26/11. The report was received by the Union Home Ministry.

  Two militants were killed in a failed infiltration bid in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara District on. Troops noticed heavily armed group of militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector in the morning and challenged them, official sources said. The militants opened heavy and indiscriminate firing towards the troop’s positions, which was retaliated, triggering off an encounter. Two militants were killed in the exchange of firing that was going on till last reports came in. Although group affiliation and identity of the slain militants could not be ascertained immediately, they were believed to be foreigners and affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). There has been an increase in infiltration bids along the LoC since September 2010 and more than 65 militants have been killed in over two dozen bids made over past two and half months alone.

  Meanwhile, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, identified as Mohammad Iqbal Naik (code name Majid), surrendered before Army and Police in Ramsu area of Ramban District. He handed over one pistol, one magazine, three rounds and one mobile telephone at the time of surrender.

• November 7: US President Barack Obama, during his interaction with students at the St. Xavier's College Mumbai, expressed the hope that India and Pakistan would be able to live in peace despite their past history, reported Times of India. However, he stressed India's key role in bringing about a stable Pakistan and said a peaceful Pakistan would be in India's interest. Obama also said the progress by Pakistan in fighting terrorism is not quick enough and asserted that the US was working with Islamabad to eradicate extremism which is a "cancer". Noting that there are some elements in Pakistan that are affiliated with Taliban, al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT), he said they are "irreconcilable" and there needs to be a military response to those who perpetrate violence like they did in Mumbai and New York in a "significant, ongoing" way. The US President also regretted the fact that the "great religion" of Islam has been distorted by a few extremists to justify violence towards innocent people and called for isolating of those elements.

• November 6: US officials received at least five warnings that an American man who became a key figure in the 2008 Mumbai attacks was training or working with extremists. Despite the warnings to US intelligence agencies building up over seven years, officials did not move to question David Coleman Headley or place him on any watch list, the report said, citing a review underway for the US director of national intelligence (DNI). The report was co-published by the The Washington Post and ProPublica, an investigative journalism group that reported the story. In October, ProPublica revealed that one of Headley's wives had warned the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in August 2005 that her husband had undergone intensive training programmes with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and "was an active militant" with the radical extremist group, in a report the newspaper said prompted the DNI review. Despite the warnings, Headley continued to move freely, travelling to Pakistan, India, Dubai and Europe in 2006, gathering information and material that made possible the attacks by the Pakistani militants on Mumbai, which left 166 people dead and more than 300 others injured.

• November 4: The United States imposed sanctions on two Pakistan-based militant outfits and a key militant leader for November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Treasury Department said it targeted the financial and support networks of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM). It also took action against Azam Cheema, saying he had helped train operatives for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and was the “mastermind” behind the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings carried out by LeT. The targets also included leaders of LeT and JeM, as well as Al Rehmat Trust, an “operational front” for JeM, the department said in a statement. LeT was already designated as a foreign terrorist organisation in December 2001, the department noted. “Today’s action – including the designation of Azam Cheema, one of LeT’s leading commanders who was involved in the 2008 and 2006 Mumbai attacks – is an important step in incapacitating the operational and financial networks of these deadly organisations,” Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.

  Pakistani American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley revealed to his interrogators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in June that two Pakistani handlers, Abdur Rehman (a retired Pakistan Army major) and Sajid Majid had visited India in 2005 on the pretext of watching a Indo-Pak cricket match. They had travelled to Delhi and Dehradun for a recce of the National Defence College (NDC) and Indian Military Academy (IMA) respectively as terror targets. Headley’s interrogation report also carries some information on a number of aspects relating to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mission of the LeT. It includes information on the jihadis' attempt to get "the arrested militant (Ajmal Kasab) released in exchange for some people held hostage in Chabad House".

• November 2: Police recovered and defused a hand grenade at Sogam in Kupwara Districtin the afternoon of November 2, reports Daily Excelsior. The hand grenade was found lying on link road of Peer Mohallah in Sogam by a Police patrolling party.

  Separately, the Security Forces arrested an Over Ground Worker of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Kasir Bashir Mir, from Handwara area of Kupwara District. Two UBGL grenades, a Pakistani mobile with SIM card and PKR 1005 were recovered from Mir's possession.

  Meanwhile, the two militants killed by the SFs in Shopian District on November 2 were identified Slain Mudasir Ahmad Bhat of Yamrach-Yaripora and Gowhar Ahmad Ganai of Shirmaal village of Shopian, both affiliated to LeT. The latter was a self-styled ‘commander’ of the outfit. As reported earlier, two militants were killed in an encounter with SFs in Shopian District in the morning of November 2.

• November 1: Four militants, including two belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were killed in separate encounters with Security Forces (SFs) in Kupwara and Kulgam Districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The LeT militants were killed in an encounter with SFs at Kaladrung in Yaripora area of Kulgam District in the afternoon. The slain militants were identified as Abu Huzaifa Mahi and his local accomplice Mohammad Saleem Ganai. A LeT militant, identified as Azad Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Shirmaal village of Shopian, was also arrested during the encounter. A cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

  In another encounter, two militants were killed when SFs confronted them at Bhawan forests in Zachaldara area of Handwara in Kupwara District. Their identity and affiliation could not be ascertained as the search operation in the area was on till late evening. Two AK assault rifles, six magazines, 90 rounds of ammunition and two hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site.

  Meanwhile, the militant killed in an encounter with SFs at Ahad Sahib area of Sopore town in Baramulla District on October 31, was identified on November 1 as Irshad Ahmad Mir alias Ammar, a resident of Gundbrat village of Sopore. Mir was affiliated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). Two hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site. A civilian was also injured in the crossfire. 

  Meanwhile, curfew remained in force in parts of North Kashmir for the third day on November 2 (today) even as a separatist-sponsored strike disrupted normal life in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley. Curfew continued in Sopore town and Delina and Palhalan villages of Baramulla District and Bandipora District town as a precautionary measure.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on November 1 said that the United States has promised to share the outcome of the findings of a "full review" on the American born Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley with India, reports PTI. Chidambaram said the issue of the US not sharing information about Headley was "blown out of proportion" as the US had shared intelligence with India in the months leading to 26/11 as well as after 26/11, though the name of Headley was not mentioned.

• October 31: Police arrested six cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) from Dhaka’s Kamrangirchar area for their alleged involvement in anti-Government activities. The Police also seized 70 posters, leaflets and a number of books written by Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders from their possession. 

  Meanwhile, the Police arrested four JeI members from Alekjander Bazar under Ramgoti sub-district of Laxmipur District. The arrestees were Golam Mowla of Shikhagram village, Nur Nobi and Mohammad Sumon of Sahapara village and Mahfuzur Rahman of Sobuz village. Ramgoti Police station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Soliman Chowdhury said that they were arrested while they were pasting posters of accused top five JeI leaders, including Amir (chief) Motiur Rahman Nizami. 

  Separately, Abdul Malek alias Golam Mohammad, an operative of the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who was arrested on October 18, confessed his involvement with the grenade attacks on an Awami League (AL) rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. Metropolitan Magistrate AKM Emdadul Haque recorded the statement of Golam and sent him to jail.

• October 28: Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said that counter-terrorism cooperation between India and the United States (US) was far more broad-based than it was earlier. "Intelligence sharing has definitely improved in recent months with the signing of the counter-terrorism security initiative. The cooperation between India and U.S. is now far more broad-based," he told journalists in New Delhi. Earlier, on October 27, Pillai had said that Indian agencies were "disappointed" at not being provided specific information by the US on Pakistani American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley either before or after 26/11, else he could have been arrested when he visited India in March 2009 as a LeT operative, four months after the Mumbai attacks.

  Meanwhile, the US said it had only "more general and less specific" information on Headley before the 26/11 attacks, adds Times of India. "If we had information that could have helped to prevent the attacks and pinpoint specific aspects of the attack, we would have certainly shared that too," Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communication Ben Rhodes told journalist on October 28.

  The Government apprehends that Pakistan-based terror groups may try to replicate Chhittisinghpora-type attack on civilians and put the blame for such an incident on the Indian Army to attract global attention to Kashmir in run-up to US President Barack Obama's visit to India (November 6-8). Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said on October 27: "We do believe that the visit of US President to India is, shall I say from the publicity point of view, large enough to try and create something even if it is not in any place nearby where President Obama would be. But it could be somewhere else and therefore we would take all precautions." "That's the type of fear that we have that innocent civilians will be killed and then the blame would be put, like the last time, on the Indian Army. All indications are that the propaganda machinery would be out to do the same. Therefore, we are being careful," Pillai told a TV news channel.

  Asked whether he sees it as an attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue during Obama's visit, the Home Secretary said: "I don't think it is a question of internationalising as such because Americans have made their position very clear. But definitely they would like to try and at least the militants would like to see if they can have any spectacular incident which they could then get world-wide attention on." Pillai, however, made it clear that the Indian agencies do not have any specific intelligence about such an attack.

  He was replying to a question on whether he apprehended the kind of attack India witnessed during former US President Bill Clinton's visit in March 2000. The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Indian Army fatigues, led by the outfit's ‘commander’ Muzammil, had killed 35 Sikhs in March 2000. The role of Muzammil in the Chhittisingpora incident was also revealed by Pakistani-American LeT David Coleman Headley to the NIA during his questioning in Chicago in June.

• October 26: A Dhaka Court granted a four-day remand against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Abdul Malek alias Golam Mohammad in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case on an Awami League (AL) rally. The Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ali Hussain gave the directive after Criminal Investigation Department (CID) produced the Pakistan-based LeT operative before the court seeking a seven-day fresh remand.

  Meanwhile, a Dhaka Court rejected a bail petition of two assistant secretary generals of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in connection with a case filed with Paltan Police Station for preventing Police from discharging their duties on June 20, 2010. Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ali Hussain passed the order after Police produced Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla on completion of their three-day remand in the case.

• October 24: About 1400 militants from different parts of the State with majority of them drawn from Kashmir Valley were still putting up in training camps of various outfits in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Some of them have been readied by Pakistan Army and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to push them into the Indian side from the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). This has been disclosed by Abdul Waris alias Tauseef Illahi son of Abdul Rashid Sheikh, a resident of Kishtwar and Musarat Hussain Zargar alias Firdous son of Ghulam Qadir, a resident of Gandoh, Doda, the two close confidant of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) supremo Syed Salahuddin during their continued interrogation by the Special Operations Group (SOG), Jammu. Illahi and Zargar, who had taken aerial route to enter India from Pakistan via Nepal and subsequently reached Jammu from New Delhi where they were arrested, were reported to have disclosed that majority of 1400 militants from Jammu and Kashmir were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HM outfits while the number of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants has considerably gone down as its cadre have mostly diverted to the LeT outfit. According to them, some new militant groups have also cropped up in Pakistan and PoK but their strength was not much significant.

  Meanwhile, Army Chief General V K Singh said that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is being used as a "beating stick" by the separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. "We are unnecessarily playing into the hands of separatists for whom this is a beating stick," he stated.

  The AFSPA was being "unnecessarily demonised" although it had "nothing to do with the present unrest (in Kashmir)", he said.

• October 21: The Rajasthan Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested three suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, Babu alias Nishachandra Ali of Bikaner, Arun Jain of Nagaur and Hafiz Abdul Majid of Jhalawar, allegedly involved in luring youths in terror activities and sending them to Pakistan for training, reported Times of India. They were under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the LeT ‘commanders’ based in Pakistan were planning to carry out anti-India activities through the Indians trained as terrorists on Pakistani soil, according to an official release of Criminal Investigation Department. The anti-India activities included bomb explosions, circulation of counterfeit Indian currency, smuggling of arms and ammunition, fuelling communal riots and violence in the country and also working to ensure release of Pakistani terrorists from Indian prisons.

  During the course of investigations it has also come to light that the imprisoned Pakistani terrorists used to take other jailed Indian criminals into their confidence and involve them in terror activities. After their release, these criminals used to indulge in terrorist activities on the directives of the LeT ‘commanders’ of Pakistan, the release said. During the probe, it was also found that Pakistani spy Asgar Ali, who is being held in Jodhpur jail, used to lure Indian inmates to undergo training in Pakistani training camps and perpetrate terror in the country on the behest of Pakistan-based LeT ‘commander’ Wahid alias Vikki Bhai. Among those who were lured by Asgar were Nisha Chandra Ali and Arun Jain. Both Ali and Jain had direct interaction with Vikki and plans were afoot to hand over huge quantity of counterfeit Indian currency to both of them, the release said. Efforts were made to obtain Indian passports for Ali and Jain and send them to Pakistan. However, as a number of criminal cases were pending against both of them, the passports were not issued, the release said. Plans were also made to send both of them to Pakistan through Nepal but it could not materialise, the release added. However, the LeT ‘commanders’ were successful in inducting Hafiz Abdul, who used to teach in a madrassa (seminary).

• October 22: Nearly 80 trained militants, armed with sophisticated weapons, are waiting to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border along the Line of Control (LoC) to create trouble in the State in the run up to American President Barack Obama's visit to India early November. Intelligence inputs, available with security agencies, pointed out that the militants, belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM), Al Badar, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and other terror groups, are looking for opportunities to cross over to Jammu and Kashmir. "The next 10 days are very crucial. We have information that the militants will try to engage in violence in the run up to the US president's visit to India," a Government official said.

  The official said, "Militants may also try to attack security forces and public properties before or during the shift of government machinery from Srinagar to Jammu, the winter capital of the State, on November 4 and 5". "At present, there are about 500 active militants in the State, and there also is need for us to step up vigil in the border areas as the threat of infiltration persists," Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters in Srinagar on October.

• October 21. "The leadership of various outfits such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, HUJI [Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami] had done recess along the LoC to plan infiltration. The HM supreme and United Jihad Council (UJC) Chief Syed Sallaudin also visited camps to morally boost his cadres along the Indo-Pak border some time back," the sources said.

• October 19: Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) played a major role in helping prepare the 2008 Mumbai attacks in India, David Headley, one of the planners and main accused told Indian interrogators. David Headley, who confessed to surveying targets for the attacks that left 166 people dead in November 2008, made detailed claims about support from the ISI. Headley described dozens of meetings between officers of the ISI and militants from Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT), citing a 109-page Indian Government report into his interrogation.

  Delhi could escape a major terror attack in 2009 when one of the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) terrorists from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, who tried to come in through the legal channel, was denied an Indian visa, Times of India reported on October 19. The terrorist was supposed to be in Delhi to carry out an attack on the National Defence College (NDC) at Tees January Marg a target recommended by Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley to his bosses on the basis that a strike on the institution would have killed more Indian Army officers than those who died in all Indo-Pak wars put together.

  The NIA interrogation report quoted Headley as saying about the LeT's Delhi mission, "Abdur Rehman (Lashkar operative) told me that a man from Rawalpindi was ready to carry out the attack (in Delhi) but he had trouble to get visa for India." Referring to Rehman, Headley explained that the Rawalpindi man's visa application was turned down because "he had a long beard". "Abdur Rehman told him to shave his beard and he had reapplied for visa," the report said quoting Headley. During his interrogation, Headley, also disclosed Rehman's network in Nepal, which was activated to help the Rawalpindi man once he would reach Delhi for his mission. It appears from the interrogation report that the LeT operatives were more interested in attacking the NDC than other targets in Delhi. "I gave him (Abdur Rehman) the reconnaissance videos and we discussed each and every target in detail. I told Rehman that we could kill more Indian military officers in an attack on NDC than had been killed in all the wars between India and Pakistan," Headley told his interrogators, adding Rehman seemed to be more interested in attacking NDC.

  That Delhi was perilously close to being attacked by the LeT, figures in the disclosures Headley made to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) interrogators, who questioned him in Chicago in June 2010. In his statement to the NIA, Headley essentially repeated what he had earlier told the US's Federal Bureau of Investigation. As reported earlier, Headley had recceed several targets in Delhi the Sena Bhawan, Raksha Bhawan, Vice-President's residence, Israeli embassy and Chabad House in Paharganj area.

• October 19: Security Forces (SFs) shot dead a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Ghulam Nabi Chandel, while a ‘district commander’ of the outfit, Aiyaz Ahmed Malik alias Abu Moosa, managed to escape in an injured condition during a gun battle at Kanch Top in the Khari area of Banihal in Ramban District. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included one pistol, four pistol rounds, two radio sets, one mobile charger and some eatables.

  Delhi could escape a major terror attack in 2009 when one of the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) terrorists from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, who tried to come in through the legal channel, was denied an Indian visa. The terrorist was supposed to be in Delhi to carry out an attack on the National Defence College (NDC) at Tees January Marg a target recommended by Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley to his bosses on the basis that a strike on the institution would have killed more Indian Army officers than those who died in all Indo-Pak wars put together.

  The NIA interrogation report quoted Headley as saying about the LeT's Delhi mission, "Abdur Rehman (Lashkar operative) told me that a man from Rawalpindi was ready to carry out the attack (in Delhi) but he had trouble to get visa for India." Referring to Rehman, Headley explained that the Rawalpindi man's visa application was turned down because "he had a long beard". "Abdur Rehman told him to shave his beard and he had reapplied for visa," the report said quoting Headley. During his interrogation, Headley, also disclosed Rehman's network in Nepal, which was activated to help the Rawalpindi man once he would reach Delhi for his mission. It appears from the interrogation report that the LeT operatives were more interested in attacking the NDC than other targets in Delhi. "I gave him (Abdur Rehman) the reconnaissance videos and we discussed each and every target in detail. I told Rehman that we could kill more Indian military officers in an attack on NDC than had been killed in all the wars between India and Pakistan," Headley told his interrogators, adding Rehman seemed to be more interested in attacking NDC.

  That Delhi was perilously close to being attacked by the LeT, figures in the disclosures Headley made to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) interrogators, who questioned him in Chicago in June 2010. In his statement to the NIA, Headley essentially repeated what he had earlier told the US's Federal Bureau of Investigation. As reported earlier, Headley had recceed several targets in Delhi the Sena Bhawan, Raksha Bhawan, Vice-President's residence, Israeli embassy and Chabad House in Paharganj area.

• October 19: The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, played a major role in helping prepare the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks (also known as 26/11), one of the planners of the attacks has told Indian interrogators. Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, who confessed to surveying targets for the attacks that left 166 people dead, made detailed claims about support from the ISI, said Britain's Guardian newspaper.

• October 18: The Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Abdul Malek alias Golam was put on a four day fresh remand for his involvement in supplying grenades for the attack on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2004. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is set to interrogate him. Golam was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion on October 5 from the airport railway station area in Dhaka. He was taken on a three-day remand and then sent to jail through a Court.

  Two of the three wives of Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley forewarned the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11). Headley's American wife had given the FBI in New York a tip-off on his Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) links in 2005, while his Moroccan wife, Faiza Outalha, had told authorities in the US embassy in Islamabad, less than a year before the Mumbai attacks, that Headley was plotting a terror strike. Faiza Outalha, claims she even showed the US embassy officials in Islamabad a photo of Headley and herself in the Taj Mahal Hotel, where they stayed twice in April and May 2007. “Hotel records confirm their stay,” the New York Times (NYT) reported. Outalha said that in two meetings with officials at the US embassy in Islamabad, she told them that her husband had many friends who were known to be LeT members. “Despite those warnings by two of his three wives, Headley roamed far and wide on Lashkar's behalf between 2002 and 2009, receiving training in small-calibre weapons and counter surveillance, scouting targets for attacks, and building a network of connections that extended from Chicago to Pakistan's lawless north-western frontier,” NYT said.

  Meanwhile, Mike Hammer, spokesman of the National Security Council, White House stated, “Had we known about the timing and other specifics related to the Mumbai attacks, we would have immediately shared those details with India.” He said the US “regularly provided threat information” to Indian officials in 2008 before the attacks in Mumbai, adding, “It is our Government's solemn responsibility to notify other nations of possible terrorist activity on their soil.” He made the remarks when asked about an investigative report on the Mumbai attacks published by Pro Publica, an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.

• October 16: Four Army troopers were also injured in the earlier reported encounter in the Kagora village near Andrachi in Rajouri District, bordering Shopian in Pir Panjal range. Two top militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in the encounter. The Army and Police called off the operation at Pir Panjal range on October 17.

  Separately, two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants, identified as Hilal Ahmad Rather and Showkat Ahmad Mir, were arrested by the Security Forces (SFs) from the Pattan area of Baramulla District. One pistol, one pistol magazine, five rounds and two hand grenades were recovered from their possession. An unnamed senior Police official said the duo were also found involved in the recent spell of violent protests in the Pattan area. "They were instigating the youth to confront the security forces and with their arrest, we are hopeful that the situation in Pattan and adjoining areas will improve," the officer said.

  Further, Police arrested a suspected HM militant, identified as Mohammad Rafiq, and foiled his plot to get two contractors killed dubbing them as militants at village Shikari in the Mahore area of Reasi District. Sources said Rafiq during questioning has admitted that he tried to trap the contractors and get them killed by Police due to his personal enmity with them.

  Meanwhile, Police continued searches for three HM militants, identified as Basharat, Rashid and Shaffi, in upper reaches of Mahore, bordering Kulgam District. Though all of them had escaped to Kulgam few days back following pressure maintained on them by the SFs, there were reports that they were trying to come back to Mahore again to revive network of HM.

• October 15: The wife of a key figure in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11) warned US federal agents three years beforehand that her husband was training with a Pakistani militant group. Citing sources close to the case, the daily said the wife of David Coleman Headley warned Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in August 2005 that her husband had undergone intensive training with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and was in contact with extremists. Headley's wife, who was not named in the report, called a terrorism hotline after getting into a fight with him in August 2008, the Post said. The FBI agents followed up, and interviewed her three times, the newspaper reported in a story co-authored with journalism foundation Pro Publica. She told agents that her husband "was an active militant in the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, had trained extensively in its Pakistani camps, and had shopped for night vision goggles," the Post reported.

  Despite the warning, Headley was able to continue moving freely, travelling to Pakistan, India, Dubai and Europe in 2006, gathering information and material that made the attack possible. US anti-terrorism agencies did warn Indian counterparts about a possible LeT plot to target Mumbai in 2008, but it was unclear whether the warnings were based on Headley's wife's tip-off two years earlier. Headley was reportedly also bragging about being a US Government informant before the attacks, telling his wife and others that he is working for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and FBI. Headley did work as an informant for the DEA in the 1990s when he was known by his birth name Daood Gilani and had been arrested for smuggling heroin from Pakistan. After a second arrest and more work for the agency, he went to Pakistan, where he became radicalized, the Post reported. Then, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, he began telling people he was working for a joint DEA-FBI project. But FBI officials told the Post they did not believe Headley, who changed his name in 2006, had ever worked for the FBI. Headley, the son of a former Pakistani diplomat and a white American woman, is being held in the United States. He confessed to plotting the attacks and in exchange for pleading guilty, US prosecutors agreed he would not face extradition to India or the death penalty.

  The al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had planed to carry out deadly attacks through ‘multiple shoot-outs' targeting the Commonwealth Games (CWG) village, sports venues and a five-star hotel in New Delhi specifically on October 12 and 13. Al Qaeda and LeT had chosen these two dates for their strikes using terrorists trained in the region along Afghan-Pakistan border. The plan was to sneak in a number of jihadis simultaneously through India-Nepal or India-Bangladesh borders or from across the India's western border. There was also intelligence input that some others would come from West Asia, using legal channels through proper visas.

  Government sources said that a Western intelligence agency had tipped off India on October 10 about these specific plans. The Government had immediately enhanced the security of the Games venues and village from three layers to four and brought in additional forces, including armed commandos, to foil any attempt of sabotage even from air. "The input was very specific about the venues and suggested that the terrorists would probably come from West Asia, Nepal or from across India's western border," a source said. Security was also increased in all eight leading five-star hotels in Delhi. There was also information that the terrorists may use paragliders to reach the venues prompting authorities to put in place anti-aircraft guns. "Credentials of all foreign nationals arriving in international airports were checked one-by-one. Twenty Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) were deployed besides keeping ready a special team of 40 army and NSG commandos equipped with special weapons capable to shoot down paragliders from a distance near the sporting venues, including Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium," said the source. "Though the general threat still exists, the Delhi Police and other security agencies through their meticulous planning and deployment averted any strike specifically during the CWG," the source said.

  Sources said that the fresh inputs had nothing to do with what the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuJI) ‘commander’ and al Qaeda member Ilyas Kashmiri had threatened a month before the Games. "The latest plan was the brainchild of some other elements/modules within al-Qaeda and LeT," said a source.

• October 14: Faced with the leadership crisis, decreasing number of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadres and lack of local support in many pockets of the Jammu and Kashmir, the terrorists have made a shift in their operational strategy while over 450-500 trained armed militants are reportedly waiting at the launching pads on that side along the Line of Control (LoC) in the South of Pir Panjal range. "There has been a shift in the strategy of militants due to lack of considerable local support from the populace in the hinterland. They are not getting hideouts, food and shelter in the populated areas. Top terrorist leadership has been wiped out and the lower cadre is at the run. They have now changed strategy of mingling with the crowd and processionists, instigate them to resort to violence and stone pelting", General Officer Commanding (16 Corps) and Security Advisor Lieutenant General Rameshwar Roy said at Nagrota, near Jammu on October 13.

  The Corps Commander also said that the intra-organisational rivalries mostly between LeT and HM have also created problems for them in carrying on their activities. Both the outfits are unable to get new recruits and adequate support from the over ground workers or the local support. The recent spurt in violent crowd in parts of Poonch and Kashmir Valley gave sufficient inputs regarding mixing of such elements with the crowd and indulging in destruction of public property, attacks on forces and instigating youth to stoning, making them their soft targets. While referring to the impact of disturbances in Kashmir Valley, he said that it had a very little effect on this side of the Pir Panjal, which divides the Valley and Jammu region. The protests in Kashmir have disrupted the economy, tourism and other development activities, which otherwise was at peak during 2008, 2009 and first half of 2010.

  In reply to question he said as per intelligence inputs and intercepts nearly 450-500 trained armed terrorists are waiting to cross over to this side at the launching pads along the Line of Control (LoC) in south of Pir Panjal. There may be almost equal number of militants across the LoC on the north of Pir Panjal but these figures may not be accurate. When asked about the infiltration status in Jammu and Rajouri-Poonch sectors, he said that infiltration attempts have been increased but there was sharp decline in the terrorist violence. There was no let up in the anti-terrorist operations and since January 2010, nearly 227 militants have been eliminated along LoC and the interior areas in the State. He however, claimed that infiltration level was almost zero but in view of human error some times or mountainous topography of the area along LoC in Poonch and Rajouri, a few number may have been able to cross over to this side.

  When asked about the involvement of women in militancy, he said, "We do not have confirmation about them being active in terrorism but some of them may be working as over ground workers".

• October 11: A trooper injured in a gun battle with militants in Sopore in Baramulla District on October 10 succumbed to injuries. As reported earlier, one Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Ikrama alias Topiwala, was killed in the encounter while his local guide Showkat Ahmad was arrested during the encounter.

  Further, the Police arrested a suspected person belonging to Punjabi community while moving under suspicious circumstances along the International Border at village Pindi in Arnia sector of Jammu District.

  Meanwhile, Army Chief General V. K. Singh said that infiltration bids from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir have increased during the last two months, with around 25 such incidents being witnessed in which nearly 40 militants were killed during the period. To deal with the situation, the Army has evolved a strategy under which even if somebody manages to infiltrate the Indian Territory "he gets killed later on", he added. "As far as infiltration is concerned, we have controlled it to a large extent... In the last two months, there have been many attempts to infiltrate and we have achieved a lot of success also in this regard," he told reporters. He, however, did not give the figures preceding August. Talking about the last two months, he said, "we have had approximately 20-25 attempts and the total number of terrorists killed during this period has been about 35-40." Asked about reports suggesting that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin, along with officials of Pakistan Army and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), has been visiting terror camps situated along the LoC, General Singh said, "Salahuddin is on the other side... We are not worried with whom he goes around. If he tries to infiltrate, he would also be dealt within the same way his accomplices are."

• October 11: A new phenomenon called 'legal infiltration' is causing concern among security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir as reports emerge that youths are visiting Pakistan on regular visas which are extended to facilitate their basic training in handling explosives and weapons,. The matter came to the fore when Police arrested one person from Budgam who had ostensibly gone across the border for meeting relatives and later extended it by another two weeks during which he underwent the Daura-e-Aam (basic) training being organiszed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). During interrogation, the youth, whose identity has not been revealed, told the investigators that there were other youths who were using the same modus operandi to get the training facility.

  In first week, a complete religious course is imparted after which assembling of assault rifles and detonating of grenades are taught. An unnamed senior official said LeT adopted this method and has been targeting educated unemployed youth in the Valley. "We have approached the immigration officials to keep a close tab on youth who extended their visas in Pakistan and the Gulf," the official said.

• October 10: A Pakistani militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed and his local guide arrested in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Lathishat in the Bomai area of Sopore town in Baramulla District. The slain militant, identified as Ikrama alias Topiwalla, was an 'A' category militant and had been active in North Kashmir area for past couple of years, the sources said, adding, Ikrama was a close associate of top LeT ‘commander’ Abdullah Yuni. The arrested local guide was identified as Showkat Ahmad alias Shawa. This is for the second time that Showkat has been detained by the SFs in identical circumstances as he was earlier arrested during a gun battle near Marble. He was let off by the Police after six days, giving him the benefit of doubt.

  Separately, the SFs killed a suspected Bangladeshi national who was reportedly trying to ex-filtrate to Pakistan from the fencing. Pakistani Rangers were also reported to have fired few shots when the Indian troopers opened firing to kill the suspect.

  In addition, Police defused an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at village Chichwa in upper reaches of Basantgarh in Udhampur District.

  Meanwhile, an entire network of suspected militants and their harbourers originating from Gandoh in the Doda District has been cracked by Doda Police with the arrest of four suspects, including a Special Police Officer (SPO), posted at Gandoh Police Station. They were instrumental in fabricating and sending explosive material to Jammu, a consignment of which was seized at Indira Chowk. As reported earlier, two militant operatives, including Munib Ahmed and Munir Ahmed Malik alias Munna, were arrested by Police after the recovery of apple boxes full of explosive material from Indira Chowk in the evening of October 8 by Military Intelligence and Counter Intelligence.

  Further, the SFs arrested a Pakistani national, identified as Inayatullah, at the Line of Control (LoC) in the Balakote sector of Poonch District.

  The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an explosive expert and its aide of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, identified as Wazed Khan alias Zafar alias Salman (27) and Abu Bakkar Siddique (49), in Dhaka’s Uttara area on October 10 with a huge amount of explosives and bomb making materials, reports Daily Star. It was the first arrest of any LeT bomb expert in the country, according to Commander Mohammad Sohail, RAB’s legal and media wing Director. He said the RAB had recovered 30 kilograms of high explosive with the capacity equivalent to trinitrotoluene (TNT) and six bottles of liquid chemical from their possession.

• October 9: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Khetimargh village of Wangath area in Ganderbal District. Sources said that the slain militant might be a Pakistani national. One AK-47 rifle and some ammunition were recovered from slain militant.

• October 8: The Security Forces (SFs) arrested a top ranking militant of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in Ramban Districts and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from them. SFs launched a search operation at Bhimdasa forests in Gool area of Ramban District and arrested top ranking HM militant, identified as Abdul Rashid. Encounter was still going on to capture another militant identified as Mohammad Iqbal son of Ghulam Akbar Naik R/o Khari. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included one pistol, eight rounds, 194 AK rounds, 237 Pika rounds and a large quantity of ration items.

  In another operation, SFs arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Tariq Hussain Boro alias Abu Darda (22), son of Mohammad Boro, a resident of Naginigarh, Keshwan in Kishtwar District. Tariq Hussain Boro was a close associate of LeT ‘commander’ Habib alias Salman.

  Further, the Military Intelligence and Counter Intelligence personnel arrested a top ranking HM militant, identified as Munir Ahmed Malik alias Munna (26), son of Abdul Rashid, a resident of Drodhi in Gandoh area of Doda District and recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), concealed in apple boxes. Sources said that Munna dropped the IEDs wrapped in 10 boxes of apple at parapet of the road on Indira Chowk-MLA Hostel stretch and left in the same Sumo No. 4849 JMU. The consignment was to be picked up by another militant, who didn’t turn up.

• October 7: Interpol issued red corner notices against five Pakistani nationals, including two serving Army officers, for their alleged role in plotting terror attacks in India including the attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 (Also known as 26/11).The notices have been issued against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives Sajid Majid and Syed Abdur Rehman Hashim, Major Iqbal, Major Sameer Ali, and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami chief Ilyas Kashmiri.

  A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Tariq Hussain Bohru, was shot dead by his associate at Duggad in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District in the night of October 6, reports Daily Excelsior. The Police identified the killer as Sultan Bhat (code name Abu Nurnan). According to Police, the inter-gang rivalry in the LeT was going on due to use of some girls for over ground activities of the militants. Bohru is reported to have opposed the use of girls for carrying arms and ammunition to militant hideouts for which he had to lose his life.

  Border Security Force (BSF) opened firing on a group of suspected infiltrators in the forward area of Chak Fakira on the International Border in the Samba sector of Jammu. Official sources said the infiltrators, if any on Pakistan side opposite Chak Fakira, retrieved after firing by the BSF.

  Meanwhile, a Pakistani national was arrested by the BSF in the night of October 5 from forward village of Mangu Chak in Ramgarh sector in Samba District. The arrestee has been identified as Mohammad Tariq, 32, son of Abdul Majid, a resident of Harbanspura in Lahore (Pakistan).

• October 7: The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had increased its targeting of Indian citizens and Indian interests in Afghanistan. Credible intelligence with the Indian Government revealed that LeT has in fact become the principal dispenser of instructions from Pakistan on Indian targets. Pakistan's Army-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) establishments continue to direct operations and even pay for the attacks while LeT is in charge of executing the attacks. Even though there has been no major attack against Indians since February, the attempts by Pakistan-sponsored LeT are relentless. Sources said that LeT sometimes teams up with the Haqqani network, but is not averse to using other terror assets against India. The fact of Indians being LeT targets was also discussed during the recent visit of CIA chief Leon Panetta. In July, 2010, even US special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, was quoted as saying, "LeT is co-equal threat along with al-Qaida. The LeT, al-Qaida and Taliban are all working closer together than ever before."

  Militants of several groups, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), are waiting along the Line of Control (LoC) in a bid to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir, an unnamed senior army official said on October 5, according to Indian Express. "Operatives of several militant groups like LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, JeM and HuJI [Harkat-ul-Mujahideen], are positioned along the LoC and making desperate attempts everyday to cross the border. There are eight to nine militants in each group who keep attempting to get a chance to sneak into our territory," he said. He also noted that once they fail to succeed at one place due to high alertness of Indian troops, they immediately move to other locations to make a fresh attempt. He further pointed out, "Pakistan Security Forces are clearly involved in supporting terrorist activities to create insecurity in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in Jammu region."

• October 6: The LeT had increased its targeting of Indian citizens and Indian interests in Afghanistan. Credible intelligence with the Indian Government revealed that LeT has in fact become the principal dispenser of instructions from Pakistan on Indian targets. Pakistan's Army-ISI establishments continue to direct operations and even pay for the attacks while LeT is in charge of executing the attacks. Sources said that LeT sometimes teams up with the Haqqani network, but is not averse to using other terror assets against India.

• October 5: The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel arrested two alleged operatives of Pakistan-based militant outfits, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), from the Airport Railway Station area in Dhaka. The arrestees were LeT cadre Abdul Malek alias Golam Mohammad (45), of village Indranagar in Kaliganj sub-district of Satkhira District and his associate, Pakistani citizen Mohammad Shafi alias Shamiullah alias Mostak (30), a HM operative.

• October 4: The Armed Forces once again expressed their reservations against any move to withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, who is also chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, said soldiers needed "legal protection'' to be effective in the battle against militancy. "I stand by my opinion expressed earlier that a soldier fighting anywhere at the request of the government, and not voluntarily, must have legal protection,'' said Naik, who however added that it was the government's prerogative to take a decision.

  Militants abducted brother of a Special Police Officer (SPO) from his house at village Harni in the Gursai area of Poonch District but released him after handing over him after assault. Reports said two unidentified militants stormed into the house of Parvez Ahmed, who was posted as a SPO in Mendhar. While the SPO was not present in his house, the militants abducted his brother Mohammad Naseer and took him to Jabran forests of Gursai. The militants assaulted Naseer asking him to tell his brother to give up the job of SPO.

  Meanwhile, reports indicate that though there has been no shortage of the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards of local companies with the militants, they appeared to be more relying upon Pakistani companies while speaking to their ‘commanders’ in the Pir Panjal range and other areas of the State falling close to the Line of Control (LoC) where mobile telephones of Pakistani companies catch signal. This was evident from the recovery of four more SIM cards of an equal number of Pakistan mobile companies from a hide-out of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit at village Uttrayan in Kishtwar District.

• October 3: The Centre asked all the States to put targets which were recced by the American born Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley alias Dawood Gilani under extra security cover, and step up their overall vigilance in view of general threats. Besides alerting all the States, security has also been tightened in 36 markets across New Delhi by deploying additional 1,200 paramilitary personnel along with hundreds of other Police personnel. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs also asked the States to continue their alert during the coming major festivals like Navratra, Durga Puja and Diwali, which attract major gathering.

• September 30: Al Qaeda and a group based in North Waziristan Agency calling itself ‘Brigade 313’, which is made up of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied extremist group members, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Karachi-based Jandullah, has prepared a plan to attack the 19th Commonwealth Games, which are due to be held in News Delhi from October 3 to October 14. The intelligence has originated from Kabul where a western military source confirmed that, “We intercepted certain conversations that gave us the impression that the attack on an important sporting event is due in India.” Daily Times has been told that Ilyas Kashmiri, who heads al Qaeda’s Brigade 313 and who is a former rogue SSG commando, will be heading the whole operation to carry out this terrorist plot in New Delhi.

• September 28: Over 120 mortars and rockets were fired by Pakistan Army in worst ever shelling and firing for 11 hours on forward Indian positions in Krishna Ghati and Jhalas sectors in Poonch District during which an attempt was made to push a group of 12 to 15 militants into this side from across the Line of Control (LoC). Sources said the firing from Pakistan side, which had started at 8.20pm in the night of September 28 after an initial brief spell at 10.30am, continued till 7am on September 29. As many as 40 rockets, 80 mortars and over 6000 rounds of Light Machine Gun (LMG) were fired by Pakistan army during about 11 hours of uninterrupted firing at forward Indian posts of Kirpan, Teep Naveli, Nangi Tekri and Kranti between Krishna Ghati and Jhalas sectors. Pakistan army posts, active during the firing, included Roza, Battal, Pimple and Daaku. "However, Pakistan army failed to push the infiltrators due to effective retaliatory firing brought down by the troops. The intrusion bid was foiled by the troops’’, sources said, adding that at least 12 to 15 militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Al-Badr had tried to intrude into this side under the cover of heavy firing by Pakistan army.

  Meanwhile, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, identified as Taj Mohammad, 26, on September 29 surrendered before the troops in the Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District along with arms and explosive devices. At the time of surrender, Taj handed over one AK-47 rifle with one magazine and 30 rounds, one hand grenade, 22 detonators, one Identity card, PKR 500 and one matrix sheet. In August, the LeT militant Rafiya Maulvi, a ‘district commander’ and his associate Mohammad Asif had surrendered before the troops in Doda.

   An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with Army troops near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Nawgam sector of Kupwara District on. A gun battle broke out when a search party of Army confronted heavily armed militants in the forests of Badi Behak in Nawgam Sector near LoC on September 27. One militant was killed in the exchange of firing. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militant could not be ascertained immediately as the operation was still in progress.

  Meanwhile, Pakistan Army resorted to shelling with mortars and rockets and used heavy fire arms targeting forward Indian posts in Krishna Ghati and Jhalas sectors in Poonch District trying to push a big group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Al-Badr militants from across the LoC. Indian troops retaliated and neutralized the militants trying to infiltrate into Indian Territory taking the cover of heavy firing from Pakistan army. There was no report of infiltration by the militants till mid-night but the firing was going on when the reports last came in. However, there was no report of any casualties on Indian side so far. Casualties, if any, on the other side were not known.

  Frustrated over Pakistan's lacklustre response to failed Times Square bombing, the US has warned Islamabad that it will be "unable to stop the consequences" of any terror attack, whose wires are linked to that country, a new book by Bob Woodward, 'Obama's War', reveals on September 26, reports Indian Express. President Barack Obama has sent his National Security Adviser Gen (retd) James Jones and CIA chief Leon Panetta to express his concerns to Islamabad, the book entitled 'Obama's War' said. Obama, via his officials, also slammed Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari for not adequately interrogating Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in 26/11 Mumbai attacks case and said "he continues to direct LeT operations from his detention center." But the US officials returned with nothing after powerful Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani refused to adhere to any of the four demands made by them. Kayani had other concerns -- India, the book says. "The President wants everyone in Pakistan to understand if such an attack connected to a Pakistani group is successful there are some things even he would not be able to stop. Just there are political realities in Pakistan, there are realities in the US", an investigative US journalist Bob Woodward noted the officials' message to Zardari in the book.

  Further, the book reveals that the US doesn't want to arm Pakistan against India, adds Times of India. After 26/11 Mumbai carnage, in an Oval Office meeting with Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, US President Barrack Obama bluntly tells him his country has to get over its obsession with India. "We do not begrudge you being concerned about India," Obama tells Zardari, "but we do not want to be part of arming you (Pakistan) against India, so let me be very clear about that." Zardari's response: "We're trying to change our world view but it's not going to happen overnight."

• September 24: The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is planning to trigger blasts using trained women terrorists who will intermingle with protesters to carry out attacks as part of a strategy to intensify violence in Kashmir Valley, according to intelligence intercepts, reported Times of India. "It has come to the notice of the intelligence agencies through various inputs received that terrorists belonging to the LeT are likely to intermingle with the protesters," a brief report of the Army said. According to inputs received, the LeT operatives have sought permission from their handlers across the border to lob grenades or explode Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during demonstrations to trigger large scale casualties and incite protesters to resort to violence, it said. 

  Such attacks are most likely to be carried out in close proximity to camps and posts of Security Forces so as to ensure that they face the brunt of the violence and are forced to retaliate. "This is likely to set in motion a chain of events leading to high rate of casualties," the report said.  The report said that highly trained women terrorists, who are experts in handling of explosives, are likely to be at the forefront of this new strategy aimed at upping the ante by exponentially increasing the intensity of violence and consequently the number of casualties. The local operatives and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) have also been instructed to motivate the economically weaker sections of the populace including women to join the protests, it said.

• September 23: Sheikh Lalbaba Mohammed Hussain Farid alias Bilal, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for planning to commit a terrorist activities, has been granted Police custody till October 2 by the Nashik sessions court.

• September 22: Two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in two separate encounters with the Security Forces (SFs) in Sopore and Handwara towns of Baramulla and Kupwara Districts respectively. The SFs launched a search operation in the Dooru village of Sopore after receiving credible information about the presence of militants there. In the encounter that followed, one unidentified militant was killed.

  In another encounter, the SFs shot dead an unidentified militant at Dardhaji-Zachaldara in the Handwara area of Kupwara District.

  Meanwhile, more than 200 Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were activated in Bani-Billawar belt and more than two dozens in border areas of Hiranagar in Kathua District by The police and civil administration following reports of movement of seven LeT militants in the upper reaches and inputs cautioning about fresh infiltration by the militants. Over 200 VDCs in Bani-Billawar belt, each comprising about six to eight members which have been lying low for past quite sometime, were activated by the authorities after visit to all remote and mountainous areas and asked to maintain a strict vigil on activities of the anti-national elements. There had been reports with Police and civil administration that seven militants, headed by a Pakistani Abu Maaz, were moving in Bani-Billawar belt especially in upper reaches of Lohai Malhar. Movement of the militants has been confirmed by local people and Police besides some nomads.

• September 20: Lawyers defending Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others charged with involvement in the in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks said that none of them will go to India as part of a proposed commission to record the testimony of key witnesses, including surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab. "We will not go to India because of security concerns. There has been hatred among the general public against Kasab," senior advocate Khwaja Sultan, the counsel for LeT ‘commander’ Lakhvi, told PTI. Sultan noted that the lawyer of Fahim Ansari, one of the Indians accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks, was shot dead. "We cannot risk our lives by going to India when we are the counsel for the accused here," he added. He also claimed it would not be easy for the Indian government to provide security to the proposed commission.

  Security Forces (SFs) in the evening of September 20 recovered decomposed dead bodies of two militants at Rautagali near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Karnah sector of Kupwara District, a Police spokesman said, according to Daily Excelsior. Two AK assault rifles, nine hand grenades and three UBGL grenades were recovered from the slain militants whose identity and group affiliations could not be ascertained. Both the militants were believed to have been killed in gun battles with the SFs while trying to sneak into India from across the border.

  Meanwhile, seven top militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul- Mujahideen (HM), including a Pakistani national, were reported to have sneaked into upper reaches of Bani and Billawar in Kathua District and were in the process of setting up their hideouts somewhere in Lohai Malhar area to recruit local youths into militancy and create infrastructure for more militants. Abu Maaz, a resident of Sialkot, Pakistan, whose real brother Abu Talha was killed in an encounter with SFs in Billawar in 2006, was leading the group along with a local Zubaid of Bhaderwah in Doda District. Intercepts have also revealed that 15 to 17 LeT militants were camping across the International Border (IB) between Hiranagar to Gurdaspur (Punjab) sectors and were in touch with Abu Maaz.

• September 19: Two militants and a trooper were killed in an encounter at Dardpora near Paner in the Bandipora District. A civilian was also killed in the exchange of firing between the two sides, official sources said. One militant was killed in the same District on an unspecified date. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants could not be ascertained immediately as the operation was still going on.

  Meanwhile, Pakistan Army tried to push 16 Pakistani and local militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) into Indian territory during two major infiltration attempts in past four days from forward areas of Balnoi and Jhalas in Poonch sector. Both the bids were foiled by the troops. Further, reports indicate that a number of militants have been seen in Tetrinote, Madarpur and Mandol areas on the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) opposite Jhalas and Balnoi villages of Poonch sector from where Pakistani troops of Mujahideen Regiment tried to push two groups of eight militants each into Indian side during past four days. Official sources said more than 70 militants have been camping at launching pads in forward areas of LoC opposite Jhalas, Balnoi, Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors in Poonch District. Majority of them were believed to be Pakistani cadre of the LeT. Very few of them were locals from Kashmir valley and Doda District, who were affiliated to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM).

  Police arrested a HM militant, identified as Mohammad Sharief, and seized terror fund worth INR 20,000 from his possession which he was going to deliver to outfit’s ‘district commander’ Qari Zubair in the Khari area of Banihal in Ramban District.

• September 17: Mirza Himayat Baig, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) over his alleged involvement in the German Bakery blast case in Pune, revealed during interrogation that he had purchased the haversack and the mobile phone used in the blast from two shops in South Mumbai’s Crawford Market. An earlier forensic probe had found that the trigger used for the blast was an alarm ringer within the cell phone with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) placed inside a red haversack. Baig is believed to have come to Mumbai by a private bus and stayed at a guesthouse in the Crawford Market area for a day under his operative name ‘Yusuf’. The guesthouse is a dormitory with INR 180 as daily rent. The Maharashtra ATS seized the guesthouse register in which they identified his ‘handwritten name and signature’. Documents of purchase and registers at the two shops were seized too. The agency is tracing his travels within the state and collecting evidence to establish the chain of events.

• September 13: Three militants, believed to be part of a major group of infiltrators, were killed in an encounter with Army in the Bandipora District. Three militants, whose identity is being ascertained, were killed after they were confronted by a search party in the upper reaches of Bandipora District, Defence spokesman Lt. Col. J. S. Brar said. The search operation in the area was still continuing as presence of some more militants is suspected in the woods.

  In the other incident, Police said a group of militants intruded into the house of Mehraj-ud-din Ganai, a trooper with Territorial Army at Pulwama and shot him from point blank range. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the killing of the trooper, but sources suspected the hand of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants in the act.

• On September 12, the bullet riddled dead body of civilian, identified as Khurshid Ahmad, was recovered from a forest area in the Surankote tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District. The body was recovered nearly 10 days after Khurshid was abducted from his house by two militants at gun point in the night of September 3.

• September 10: IANS reports that two suspected cadres of the Communist Part of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), identified as Dilip Hembram and Bullet Mahato, were arrested by Security Forces (SFs) from West Midnapore and Bankura Districts, Police said. Dilip Hembram, a resident of Keshiara in Goaltore area of West Midnapore District was arrested from Koyena village in Sarenga of Bankura District in the night of September 9. A firearm and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from him, Bankura Superintendent of Police Pranav Kumar said. Dilip was accused in several cases including murder, sedition and robbery, he added.

  In a separate incident, Bullet Mahato was arrested by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Police during a joint operation from Buripala area of Lalgarh in West Midnapore District. West Midnapore Deputy Superintendent of Police (Operation) Aneesh Sarkar said: "Mahato's arrest will help us to get information about the other members of the group active in the Kalshibangha area for the past few weeks."

• September 9: Mirza Himayat Baig, chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) unit in Maharashtra along with another person, Sheikh Lalbaba Mohammad Hussain Farid alias Bilal, was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on September 7. They were involved in the German Bakery blast case in Pune in which 17 persons died and 56 others were injured on February 13. At a press conference in Mumbai, ATS chief Rakesh Maria on September 8 said Baig was involved in every stage of the incident, from conspiracy to planting the bomb in the bakery.

  Rakesh Maria, chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) told journalists in Mumbai on that Himayat Baig, the alleged mastermind of the German Bakery blast case (February 13, 2010) in Pune, arrested by the ATS, received one-to-one training in bomb-making in Colombo in Sri Lanka in 2008 from Fayyaz Qazi, an absconding Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. Maria said, the Sri Lankan city was chosen only as a meeting point and there was no other significance to it. Ruling out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or any other connection, he said, "There seems to be only two reasons for choosing Colombo: the access to the country is easy as there is visa-on-arrival facility."

  Maria also said that Baig earlier received training in Bhatkal in Karnataka as well in 2007. He was trained in the methods of indoctrinating youth and the techniques to deal with Police interrogation. His primary job was to recruit and send youth for training to Pakistan. He even became a member of the Popular Front of India (PFI) for the same purpose. He was in touch with the LeT and had also been to Ashoka Mews in Pune (the media hub of the Indian Mujahideen which was busted by the ATS).

• September 8: Pakistan expressed its dissatisfaction with India’s replies to its questions on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley, detained in the US in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks. The Interior Ministry had in August 2010 sent about 50 questions to Indian authorities about the Pakistani-American national Headley's role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The questions related to his nine visits to India and meetings with people there. India was asked if Headley had been under surveillance during the visits. Though there has been no official word from the Government on the latest Indian dossier, a senior official was quoted as saying by the Pakistani newspaper The Dawn that the Indian response to their queries was hardly relevant.

• September 7: The Union Government expressed its openness to Pakistan's proposal to form a commission on the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks (also known as 26/11) and send it to New Delhi to record the testimony of two key witnesses, the magistrate, who recorded the confessional statement of Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant of the terror attacks, and the Police Officer who investigated the incident, but will wait for a formal request from Islamabad. Government sources said India has no problem in discussing Pakistan's proposal for such an arrangement as New Delhi had already agreed to let its officials depose before a Pakistani court via video-conferencing.

• September 5: The trial of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects in Mumbai attacks and Pakistan's proposal to form a commission that would visit India to record testimony of two key witnesses figured prominently in the telephonic conversation of Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik and his Indian counterpart P. Chidambaram. During their conversation, the Pakistani Minister proposed that a Commission may be formed to visit India to record the testimony of two key Indian witnesses for taking forward the trial of the seven Pakistani suspects. Though India proposed that the testimony of the two witnesses, the Magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of lone surviving Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and the Police Officer who investigated the incident, should be recorded via video conferencing, Malik said this was not permitted by Pakistani laws.

• September 4: India is yet to get a reply from Pakistan to its request for voice samples of key Mumbai terror attack accused including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Government sources said Islamabad has not yet replied to New Delhi''s request for the voice samples of LeT operatives Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu Al Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Younus Anjum and Jamil Ahmed. India sought the voice samples of the accused so that they can be matched with recordings of Pakistan based handlers who were coordinating the actions of the 10 militants who had carried out the attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

  Meanwhile, a recently arrested Surankote based HM militant, Liaquat Hussain, during his questioning by Police revealed that nearly 15 young girls of Surankote tehsil (revenue unit) in Poonch District, who have been taken to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HM by marrying them, were also undergoing arms training in different camps across the Line of Control (LoC). Liaquat is reported to have disclosed that Pakistan Army and militant ‘commanders’ have given a plot of land to each woman militant and INR 5 lakh for construction in Bagh area of PoK after they agreed to undergo training and join the cadre of militants. Besides 13 to 15 Poonch women, nearly 100 women militants of Pakistan were also being trained in militancy by Pakistan Army and their commanders.

• September 3: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘divisional commander’ Firdous Ahmed Mattoo alias Prince, operating in Kishtwar District for last several years, surrendered before Anantnag Police.

• September 1: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants and a guide were engaged in an encounter with Security Forces and Police at Sanjot near Dera Ki Gali in Poonch District. However, there were no casualties. The militants were reported to have escaped. Sources said they were operating in Poonch District for last three to four years.

• August 31: Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) is reportedly trying to take advantage of the large-scale misery caused by the devastating floods in Pakistan by attempting to enlist 50,000 new fighters for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). According to reports, thousands of militants are in flood-hit regions to carry out relief efforts. In return for their humanitarian deed, the terrorists demand the men to promise that they would join the fight against the West. "They see the disaster as a perfect chance to launch their biggest recruiting drive in a decade," said an intelligence official, adding, "This is disastrous for Pakistan and the war against terror." Pakistan Army official Mohammed Anwar added that "the Government has pulled thousands of soldiers away from Swat to help in relief across Pakistan." "So, the Taliban have returned with bags of money. It was a war we were winning, and because of the flood we are losing it again," he added. It is reported that members of the al-Qaeda supporting Al-Rehmat Trust and JuD are behind the recruiting campaign.

• August 30: The lack of global response in flood hit Pakistan opens up room for militant and religious outfits to intervene. The gap is being filled by religious organisations that are ready to provide the people with food and funds too. “We are the people of Pakistan and the masses trust us. We have sympathisers and volunteers in all parts of the country and will not leave our people in their hour of need,” a Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) volunteer said. It is a fact that, if the world community does not come out to rehabilitate the affected people, the terrorists will come in and that will certainly damage not only the war on terrorism, but the attempts to weaken militancy in the northern and under-developed areas of the country.

• August 26: Activists of banned militant outfits are reported to be collecting funds and relief goods for the flood victims with impunity in various areas across the provincial capital.  Many camps have been established by these banned outfits across various points in the city. Posters, banners and flags of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have been openly displayed in and around these camps and extremists are seen openly collecting money from citizens. Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation Supervisor of Media Committee, Muhammad Yahya Mujahid, who is also the spokesman for the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), claimed that relief goods and millions of rupees have been dispatched to Punjab and Sindh’s flood-hit areas.

  Police arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, identified as Irshad Ahmed, for providing Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards to militant ‘commanders’ of the outfit in Kishtwar District. Police said during investigations of the case registered at Kishtwar Police Station in connection with recovery of a large number of SIM cards from slain and arrested militants of the LeT, Police carried out raids in Patnazi area and arrested Irshad, instrumental in supplying a SIM card to LeT militant Nazir Ahmed Gorsi alias Saqib, who was arrested few days back.

• August 25: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) warned that "inimical agencies" operating from "international bases" were trying to revive militancy in Punjab by forging an alliance between Khalistani outfits and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Calling attempts to revive Sikh militancy a worrisome trend, IB Chief Rajiv Mathur said, "There have been clear attempts by inimical agencies abroad to reactivate Sikh terrorist elements, forge nexus between LeT and terrorist groups like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and mobilise their resources for planning terrorist violence in Punjab and elsewhere in the country." Mathur, though, did not name any country or identified any agency, officials tracking the development later said interrogation of those arrested recently in Jalandhar and Amritsar in Punjab clearly hinted at their association with Pakistani intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

• August 22: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government decided to take action against outlawed terrorist outfits involved in collecting donations for the flood affectees by using different names. Sources said that the provincial Government issued directives to all District Coordination Officers (DCO) to strictly monitor the activities of banned outfits involved in collecting donations for the flood victims. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government issued the directives after receiving various reports that outlawed terrorist outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and others that had been collecting donations for the flood victims by using different names and by disguising their actual leadership.

  Two top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants including a ‘district commander’ surrendered before the Police and Army in Doda District along with arms, ammunition and explosives. They were identified as Ghulam Mohammad Mengnoo alias Gulla alias Abu Rasia and Asif Ahmed Bhat. They handed over one AK-47 rifle, two Chinese Mousers, three AK magazines with 40 rounds, one HE grenade, a pouch and a large quantity of other explosive material and ammunition at the time of surrender before senior officers of the Army and Police. Both of them were ‘A’ category militants, official sources said. Official sources said Gulla Mengnoo was a District commander of the LeT outfit and was operating in Doda District since 2005. Asif Ahmed Bhat was an active militant of the LeT since 2008. He was also involved in militant activities in Doda and Kishtwar Districts.

• August 20: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) poster appealing people to condemn and raise voice against the killing of civilians in Kashmir was pasted by some unidentified people in Kishtwar town. An eyewitness said that the poster was pasted on a wall near Jamia Masjid. Written in Urdu on letter pad of LeT, with proper seal and signature, the people were asked to condemn killing of civilians in Kashmir and raise voice against the act of the SFs. The security agencies immediately removed the poster.

• August 20: Authorities have restricted access to hundreds of Internet pages containing “anti-Islamic content”, but have allowed these outfits to operate online without censorship. “Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook give such outfits a forum for carrying forward their agenda,” said Amir Rana, an author and expert on the Taliban and militancy in the country. “They are effective tools for such groups,” he added Groups with Facebook pages include Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), which is on the UN terror blacklist and linked by India to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

• August 19: Pakistan's move to send 47 questions to India seeking additional information on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley and his activities during his multiple visits to the country between 2006 and 2009 was nothing but "delaying tactics" to act against perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case. India would soon respond to the questions. Responding to the dossiers given by India seeking action against LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and his accomplices for their involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Islamabad last week sent the questions related to Headley's nine trips to India between 2006 and 2009. An official said, "The questionnaire is nothing but delaying tactics of Pakistan as we have already given all inputs about Headley. Besides, many answers to their questions are available on websites as FBI and Chicago legal department uploaded a lot of information about him." The questions asked by Pakistan include whether Indian security agencies had information about Headley's visits to India, was he was under surveillance then, how did Headley pay his hotel bills and what kind of transport did he use for travel within India.

  Security Forces (SFs) neutralised a hideout of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and recovered a consignment of explosive material and ammunition in the Taryath area of Rajouri District. The recoveries included two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one kilogram of RDX, 60 PIKA rounds, 211 AK rounds, two AK magazines and one binocular.

  Meanwhile, the SFs arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Sajjad Ahmed, from Nawapachi forest area in the Kishtwar District on August 19.

  Pakistan Army resorted to heavy firing, including mortars and rockets, directly targeting forward Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) at Nangi Tekri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch District in the morning of August 19, reported Daily Excelsior. The firing, reportedly aimed at pushing a group of eight foreign militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) into this side, was effectively retaliated by the Indian troops thwarting the infiltration bid. No casualties or major damage was reported on Indian side.

• August 16: A militant and their four Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were arrested by the Security Forces (SFs) in four separate search operations in Rajouri, Kishtwar, Doda and Reasi Districts. The SFs arrested a militant, identified as Gani Gujjar, from village Hindigam in the Chatru area of Doda District along with one 12 bore gun, one fake identity card and some other items.

  Police arrested two OGWs from Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District and recovered INR 35,000 worth terror fund from their possession. Police said the OGWs were working for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants providing them logistic support, eatables, safe hide-outs and Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards. Further, a LeT sympathizer Mohammad Shafi was arrested from Tipri Bonjwah in the Kishtwar District by Police for supplying two SIM cards to slain LeT ‘commander’ Mohammad Ishaq Bhatt alias Ateeq. Ateeq had further supplied the SIM cards to his associate Shafi Pathan. Mohammad Shaffi had obtained the SIM cards on his name and supplied them to the militant. Another OGW, Guam Mohammad, was arrested by the SFs from Relan in the Gulgul area of Reasi District.

  Meanwhile, the Central Government has decided to release 46 more Pakistani militants and illegal border crossers arrested in Jammu and Kashmir for past several years for their involvement in subversive activities. Nine Pakistani militants and border crossers were released on August 16, while 37 other foreign militants and illegal border crossers have been recommended for consular access on August 24 in Amritsar (Punjab).

  The encounter in the Sheru forests of Saran Wali area atop Shahdara Sharief in Rajouri District ended with Security Forces (SFs) killing of one more Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant. As reported earlier, two LeT militants and an Army trooper were killed while an Army Major was injured along with a Special Police Officer (SPO) and a civilian in the encounter at Sheru forests on August 15. Dead bodies of all three militants identified as ‘divisional commander’ Abu Shoaib alias Abu Ali, Ujjafa Qamar alias Doctor, both Pakistanis and Abu Akram alias Sajid Kashmiri were recovered from the site of encounter. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included three AK-56 rifles with 14 magazines, five grenades, six mobile telephones, six SIM cards, one satellite telephone, a brass stamp of LeT and some explosive material.

  Separately, the SFs neutralised a militant hideout in the Dhok Dhelia forests under the jurisdiction of Budhal Police Station in Rajouri District. Recoveries made from the hideout included five kilograms of improvised explosive device (IED), two Chinese grenades, one wireless set with antenna, one radio set, a torch and 12 pencil cells.

  Meanwhile, normal life remained paralysed for fourth consecutive day even as ongoing agitation in Kashmir valley, which showed no signs of ending, entered 10th week. While curfew remained in force in five towns including Srinagar, severe restrictions were imposed on movement of the people in the rest of Kashmir.

• August 15: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants and an Army trooper were killed while an Army Major was injured along with a Special Police Officer (SPO) and a civilian in an encounter at Sheru forests in the Saran Wali area, about four kilometres atop Shahdara Sharief, of Rajouri District. One or two other militants, including Abu Zarar alias Doctor, continued to fight till the reports last came in. The slain militants were from a fresh infiltrated group, who were being searched by the Army and Police since an attack on Army and passenger vehicles at Begu Narha in Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District on August 11 in which two civilians were killed and 20 others were injured.

  Bodies of the two militants killed in the operation were recovered from the forests. An intercept revealed their identity as Sajid Kashmiri and Abu Qamran. Sajid Kashmiri was believed to be a local while Qamran appeared to be a Pakistani. Though, exact identity of both slain militants is yet to be ascertained, sources confirmed that they were part of the LeT outfit which had attacked Army vehicles on August 11. The Security Forces (SFs) recovered two AK rifles along with a large quantity of ammunition and explosive material from the encounter site.

  Separately, one person was killed by militants at Sopore in Baramulla District in the night of August 14. Militants picked up Abdul Rehman Check, resident of Check Mohalla at Dangerpora Sopore, from his home and later killed him, Police said.

• August 14: A militant was killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Kupwara District. The gun battle broke out in Rajwar forest when militants hiding in the forests opened fire on the search party of Army, the defence spokesman said on August 15. He said one militant, who is yet to be identified, was killed in the operation, which was going on when reports last came in.

  Meanwhile, troops on August 15 recovered a consignment of explosives and ammunition from village Larkoti in Kandi Koteranka area of Rajouri District. The recoveries included an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing 18 to 20 kilograms, 162 rounds of AK, two UBGL grenades, four PIKA ammunition, two AK magazines, one pistol magazine, three sniper rounds, four filled magazines of AK and one LeT letter head. In addition, one Chinese pistol with one magazine, 10 rounds of AK, one detonator and a steel utensil IED with wires were recovered by the troops from village Chakri in Udhyanpur area of Doda District.

• August 13: Five Pakistan-based "most dangerous bad guy groups", including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, pose a critical threat in war-torn Afghanistan, says US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke. "Of course, Afghanistan and Pakistan have always been closely related," US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke told "Charlie Rose" on Public Broadcasting services (PBS). "From the day Pakistan became independent they've had a bad relationship." "And now we're in a situation where the sanctuary for the Taliban in Pakistan poses the most serious of all hurdles to our objectives in Afghanistan, and also endangers our national security," he said. While the main US enemy is al-Qaida lurking "across the border in the tribal areas of Pakistan," Holbrooke said "there are about five of our most dangerous bad guy groups all grouped in this area in Pakistan where the floods are going on now." Besides al-Qaida, he identified the bad boys as Afghan Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the infamous Haqqani group and LeT, "a group that the Americans don't pay any attention to...but the Indians sure pay attention because it is the LeT who attacked Mumbai in December of 2008." "All based in Pakistan and they're all based in an area roughly the size of California in the tribal areas," Holbrooke said stressing the need "to retain the residual capability to strike at these groups while we build up the Afghanistan security forces" as the US draws down in Afghanistan.

• August 12: The Gujarat High Court (HC) transferred the probe in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court to probe Godhra riots cases. Ishrat, a girl from Mumbra, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai from Pune, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar from Pakistan were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004. The City Crime Branch that carried out the operation claimed that all four were members of a suicide squad of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) out to kill Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The HC has also made it clear that SIT would not take any assistance from Gujarat officers, who are involved directly or indirectly with the encounter. In handing over the probe to SIT, the court has observed this would impart confidence and credibility to the investigation.

  Three heavily armed militants were shot dead in an encounter with the Army in the forest area of Bandipora District. Acting on specific information about the presence of militants in Weewan forests at Chattar Behak, Army launched a search operation in the area late in night of August 11, official sources said. The encounter began soon after contact with the militants was established. Defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Brar confirmed the killing of militants but said further details about the operation were awaited. "In an operation in the dense Bandipora forests, our troops have killed three terrorists and recovered three AK rifles, 15 magazines and 480 rounds of ammunition besides other war like stores," Brar said. They said identification of the militants would take some time but they were believed to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which has a strong presence in the area.

  Separately, Army gunned down an infiltrator and injured another before they could reach close to the fence to cross over to this side from forward area of Kas Kancha near Peer Badesar in Rajouri District. One of the intruders, believed to be a Pakistani cadre of LeT, was killed on the incident site while his accomplice who was injured managed to escape back to launching pad near Pakistan Army post opposite Kas Kancha. Troops later recovered the dead body of the slain militant along with one rifle with magazines and rounds. Army recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from Sopore area in Baramulla District. The recoveries included three AK rifles, five pistols with silencers, one Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher, two Under Barrel Grenade Launchers, 19 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 30 kilograms of explosives, 11 grenades, two radio sets and a large quantity of stores.

  Further, the SFs continued a massive hunt for fresh infiltrated group of 10 militants in different parts of Rajouri District for second day. In addition, inputs revealed that some more launching pads have been activated by the Pakistan Army and militants in Poonch District in an attempt to push militants into this side from the LoC taking cover of thick fog. Hectic activity is being observed in launching pads set up by Pakistan Army for the militants opposite Balnoi, Mandi and Sabjian, where 40 to 60 militants of LeT and HM outfits have been camping awaiting an opportunity to sneak into this side.

• August 12: External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said that India was willing to hold a sustained dialogue with Pakistan, provided the latter's soil was not used for attacks on India. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of the Indian Parliament) the External Affairs Minister said, "If there is goodwill from Pakistan and if there is an assurance that their soil is not going to be directed by terrorist instrumentalities to attack India or to foment anti-India feelings, then India would certainly be willing for a sustained dialogue with Pakistan," Referring to the role of the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed in the Mumbai attack, Mr. Krishna said, "We consider that he was the mastermind of the Mumbai attack. But unfortunately, Pakistan becomes subjective whenever we take the name of Hafiz Saeed and others into these discussions. So, we certainly would like Pakistan to be helpful, to be cooperative with India, so that we can live in peace with each other."

• August 11: Pakistan said it is ready to take action against Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed but added India should give "concrete evidence" that stands "legal scrutiny" and holds him responsible for the Mumbai attacks. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi insisted that his country was committed to bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice but could not give any specific time-frame for conclusion of the trial in the case as the judiciary is independent. India has maintained that it has provided ample evidence about Saeed''s role in the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan should follow it up and initiate legal proceedings against the JuD chief. He termed as "preposterous" any "suggestion that there is some sort of nexus" between Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Mumbai attacks, rubbishing the contention by Pakistani-American Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley in this regard.

  A group three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants ambushed Commanding Officer (CO) of Rashtriya Rifles (48th Battalion) and his escort at Begu Narha near Thanna Mandi in Rajouri District killing two civilians, one of them a woman, and injuring 20 others, including driver and Personal Security Officer of the CO, reported Daily Excelsior. The civilians were killed as a passenger bus was also caught in the firing. The CO had a narrow escape in the ambush at 8.45am. The ambush was followed by a heavy exchange of firing between Army, Police and militants for a couple of hours but all three militants were reported to have escaped. Three LeT militants had set off from village Azmatabad in the morning and laid an ambush very close to Bafliaz-Thanna Mandi road at Begu Narha with a pre-determined view to target Security Forces and passenger vehicles to cause casualties on the eve of Independence Day (August 15), sources said.

  Meanwhile, Police officials confirmed that two groups of 10 militants have managed to enter Rajouri District during past few days. While a group of five militants had sneaked into from Nowshera sector and took Kandi route to reach Darhal, another group of five militants, including three militants, who were involved in the ambush, had entered from Poonch sector. "We narrowly missed the group of five militants in Darhal yesterday [August 10] but Army and Police have laid several cordons to trap them. Of five militants, two were locals—Abdul Razzaq and Shabir Munshi while three other were Pakistanis. Of five militants, who have entered Rajouri from Poonch, four were foreign mercenaries and one local’’, sources added.

  Separately, Army and Police shot dead a LeT militant, identified as Bashir Ahmed Bhat, in an encounter at Keshwan Top in Kishtwar District. One PIKA gun with magazines and rounds were recovered from the slain militant, who was a close associate of LeT ‘commander’ Hameed alias Salman Gujjar.

• August 10: militants carried out two attacks on Security Forces in the Sopre town of Baramulla District but there was no loss of life reported in these attacks. The militants fired indiscriminately on State Bank of India building in Sopore town where a Company of CRPF (179th Battalion) is on guard. They also fired on the Police Station Sopore half an hour later. As reported earlier, three Policemen were shot dead by the militants in Sopre town on August 10. Talking about the incident on August 11, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said the LeT is believed to be involved in the Sopore attack. "The militants have started consolidating their ranks in north Kashmir after LeT ‘commander’ Abdullah Yuni's arrival this year [2010]. The ‘commander’ has regrouped the demoralised militants in the last two months.”

• August 6: A Police Constable was killed while three top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were trapped in a fierce exchange of gun-battle at village Sangiot between Manjakote and Jharan Wali Gali (JWG) in Mendhar area of Poonch District. A heavy exchange of firing that started in the morning between militants and the Security Force (SF) personnel continued till late in the evening. Official sources said a LeT ‘district commander’ Abu Akasha along with his two associates had taken shelter in a big house owned by two brothers at Sangiot after shifting to plains from Pir Panjal range in view of adverse weather including heavy rains and storm. The militants group is reported to have shifted to Sangiot only three days back. Sources said a group of local people, who had been observing mysterious movement of militants in the house at village Chiti Bhati in Sangiot area, informed the SFs. 

  Earlier, in the night of August 5, an Army trooper was killed while an officer was injured when militants opened firing on a patrol party at Zaloora in the Sopore area of Baramulla District. Heavily armed militants opened fire resulting in injuries to two Army personnel including trooper Mursaleen Khan, who died later, and Captain Prakash Hanumant. The Army troopers returned the firing towards the militant positions but the militants managed to escape from the incident site taking the cover of darkness.

• August 5: The U.S. State Department's annual “Country Reports on Terrorism for the year 2009 said that Pakistan's lacklustre approach to bring to justice the 26/11 perpetrators has basically frozen Indo-Pak peace talks, which also warned that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) remained a serious threat to Western interests. “In response to allegations of involvement by LeT in the Mumbai attacks, Pakistani officials cracked down on an LeT camp in Muzaffarabad and arrested or detained more than 50 LeT or Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) leaders in Punjab and elsewhere in Pakistan, but it subsequently released many of them. LeT remained a serious threat to Western interests.” “Pakistani officials pledged to prosecute all individuals in Pakistan found to be involved in the Mumbai attacks and offered to share intelligence regarding the attacks with the Government of India. At year's end, however, peace talks between Pakistan and India remained frozen amid Indian allegations that Pakistan was not doing enough to bring the terrorists to justice.” The State Department said foreign terrorist organisations, continued to operate and carry out attacks in Pakistan.

• August 5: Nearly 300 SIM cards of different Telecom operators were reported to have reached into the hands of militants in Doda and Kishtwar Districts strengthening communication network of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits in militancy infested areas. Reports said the ‘commanders’ of two outfits—LeT and HM—were currently in possession of five to six SIM cards of different companies, or, in some cases, 10 to 12 activated cards while other militants and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were having one or two working mobile telephones with them.

• August 4: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that they wouldn’t prevent Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)’s relief work as it may end up creating goodwill for it. "It’s a delicate situation and authorities would tread carefully," he stated. "It would be impossible to stop anybody, even if he was associated with a banned organisation in the past from humanitarian work," he said and added that JuD chief Hafiz Saeed was under surveillance.  The floods in Pakistan, which have left over 1,500 people dead, seem to have provided a new lease of life to JuD and its latest avatar, Falah-e-Insaniyat, which has pitched in with relief work. The banned organisation has carried out relief work in southern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with the authorities looking the other way. It had earlier carried out relief work during 2005 earthquake to galvanise support for ‘jihad’ (holy war) against India.

• August 3: A wanted woman militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Shabnam, wife of a recently killed LeT commander Ishaq Bhat, surfaced in the house of her slain husband at village Goni in Patnazi area of Kishtwar District and admitted her links with Bhat for last one and a half year but categorically refused that she was associated with the outfit.

• August 2: The verdict of the trial court awarding the death sentence to Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks (also known as 26/11), came up for confirmation before the Bombay High Court, which adjourned the matter. The High Court directed the Maharashtra Government and the defence to file their respective appeals on the sentence of the special sessions court in the 26/11 case by August 12.

• August 1: Pakistan does not share Taliban’s ideology and it is working to contain the threat posed by the group, said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani said. Haqqani said “The Pakistani intelligence services are working effectively to contain all terrorists including Taliban from Afghanistan and Pakistan.” He brushed aside WikiLeaks reports which suggested a link between the Pakistani intelligence services and Afghan Taliban. Haqqani said that the military field reports made online from 2004 to 2009 are “not reflective of what is happening today”. “Over the last two years Pakistan and the US have entered into a special collaborative relationship,” he said. In reply to a question about Pakistan going after Afghan Taliban thought to be hiding in North Waziristan, Haqqani said the country would not allow any Taliban to gather there. “North Waziristan is a part of sovereign Pakistan. There is no way we will let terrorists of any view or persuasion, whether originating from Pakistan or from other parts of the world or from our neighbouring countries congregate there,” he said. Responding to a question on Pakistan’s actions against banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Haqqani said the individuals allegedly responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks were all under arrest. Pakistan, he said, has asked New Delhi to provide it with evidence in the form of allowing Indian officials, who have knowledge of this crime, to travel to Pakistan and give evidence in courts here. Haqqani said, “Our military leadership, our intelligence leadership and our civilian leadership are all on the same page.”

• July 31:  Pakistan Army again resorted to cease-fire violation and tried to push infiltrators into Indian Territory from the Line of Control (LoC) in forward area of Balnoi in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch District, according to Daily Excelsior. Pakistan troops started firing on Indian positions near Chajla Man Post in Balnoi area of Krishna Ghati sector at 6.30am. Under the cover of firing, the Pakistan side also tried to push a group of five to six militants into this side of the LoC, official sources said. Troops, who were maintaining a high alert on the LoC, opened firing to neutralize the militant group trying to intrude into this side. Firing continued till 7.30am, sources said, adding, the infiltration bid by the militants was foiled with effective retaliatory firing brought down by the troops. The militants, believed to be the cadre of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who had come very close to the LoC to force their entry into this side taking advantage of covering fire of the Pakistan Army, were pushed back due to timely action by the troops. Sources said movement of five to six militants was observed from this side near Pakistan Army’s posts of Chuha and Dakku opposite Balnoi area of Krishna Ghati sector. Following firing from across the LoC, the militants had moved very close to LoC, they said, adding the firing from this side was aimed at ensuring that the militants didn’t manage to come close to LoC.

• July 29: Underlining the need to remain engaged with Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his British counterpart, David Cameron, called on Islamabad to be indiscriminate in cracking down on terror groups operating from its soil. "We believe that Pakistan should be as serious in paying attention to terror on its western borders as on the eastern borders. I sincerely hope the world community would use its good offices to promote this," Singh said at a joint press conference with Cameron here. "It is not acceptable, as I have said, for there to be within Pakistan existence of terror groups that cause terrorism within Pakistan, outside Pakistan, in Afghanistan, India and elsewhere in the world," added Cameron. At the same time, Pakistan should be encouraged to take steps to see that terror was reduced. "We want to work with Pakistan to make it fight the LeT [Lashkar-e-Taiba] and Afghan or Pakistan Taliban. The Pakistan Government has taken steps and it needs to take further steps to reduce terrorism in Afghanistan, India and the streets of London. I think the right thing is to have discussion with Pakistan frankly, clearly and openly. Next week, I will have discussions with the President of Pakistan, he said.

  Making the same point, Manmohan Singh hoped that Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would accept the invitation to visit India later this year so that "sooner or later" the dialogue was restored to the "proper sense of purpose."

  David Headley’s revelation that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) planned the Mumbai attacks with possible help from the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is a ‘ticking time-bomb’ that could wreck the US-Pakistan relationship and take the subcontinent to disaster, a former CIA official Bruce Riedel has warned. Riedel said Pakistan should carry out a ‘thorough house cleaning’ of its military.

  Security Forces arrested six Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) from Zainapora town in Shopian in the night of July 27, recovering explosives and ammunition from their possession, reports Daily Excelsior. The arrested OGWs were identified as Mohammad Yasin Bhat, Rafiq Ahmad Bhat, Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh (all residents of Zainapora), Mohammad Rafiq alias Moulvi of Chakoora-Pulwama, Imtiyaz Ahmad Malla of Arwani-Bijbehara and Aijaz Ahmad Pala of Yaripora-Kulgam. Four hand grenades, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), two shells of UBGL and 42 rounds of AK rifle were recovered from the possession of arrested persons.

  Meanwhile, restrictions were imposed on the movement of people in parts of Srinagar and Budgam Districts in the wake of demonstrations planned by separatists across the Kashmir Valley on July 28, reports Times of India. Normalcy had returned to the Valley on July 27 as the separatists allowed a break in their week-long shutdown programme in view of the Muslim festival of Shab-e-Barat.

• July 28: The Centre said it was aware that anti-India elements, who are based in Pakistan, are provoking the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the support of certain sections of secessionist groups in the State. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that these anti-India elements were inciting people on various pretexts to arouse public sentiments. "The statements of All Party Hurriyat Conference (Abbas) and All Party Hurriyat Conference (Geelani) in the media and LeT [Lashkar-e-Taiba] across the border in this regard are documented," he said. Maken said though the average annual quantum of arms and ammunition and funds coming to the State cannot be quantified, INR 76, 84,600 in cash and INR 50,000 in cheques were seized in 2009, which was being carried through hawala channels, and cases have been registered. He also informed that 668 AK-47 and 56 rifles, PIKA guns, sniper rifles etc, 1,142 magazines, 59,333 ammunitions including RPG ammunition etc., explosive material including RDX, INR 56,15,071, Pakistani currency, fake currency and remote control panels etc. were recovered from militants during 2009.

• July 27: Admiral Mike Mullen, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, said that the information in leaked documents on the war in Afghanistan did not call into question the US strategy or Washington’s relationship with Pakistan. He, however, added that Washington remained concerned about Pakistani intelligence service’s alleged links with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Haqqani network. Mullen said “any links which exist with terrorist organisations, whether it’s Haqqani or LeT, are completely unacceptable”. “I am appalled at the release. I feel very strongly that we need to make sure to do all we can that leaks like this don’t occur,” he said.

  In the wake of India''s assertion that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was involved in the 26/11  Mumbai attacks, the US administration has said that it was investigating the matter to find out whether Pakistan's ISI played a role in the 26/11 terror strikes, reports Indian Express.  "We are very much engaged in this question," a senior Administration official told PTI, when asked about the statements made by Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon that ISI had played a role in planning and execution of the Mumbai terror attacks. The official, who requested anonymity, said that the matter was under investigation and he would not like to comment till the probe was over.  The revelation about ISI role in 26/11 had not only come from the interrogation of Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley, but also through India's own investigation which had been shared with the US officials. Pakistan, for its part, has strongly denied that ISI had any role.

• July 27: SFs arrested six Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the LeT from Zainapora town in Shopian, recovering explosives and ammunition from their possession, reports Daily Excelsior. The arrested OGWs were identified as Mohammad Yasin Bhat, Rafiq Ahmad Bhat, Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh (all residents of Zainapora), Mohammad Rafiq alias Moulvi of Chakoora-Pulwama, Imtiyaz Ahmad Malla of Arwani-Bijbehara and Aijaz Ahmad Pala of Yaripora-Kulgam. Four hand grenades, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), two shells of UBGL and 42 rounds of AK rifle were recovered from the possession of arrested persons.

• July 26: Spokesperson for the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) Attiq Chohan has said that his organisation was no more banned as the Lahore High Court had cleared it of the charges in a detailed verdict last year. Producing copies of the verdict of the LHC to The News, Attiq Chohan said that a section of the media was constantly mentioning the Jamaat-ud-Dawa as a banned organisation. He reminded that the office-bearers of the organisation had moved the court against the ban and the judges later gave a decree in its favour. “We are no more banned organisation. We are neither a terrorist organisation nor do we support it as Islam does not allow terrorism,” said Attiq Chohan.

• July 26: Rehman Malik said that Pakistan had lodged protest with the Afghanistan Government about the presence of key leaders of terrorists in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province allegedly involved in planning and carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan. “We have strongly protested with the Afghanistan Government and asked it to stop the supply of arms and ammunitions to Nuristani terrorists and seal the border,” said Rehman Malik while talking to reporters after offering condolences for the Mian Rashid Hussain, son of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain. To a question, Rehman Malik said Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and other extremist outfits had already been banned by the Government and it would not take dictation from others for taking actions against the activists of these groups.

• July 24: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, involved in shooting a youth in Panzla area of Baramulla District on July 16, allegedly committed suicide inside Police. Tariq Ahmad Dar alias Jaffar was found hanging from the ceiling of his cell in Panzla Police Station in the morning of July 25, the officials said.

• July 23: The Army along with Police destroyed a hide-out of the militants during a joint search operation at village Lashkerwan in Khari area of Banihal in Ramban District and recovered a large quantity of explosive devices, which had reportedly been dumped by the LeT to target Amarnath pilgrims on the National Highway near Banihal.

• July 21-22: Two militants were killed in a gun battle with the Security Forces in the Kupwara District, defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel A. S. Brar said. The encounter broke out between militants, hiding in Rajwar forest in Handwara, and SFs in the night of July 21, Brar added. The gun battle was going on when reports came in last. Meanwhile, the HuM militant killed in the encounter with the SFs in Sopore town of Baramulla District has been identified as self-styled ‘divisional commander’ Nouman. He was a Pakistani national and involved in an attack on Lal Chowk in Srinagar in February 2010. "During ensuing encounter, one foreign militant namely Noman alias Mooch Wala alias Mike Islam and a local militant namely Arif alias Bitta, resident of Adipora Sopore were eliminated,'' a Police official was quoted as saying by the Daily Excelsior. As reported earlier, one militant each of the LeT and HuM were believed to be killed in a gun battle with the SFs at Parray-Mohalla in the Hygam area of Sopore town in the Baramulla District on July 20. An Army trooper was also killed in the incident.

• July 20: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), seeking in a Delhi court Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) head of operations Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi and four other Pakistani citizens, said its case was based on a “larger conspiracy” against India. The NIA counsel Dayan Krishnan said the agency's investigation was “separate” and it had evidence to show that the duo was part of a larger conspiracy against the country and that the 26/11 terror attack was just one part of it.

• July 20: One militant each of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) were believed to be killed in a gun battle with the Security Forces (SFs) at Parray-Mohalla in the Hygam area of Sopore town in the Baramulla District. An Army trooper was also killed in the incident. Police recovered 13 SIM cards of different Telcos from the possession of four LeT militants in Kishtwar District.

• July 19: A self styled ‘divisional commander’ of the LeT, identified as Ajmal Shah alias Abu Zarr, was killed during an overnight encounter with SFs at Garoora in the Aragam area of Bandipora District. One AK-47 rifle, four magazines, one pouch, three grenades, three mobile batteries, one lighter, nine transistor batteries, one mobile phone, two chargers and one radio set were recovered from the site of encounter. Official sources said Zarr, believed to be a Pakistani national, was second in command of LeT’s Kashmir chief Abdullah Yuni. Zarr was the highest ‘ranking’ LeT militant in North Kashmir as there were several reports earlier this year that Abdullah Yuni has managed to slip back into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after completing his designated "tenure" of operations in the Valley.

• July 18: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including ‘area commander’ Mohmmad Shafi Pathan, active in militancy for the last 20 years, were arrested from Patnazi during search and cordon operation in Kishtwar for the past two days.

  Meanwhile, wife of the slain LeT ‘district commander’ Isaq Bhat alias Hamza alias Ateeq (killed on July 14), Shabnam (28), has turned out to be a top militant of the outfit involved in many subversive activities. Recently, Police had launched a drive to win back the women involved in militancy and working as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in Doda District. The secret drive launched with the help of elderly citizens including former Panchayat (village level local self Government institution) members have resulted into at least 16 women returning to mainstream giving up the "society of militants" for whom they were working as OGWs by transporting their weapons, providing them food and giving them information about the movement of SFs.

• July 16: The Police arrested a top militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), been identified as Nazir Ahmed Gorsi alias Saqib, during a search operation from Uttrain forests at Patnazi in the Bunjwah areas of Kishtwar District. The militant was active since April 2009 in Patnazi, Bunjwah and surrounding belt of Kishtwar. Gorsi was a ‘B’ category militant involved in a number of subversive activities and was a close associate of slain LeT ‘district commander’ Ishaq alias Hamza alias Ateeq. On his questioning, Police neutralized a hide-out of the militants in the Uttrain forests and recovered one .303 rifle with one magazine and 14 rounds, five blankets, a large quantity of eatables including 2.5 quintals flour, LPG cylinders and utensils.

• July 15: Days after seeking issuance of Non Bailable Warrants (NBW) against David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, involved in 26/11 attacks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) withdrew its application realising its mistake that the agency should not have had requested the court for their NBW in the first place as both of them are already in judicial custody in United Sates (US) with which India has an extradition treaty. The NIA had last week approached the court seeking NBWs for Headley, Rana and six Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. The agency, however, told the court on July 15 that it is still pursuing the issuance of NBWs against six other LeT members who are in Pakistan with which India does not have an extradition treaty.

  Besides Headley and Rana, now in the custody of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US, the NIA had made Lakhvi, Saeed, Major Iqbal, Major Sameer Ali, Sajid Mir and Abdul Rehman accused in its First Information Report filed on November 11, 2009. They have been booked under various provisions of the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act, dealing with waging war against the Government of India, conspiracy and procuring arms and ammunition.

• July 14: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ‘district commander’, Mohammad Isaq Bhatt alias Hamza alias Ateeq, was shot dead by Army and Police in an encounter at Bunjwah in the Kither forests of Kishtwar District. Police continued searches in Bunjwah following reports that an associate of Bhatt had managed to escape during the encounter. Recoveries made from the slain militant include one AK-47 rifle with magazines and ammunition. Bhatt, an ‘A’ category militant, was presently operating in Kither, Patnazi, Gandoh and Bhalesa areas of Doda and Kishtwar Districts.

• July 13: An Army Major was killed and six other Army personnel, including a Colonel, were injured in an encounter with suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in the Mandhar sector of Poonch District. Major Amit Phunge was killed in the operation while Colonel Ajay Katoch of the Rashtriya Rifles (47th Battalion) was injured when the militants resorted to heavy fire and lobbed grenades, official sources said. The Army team had gone to the spot following information that 15 Pakistan-based militants had sneaked in. The Army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Two militants were believed to be killed in the encounter at Beri Rakh forests.

• July 11: The Security Forces (SFs) shot dead two top ‘commanders’ of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) including a foreign mercenary in two successful operations in Keshwan area of Kishtwar District and Kalakote areas of Rajouri District on July 11, according to Daily Excelsior. Operations at both the places were going on with a group of at least seven more LeT militants including a couple of foreigners being searched in Keshwan while at least one or two militants managed to escape from Kalakote gun-battle.  The militants were spotted which led to a heavy exchange of gun-battle between the two sides. In the initial round of cross-firing, one militant of the LeT outfit was killed in the evening. Other militants escaped deep into the forest area and were being chased. Of seven militants at large, at least two were foreign mercenaries while five other were locals of Kishtwar and Doda Districts. The slain militant was identified as Imtiyaz Hussain son of Ghulam Mohammad Rather, a resident of Koti Basti of Doda. One AK rifle, two magazines, 38 rounds, three grenades, a radio set and some other items were so far recovered from the encounter site. Sources said the group of eight militants was holding a meeting in Keshwan forests to devise a fresh strategy of recruitment of new youth into militancy and give a spurt to militant activities not only in Kishtwar but neighbouring Doda District. They also planned to target Amarnath yatra (Hindu pilgrimage) either on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway or at the base camp of Jammu. 

  A top LeT ‘commander’, identified as Abdul Hafeez alias Nomaan, was killed while others managed to escape in an encounter between SFs and militants in Sarwan forest belt of Kishtwar District. 

  The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir have threatened to target mobile towers of all telecom operators prompting Police to act immediately to secure them especially in hilly and sensitive areas of the District as they are frustrated by frequent intercepts of their mobile telephone conversation by security agencies and Police. The latest threat of the LeT outfit comes close on the heels of reports that a top militant commander Abdul Qayoom was gunned down by Security Forces and police in an encounter at Marmat in June, 2010, after his mobile phone conversation with his wife Asma was intercepted and his location detected.

• July 9: Three SF personnel were injured in separate militant attacks in Sopore town of Baramulla District. Militants lobbed a grenade and opened indiscriminate firing on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicles near Chanakhan at around 2.00 am, official sources said. A CRPF trooper was injured in the attack. Police sources believe that the militants were aligned to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), adds The Hindu.

  The SFs recovered a huge dump of explosives weighing 176 kilograms from a LeT hideout unearthed in Kishtwar District. Acting on a tip-off, troops launched a search operation in Chatroo and neutralised the LeT hideout. The troops later recovered 176 kilograms of explosives, which included 75 kilograms of explosive material packed in two bags, six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) weighing 15 kilograms each (90 kilograms of explosives), 75 gelatine sticks, 23 grenades, 12 bore rifles and various other materials. This is the biggest cache of explosives recovered in the State in 2010, an unnamed Army officer said.

  The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) have shifted some of their cadre to Kulgam and Shopian areas from Mahore in Reasi District reportedly after getting a SOS from their ‘commanders’ based in Kashmir Valley. Intelligence reports said a HM’s ‘district commander’ Hanief Mohammad alias Basharat, a known motivator of youths into militancy who was operating in Mahore for past several years, has recently crossed over to Kulgam along with his couple of associates two to three days back on being called by his Valley based ‘commanders’. Three LeT militants led by Abu Qatil have also moved to Kulgam and Shopian areas bordering Mahore through Pir Panjal range during the past few days along with arms and ammunition, reports said. Security Forces (SFs) and Police have intercepted a number of messages of the militants which confirmed departure of Basharat and Qatil along with their associates from upper reaches of Mahore to surrounding Kashmir areas of Kulgam and Shopian. Due to their migration, the activities of remaining cadre of LeT and HM outfits have virtually come to a standstill despite the fact that 14 militants, including four to five foreign mercenaries were still active in Mahore, Arnas and Chasana areas.

  Reports added that there could be some other reasons also behind migration of the militants from Mahore to Kulgam and Shopian though the apparent cause at this stage appeared to be latest upsurge in Kashmir which the LeT and HM outfits are trying to exploit to the best possible extent. Mounting pressure of Army and police against the militants especially their leadership in Mahore might have also forced the militants to take refuge in some "safe shelter houses’’ in Kulgam, Shopian and surrounding areas for the time being.

  Recent incidents of inter-group rivalry among the LeT and HM cadre in Mahore in which some militants have been killed could also be a reason for some militants shifting to Kashmir to get the differences sorted out with the help of their ‘commanders’, reports added further. Few days back, Security Forces and Police had recovered skeleton of a militant in Mahore which was later identified as that of Zubair Gujjar, a LeT militant, who had been shot dead by Irfan Kashmiri, a HM ‘area commander’. Investigations had revealed that Zubair was killed by Irfan Kashmiri to take the revenge of his colleague Abu Talha, a HM militant from Kashmir operating in Mahore-Gool-Gulabgarh belt for past several years. Reports said Hanief alias Basharat, a HM ‘commander’ and Abu Qatil, a LeT militant might have been called by their group leaders for a truce between the two outfits before they suffer more losses.

• July 6: The Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed has declared suicide attacks in Pakistan 'haram' (prohibited). Speaking in an interview, he said suicide attacks had no moral grounds, and elements behind such attacks should be publicly executed. “Some foreign elements are trying to create religious discord in the country,” Saeed said. He said that Pakistan had been forced to become a frontline state in the war against terrorism. Hafiz Saeed blamed India for the Data Darbar attacks and challenged Indian authorities to prove that the JuD was involved in the Mumbai attacks. The JuD chief also said that Pakistan should hold talks with the Taliban. “If the US can negotiate with the Taliban, why can Pakistan not do the same,” he said.

  Meanwhile, the Pakistani authorities said no fresh order has been issued to ban militant groups working under new names or to impose curbs on foreign travel by individuals like the JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, though action will be taken only if evidence is found against them. Responding to local media reports that 23 militant groups operating under new names have been banned, Law Minister of Punjab province Rana Sanaullah, Lahore Police chief Muhammad Aslam Tareen and sources in Islamabad said no notification has been issued with regard to the outlawed organisations or individuals like Saeed. “The Punjab government has not issued any new notification banning any proscribed organisation that is working under a new name. They are already banned,” Sanaullah said. Authorities in Punjab were “planning to crack down on militants if they are related to any banned organisation,” he said.

• July 5: The arrested Pakistani American LeT operative David Coleman Headley has said that Ishrat Jahan, who was killed along with three alleged terrorists in 2004 in a Police encounter, was indeed a LeT fidayeen (suicide bomber). Sources said Headley told interrogators from the National Investigation Agency that Ishrat, a resident of Mumbra in Thane (Maharashtra), was recruited by top LeT ‘commander’ Muzammil who was in-charge of LeT''s operations in India till 2007. The LeT had owned up Ishrat immediately after the encounter, with its Lahore-based mouthpiece Ghazwa Times describing her as a LeT activist and taking umbrage at the action of Indian Police in removing her veil. In 2007, however, LeT, in its fresh incarnation as Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), disowned her, by issuing an apology to Ishrat''s family for calling her a LeT cadre.

  Ishrat and Javed were killed along with two Pakistani nationals Amjad Ali and Jishan Johar Abdul Ghani both alleged LeT terrorists, on June 15, 2004. According to the Police version, they were intercepted on the outskirts of Ahmedabad when they were about to enter the city in a blue Indica on a mission to eliminate Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

• July 5: The Punjab Government banned 23 militant organisations operating under new names after having been outlawed and directed Police to keep a strict vigil on 1,690 office-bearers and workers of the outfits after including them in Schedule 4. According to the Provincial Home Department, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) of Hafiz Saeed has not been restricted like others, but Saeed and his two associates have been barred from travelling abroad. Their accounts have been frozen and they will not be able to get arms licences. Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Jaish-i-Muhammad (JeM), LeT, Tehrik-i-Jaferia (TIJ), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), Harkatul Mujahideen (HM), Hizbul Tehrir, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Sipah-i-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP) had been banned by the Musharraf Government in 2002, but most of them started their activities with new names. SSP was renamed as Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan, JeM as Alfurqan and Khuddamul Islam and TIJ as Islami Tehrik Pakistan and LeT as JuD. Hizbul Tehrir did not change its name.

• July 5: The Security Forces (SFs) arrested an associate of the LeT ‘district commander’ from Bonjwah area falling under the jurisdiction of Kishtwar Police Station. The arrestee has been identified as Abdul Latief Bhat alias Hafiz Latif. From his possession, one mobile phone and three SIM cards were recovered which he used to furnish information about the movements of Army, Kishtwar Police and Special Operations Group to LeT ‘district commander’ Issaf Ahmed Bhat (code Atiq), a resident of Ghoni in Kishtwar. The spokesman said that Abdul Latief was also providing shelter and eatables to the LeT militants, particularly ‘district commander’.

  Sources also said that it was only due to information about the movement of SFs being provided by Abdul Latief that the SFs were not getting the ‘district commander’ despite several operations during the past one-month. "The arrest of Abdul Latief is a great set-back to the outfit and we are sure to bust all the hide-outs of the commander besides getting information about the plans of the outfit", they said, adding "the recovery of four SIM cards from the possession of Abdul Latief clearly indicates that terrorists continued to have free assess to the SIM cards of different cellular service providers despite stringent verification norms".

• July 5: A section of anti-Awami League (AL) elements in the SFs in Bangladesh helped ISI to ferry out the ULFA commander. He is also believed to be in touch with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) to launch ‘sleeper cells’ in the State.

• July 4: The arrested Pakistani American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley has said that Ishrat Jahan, who was killed along with three alleged terrorists in 2004 in a Police encounter, was indeed a LeT fidayeen (suicide bomber). Sources said Headley told interrogators from the National Investigation Agency that Ishrat, a resident of Mumbra in Thane (Maharashtra), was recruited by top LeT ‘commander’ Muzammil who was in-charge of LeT''s operations in India till 2007. The LeT had owned up Ishrat immediately after the encounter, with its Lahore-based mouthpiece Ghazwa Times describing her as a LeT activist and taking umbrage at the action of Indian Police in removing her veil. In 2007, however, LeT, in its fresh incarnation as Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), disowned her, by issuing an apology to Ishrat''s family for calling her a LeT cadre.

  Ishrat and Javed were killed along with two Pakistani nationals Amjad Ali and Jishan Johar Abdul Ghani both alleged LeT terrorists, on June 15, 2004. According to the Police version, they were intercepted on the outskirts of Ahmedabad when they were about to enter the city in a blue Indica on a mission to eliminate Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

• July 4: The Punjab Home Department has decided to launch a crackdown on 17 banned outfits in the province and formed task forces at the district level to oversee the operations. Each task force will consist of CID, Special Branch and Anti-Terrorist Squad officials, while the District Police Officer would supervise the force and report to the Punjab Home Department. Task force officials have been directed to stay in touch with intelligence officials in the districts in order to exchange information regarding the banned outfits. The task forces will crackdown on secret hideouts of these outfits and apprehend their members. They will also trace out financing sources of the organisations. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), LeT, Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP), Tehreek-e-Jafariya Pakistan (TJP), Tehreek Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM), Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan (erstwhile SSP), Khudamul Islam, Islami Tehreek Pakistan, Hizabut Tehreer, Jamiatul Insar, Jamiatul Furqan, Kherun Nas International Trust, Islamic Student Movement, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Jama''at-ud-Da''awa (JuD) are the outfits that will be targeted by the task forces.

• July 3: The Commonwealth Games face a threat from Pakistan-based terror group LeT and other militant outfits, which, according to a US think-tank, may be planning an attack during the event. Vice-President of Tactical Intelligence, STRATFOR, Scott Stewart replied in affirmative when asked whether the sporting event scheduled in October faces any terror threat. "Yes. Two days after the February 13, 2010 blast in Pune, Ilyas Kashmiri (wanted al-Qaeda terrorist) threatened the Field Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League cricket competition and the Commonwealth Games," Stewart said in an interview. In support of his claims, the STRATFOR analyst quoted a warning of "continue attacks all across India until the Indian Army leaves Kashmir" posted by Kashmiri via the Asia Times Online on February 13, 2010. He, however, added, "Again, we would not expect to hear a threat from a group that was planning an attack, especially the closer we edge to the event they want to attack. They would be very quiet. Publicised threat statements made by militants are not a reliable way to judge the true threat to an event," said the STRATFOR analyst.

• July 2: The LeT, which so far had focused primarily on India, is having global aspirations and has spread its tentacles beyond Pakistan and Afghanistan, as manifested by the David Headley case, said Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Generally, LeT was east, focused on India. They're now in the west. Actually, they're not just in the west, focused on Pakistan. There are LeT elements focused on Afghanistan. We've seen in our own country, recently — with Detroit, with Times Square, with Headley, with Zazi — we've seen an increasing level of distributed threats, if you will, and an ability to expand this federated approach which al-Qaeda has had. And al-Qaeda is at the centre of this and al-Qaida leadership resides in Pakistan," he added. Mullen said he has been raising this concern of his with Pakistan in every meeting he has with their leaders. "If I go back even a couple years, when I first started going to Pakistan on a regular basis, it's an area that I've raised with the military leadership there from day one," he noted.

• July 1: The US said that LeT, which so far had focused primarily on India, is having global aspirations and has spread its tentacles beyond Pakistan and Afghanistan, as manifested by the David Headley case. "Generally, LeT was east, focused on India. They're now in the west. Actually, they're not just in the west, focused on Pakistan. There are LeT elements focused on Afghanistan," Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said. "We've seen in our own country, recently with Detroit, with Times Square, with Headley, with Zazi we've seen an increasing level of distributed threats, if you will, and an ability to expand this federated approach which al-Qaeda has had. And al-Qaida is at the centre of this and al-Qaida leadership resides in Pakistan.

• June 30: India blamed the LeT for stoking unrest in the Kashmir Valley, adding to the role of Pakistan-backed militant groups that have been largely linked to infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC). The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "Anti-national elements are clearly linked to the LeT. We know that the Lashkar has been active in Sopore." He pointed to an encounter on June 25 where two LeT militants were killed. Since June 11, eleven civilians have lost their lives. In the same period, 53 Central Reserve Police Force personnel have been injured, many of them seriously.

  Government sources said that the latest strategy of the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence, and the LeT is to combine renewed infiltration attempts by heavily-armed militants with the unleashing of civil unrest to ensure Kashmir remains in a state of chaos.

• June 29: Government officials said that Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had handed over a list of seven LeT operatives and handlers, involved in 26/11, against whom no action had been taken so far to Pakistan. Chidambaram is also understood to have handed over the description of people as shared by David Coleman Headley, LeT operative in the US.  The Home Minister particularly mentioned seven people against whom no action has been taken by Islamabad despite sufficient evidences being provided at his one-to-one meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik. The seven operatives are identified as Sajjid Mir, Abdul Rehman, Pasha, Brigadier Riyaz, Abu Khafa, Al Kama and Abu Hamza. New Delhi is hopeful that Islamabad will take some concrete steps before July 15 when External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna visits Islamabad. This was indicated during the interaction of Pakistani officials with Indian delegation on the sideline of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Home Ministers' Conference in Islamabad.

• June 29: Intelligence agencies warned that Indian missions in Bangladesh and Nepal are under threat from a possible terror attack from Pakistani terrorist outfits. The alert suggests the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and the LeT are planning to attack Indians working on different projects in Bangladesh and could try and create a hostage like situation. A similar threat also looms on the Indian mission in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Indian Government has already spoken to the Sheikh Hasina Government in Bangladesh and is even mulling use of Indian Security Forces to guard foreign missions. After the alert from the agencies, sources said that the threat perception has been communicated to Dhaka already and India has been assured full assistance. Meanwhile the Government is contemplating a security review of missions in Bangladesh and Nepal. Indian forces may be used to man these foreign missions under threat. “We do not deny any potential threat to our missions abroad. In this case, the matter has been taken up with the Bangladeshi Government and has been assured full assistance. The government of India is also thinking of a security review soon in Bangladesh and Nepal to decide whether the missions should be manned by Indian forces in these two locations. Intelligence agencies have communicated that the threat is from LeT and HuJI,” Government sources said.

• June 28: Indian intelligence officials have intercepted phone conversations between LeT 'commanders' that establishes that the group is planning fresh attacks at landmarks in at in different cities including Srinagar, Jammu Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The conversations also discussed a strike against top politicians.

• June 28: In a disclosure, November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) accused David Coleman Headley told the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in May 2010 that LeT and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are virtually inseparable as far as the pan-Islamic terror agenda is concerned. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram used the NIA dossier detailing Headley's disclosures to drive home the point that stringent measures are needed against terrorist groups operating with impunity from Pakistani soil. The NIA dossier, which establishes the virtual closing of ranks between LeT and ISI, clearly indicates that both are acting independently of the Government and pose a threat to Pakistan's governance. It took two days of persuasion for Headley to waive his right to silence under US law and detail every meeting he had with his LeT handlers, including Hafiz Saeed and Sajid Mir, and ISI officials in Muzzaffarabad and Lahore before the 26/11 attacks. Sources said that Headley told the NIA team comprising Loknath Behera, Swayamprakash Pani, Sajid Shapoo and special prosecutor Dayan Krishnan that his reconnaissance missions and its results were closely and jointly monitored by LeT and ISI before he received fresh instructions. The 11th dossier, which India handed over to Pakistan on June 18, contained every statement by Headley, who spoke for seven to eight hours every day, continuously for eight days.

• June 28: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pressed United States President Barack Obama to convince Pakistan to take strong action against terrorists involved in anti–India activities in that country following disclosures made by LeT operative David Headley, reports The Hindu. Briefing reporters about the 30–minute–long Singh–Obama meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Toronto, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said the two leaders discussed the situation in the region and they spoke of counter–terrorism cooperation in Afghanistan to stabilise the situation there.

• June 28: Interior Minister Rehman Malik said criminals responsible for carrying out the 26/11 Mumbai attacks wanted to instigate a war between India and Pakistan, and Hindu extremists are carrying out terrorist activities in India. In an interview to an Indian TV channel, he reiterated that Islamabad took action against LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, however, the judiciary had declared him innocent. He went on to say that Islamabad had banned 29 groups including the LeT in an attempt to curb terrorism. Malik said that prior to his arrest in the US, David Headley was travelling freely between India and Pakistan and other countries, and Pakistan wants to know who was patronizing him. Pakistan is actively searching for the Mumbai carnage mastermind and “we intend to exchange intelligence information with the CIA [Central Investigation Agency] and Central Bureau of Investigation],” he added.

• June 27: Pakistani Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in a statement issued in Islamabad has ruled out barring LeT founder and mastermind of 26/11, Hafiz Saeed, from giving inflammatory speeches targeting India. "In a democracy, there is freedom of expression...in Pakistan as in India there are all sorts of people making all kinds of speeches. There are people with extremist views in both India and Pakistan....and there is nothing you can do about it. There are views being expressed in Pakistan that I can do nothing about," Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.

• June 25: The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram met his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik and is understood to have pressed for urgent action against Hafiz Saeed, chief of the LeT’s over ground organisation Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) and 26/11 handlers, including those who are believed to be in the Pakistani Army. Chidambaram sought voice samples of the Pakistani handlers and raised issues like infiltration on the border of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistanis who have infiltrated and are indulging in militant activities. Speaking to reporters accompanying him in the special aircraft, Chidambaram said he will not say anything that will cast a shadow on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Home Ministers’ Meeting, which is primary engagement in Islamabad. He said he will tell Pakistan “politely, but firmly” that the time has come to address issues concerning the Mumbai attacks. “I will use the opportunity to bring home to Pakistan gravity of issues and the need for response that is appropriate to the gravity of the situation,” he said. “It has been 18 months since I took over. The time has come to address these issues (regarding Mumbai attacks) with seriousness that they warrant. That is what I am going to tell them politely, but firmly,” Chidambaram said. Meanwhile,Chidambaram met Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad.

  Further, hours before his meeting with Chidambaram, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said he will "satisfy" the Indian leader on the issue of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks. Malik said "instead of exchanging dossiers" the two countries should "exchange hearts". "Hafiz Saeed is an issue. And we will also satisfy Mr Chidambaram on that. We have no problem in that," Malik told an Indian television channel, when asked about India's insistence to discuss about Saeed.

• June 24: The SFs, on the basis of specific information generated jointly by Anantnag and Kulgam Police, neutralised a LeT module by arresting three militants. "When the raids were being conducted on the house of Liyakat Ali Kuchay son of Mohammad Sidiq at Kadder Kulgam, militants opened fire towards police party but no damage was caused. During the search of the house empty cartridges of 9mm were recovered and a case was registered at Police Station Yaripora in District Kulgam," a Police spokesman said. During the course of further investigation, three persons Abdul Haq Khan, resident of Arwani Anantnag Sajad Ahmad, resident of Brad Ashmuqam in Anantnag and Liyakat Ali Kuchay, resident of Kadder in Kulgam were arrested. "Search of the house of Abdul Haq Khan at Arwani, Anantnag resulted in the recovery of one pistol, one magazine, six cartridges, one mobile phone and 10 SIM cards," the spokesman added. The spokesman said from Liyakat Ali Kuchay, five Chinese pistols with ammunition were recovered. Kuchay has reportedly told the Police that he has handed over four IEDs, six pistols and three wireless sets to some militants for carrying out subversive activities.

• June 22: The operation launched by the Security Forces (SFs) at Baghat in Sopore town of Baramulla District ended with the recovery of the dead body of a top LeT ‘commander’, Abu Zubair, from debris of the house where he was hiding, reported Daily Excelsior. An AK rifle, two magazines, one pistol, five live pistol rounds and a mobile phone were also recovered from the debris of the house, official sources said. Zubair, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the LeT in North Kashmir and was involved in planning and execution of several attacks on SFs and civilians in the area, they said. An unnamed senior Police official said intelligence inputs had put the number of militants in the house at two. "We are hopeful of finding another body also as there is still some part of the debris to be searched," he added. As reported earlier, the operation began on June 21 in which a Policeman was killed and several others sustained injuries.

• June 21: The rising number of Pakistan linked terrorist plots in the United States largely stem from Islamabad's (Pakistan) continued support to some anti-India extremist groups like LeT, blamed for the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, indicates the report released by the RAND Corp. "The country's acquisition of nuclear weapons emboldened its support to militant groups by dampening concerns of retaliation by India," the report mentioned. Seth G. Jones, the study's co-author and a political scientist at RAND said, "A number of militant networks-including al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad [JeM]-remain entrenched in Pakistan and pose a grave threat to the state and the region."

  In addition to al Qaeda, numerous foreign and domestic militant groups have established networks in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) currently known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas of Pakistan. Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the attempted Times Square car bombing, reportedly had ties to several groups, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Haqqani network, the study notes. Researchers suggest the United States should restrict some military assistance to Pakistan until the nation ends its support of militant groups operating on its soil.

  Further, Jones and co-author Christine Fair of Georgetown University say that Pakistan's Army and the Frontier Corps have failed to demonstrate a consistent ability to clear and hold territory for long periods. While Pakistan has undertaken a number of operations against insurgent groups since 2001, the study finds the successes are short-lived and do not address the long-term threat. The Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps forces have had some recent successes, however. This includes efforts during Operation Sher Dil (Lion’s Heart) in 2008 (Bajaur region), Operation Rah-e-Rast (Path to Truth) in 2009 (Swat region) and Operation Rah-e-Nijat (Path to Salvation) in 2009 and 2010 (South Waziristan region), the report finds. "Yet even with this success, Pakistan's efforts are thwarted by its decision to support some militant groups. In recent months, there appear to be changes inPakistan's policy as evidenced in the capture of senior Taliban leaders such as Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. But it remains unclear whether Pakistani leaders have made a systematic break with militant groups, the report finds.

• June 20: The Police neutralised two modules linked to LeT outfit involved in supplying SIM cards, arms and explosives and fake currency to the militants in Poonch District. Six suspects were also arrested by Police.

  The Police arrested a LeT militant who is the main accused in the 2000 blast in a bus near Agra (Uttar Pradesh) that killed two passengers and injured 15 others, reports Hindustan Times. Yusuf Mohammed was arrested from Nuh village in Mewat District of Haryana and brought to Agra in Uttar Pradesh later in the day in connection with the blast at Peeli Pokhar near Khandauli, around 20 kilometres from here. "Yusuf Mohammed had been to Pakistan five to six times for training and is an active member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba," Deputy Inspector General of Police Deepesh Juneja told reporters, adding that some fake passports had also been recovered from him. He also said that Yusuf had several relatives in Pakistan and one of them had introduced him to Arif, who is closely connected with the LeT. In March, 2000, Yusuf had planned to carry out a blast at a bus stand near Agra Fort, for which he carried out a rehearsal by planting a bomb in a bus which exploded at Peeli Pokhar. Some believe that it was not a rehearsal. "The bomb for some reason exploded before reaching its target," a Police official said.

• June 19: In the Baramulla District, the SFs were engaged in a gun battle with five LeT militants, including top ‘commander’ Noman, in the forests of Marble area in Sopore. The contact with the militants was established in the morning of June 18, leading to a brief gun battle. The sources said the militants were heading towards Kupwara District to receive a group of militants, which had managed to infiltrate into the Valley from across the Line of Control (LoC) recently, when they were intercepted by the SFs.

• June 18: In the 11th dossier handed over to Pakistan since the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) terrorist attacks, India, has provided details on the 34 terrorists, including fugitives who have been recruited by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)- LeT combine to launch terror attacks as part of the Karachi Project, in the form suggested by Pakistan. India gave Pakistan the full copy of the Mumbai trial, a copy of the verdict, the charge sheets, evidence presented and used, and confessional statements. Pakistan had asked India for all of these in its last dossier. The LeT chief Hafiz Saeed evidence, Indian officials feel, is crucial. Although nobody was willing to confirm it, it's believed the Indians have got this from the LeT operative David Headley interrogations. "The deputy high commissioner of Pakistan was called in the afternoon and handed over a set of responses to the six dossiers received from Pakistan on April 25, 2010 on the Mumbai terror attacks," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.

• June 19: A surrendered militant, identified as Ghulam Nabi, who had again re-joined militancy, was arrested by Security Forces (SFs) from village Keshna in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar District. One pistol and eight rounds were recovered from his possession, Police said. The militant had earlier surrendered before the SFs. However, for the past few months, he had re-joined militancy and was working for the LeT.

• June 17: Punjab Inspector General (IG) Tariq Saleem Dogar arrived in Islamabad through a chartered plane for an emergency meeting with the head of an intelligence agency and it was learnt that the agency had compiled a report on the activities of these banned groups. Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Khosa also reached Bahawalpur for an emergency meeting in which he was briefed regarding terrorist networks and activities of banned outfits in South Punjab. Sources said some important decisions were taken in this high-level meeting held at the Circuit House.

  The Punjab IG met the head of the jihadi wing of the LeT, who is a retired Pakistan Army colonel, while the Muzaffargarh DPO also joined them.

• June 16: The Punjab Government in Pakistan gave financial assistance to the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), which was labelled a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), after the Mumbai terror attacks. Pakistan’s Punjab province government, which is led by the PML-N, gave PKR 82.77 million to the JuD, whose chief Hafiz Saeed is accused of masterminding the terror attacks, and its associates in the last fiscal year(2009) This information was revealed in a supplementary budget tabled in the Punjab Assembly which showed that that the Provincial Government gave a grant of over PKR 79 million to the Markaz-e-Tayyaba, which is the headquarters of the JuD in Muridke near Lahore in Punjab. According to reports, the government also gave an additional PKR 3 million as grant for the schools run by the JuD in different districts of Punjab. Provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah revealed to a television channel that the money had been given to the JuD. He told a TV news channel on June 15 that the money was given to these institutions after the JuD was “banned” in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the Punjab Government appointed an administrator for the organisation.

• June 16: Only about 500 insurgents, about 40 percent of them foreign militants, are still active in Jammu and Kashmir, said Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda. "There are about 500 militants presently active in Jammu and Kashmir and their number has come down from 700-800 last year and around 1,000 in 2008," Khoda said. The DGP said 40 percent of these militants were foreigners, mostly from Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK). He said the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and the LeT - the terror outfits that have bases in Pakistan - were active in the State. "The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen is more in a supportive role to the LeT but it depends on the plans conceived across (the border)," he said.

  A batch of youngsters from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are presently undergoing militant training in Kacharban in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant has told his interrogators in Jammu and Kashmir. The HM militant Muhammed Ashraf of Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir was arrested by troops of 40 Rashtriya Rifles when he was trying to enter the Indian Territory from Nallah Ban post in Mandi subsector in Poonch District in May 2010. According to officials, who interrogated Ashraf over the last several days, told over phone from Jammu and Kashmir that about 24 youth belonging to the southern States were lodged in a few quarters in PoK and were receiving militant training. "Those from Dakkan have been lodged separately at Kacharban where the Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT] has its training camp. The youngsters from JK [Jammu and Kashmir] who are in large numbers are not allowed to meet those from the Dakkan and they are being trained under the supervision of five Lashkar commanders,'' sources, quoting Ashraf, said.

• June 15: Several Afghanistan and international intelligence officials and diplomats stationed in Kabul have confirmed that the LeT, with the help of the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has expanded its anti-India operations into Afghanistan and set up training camps, adding new volatility to the relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad. The LeT is believed to have planned or executed three major attacks against Indian Government employees and private workers in Afghanistan in recent months, officials said. Pakistan maintains that it no longer supports or assists the LeT, responsible for the ghastly November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, but its expanded activities in Afghanistan, particularly against Indian targets, prompt suspicions that it has become one of Pakistan's proxies to counteract India's influence in the war ravaged country. "Our concern is that there are still players involved that are trying to use Afghanistan's ground as a place for a proxy war," said Shaida Abdali, Afghanistan's deputy National Security Adviser. "It is being carried out by certain State actors to fight their opponents," Abdali added.

  Experts are of the view that now the LeT presents more of a threat in Afghanistan than even al Qaeda does. There were a few LeT cells in Afghanistan three or four years ago, but they were not focused on Indian targets and, until recently, their presence seemed to be diminishing, the report said. Pakistani analysts, in a recent testimony to the US Congress, described the LeT as a terror group ''having ambitions well beyond India.'' "They are active now in six or eight provinces. They are currently most interested in Indian targets here, but they can readily trade attacks on international targets for money or influence or an alliance with other groups," a senior NATO intelligence official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity said. Afghan Interior Minister Hanif Atmar, who recently resigned following an altercation with President Hamid Karzai, also confirmed that the attackers, who targeted Indians during the deadly car bombing and suicide attack on two guesthouses in the heart of Kabul in February 26, 2010 were "not Afghans." "They were not Afghans," Atmar said. "What we know for sure is that it was planned, financed, organized, and that people trained for it, outside Afghanistan," he added. "Over the past six months more than four attacks in Kabul had suicide bombers with telephones that we recovered with active numbers that were from Pakistan," Atmar informed.

• June 15: A large quantity of arms, ammunition and warlike stores were recovered from the lone LeT militant killed, in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Zaloora in Sopore area of Baramulla District. The recoveries include one AK rifle, three magazines, 119 rounds of AK ammunition, one hand grenade, one GPS set, one radio set, one compass, three mobile phones and one map. One pheran, one shawl, three diaries, one kerosene can, one pouch, one head gear, two packets of dry batteries, one knife, 14 pens and INR 1320 were also recovered from the scene of the encounter. As reported earlier, two soldiers were also injured in the encounter with militant, who is believed to be a Pakistani national.

  Two alleged militant sympathizers were arrested from Gandoh area of Doda District. The arrestees were, identified as Liaquat Ali and Lal Din. Police said that they were providing mobile phone SIMs, medicines and information of movement of SFs to ‘district commander’ of LeT Isaq Bhat.

  The Punjab Government in Pakistan gave financial assistance to the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), which was labelled a front for the LeT by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), after the Mumbai terror attacks. Pakistan’s Punjab province government, which is led by the PML-N, gave PKR 82.77 million to the JuD, whose chief Hafiz Saeed is accused of masterminding the terror attacks, and its associates in the last fiscal year (2009) This information was revealed in a supplementary budget tabled in the Punjab Assembly which showed that that the Provincial Government gave a grant of over PKR 79 million to the Markaz-e-Tayyaba, which is the headquarters of the JuD in Muridke near Lahore in Punjab. According to reports, the government also gave an additional PKR 3 million as grant for the schools run by the JuD in different districts of Punjab. Provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah revealed to a television channel that the money had been given to the JuD. He told a TV news channel that the money was given to these institutions after the JuD was “banned” in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the Punjab Government appointed an administrator for the organisation.

• June 14-15: A LeT militant was killed in an overnight encounter with the Security Forces (SFs) in the Sopore area of Baramulla District. The SFs launched an operation in the Zaloora village of Sopore area following information about presence of militants in the area, official sources said. They said as the troops were closing in on the hideout of the militants, they opened indiscriminate firing on them. The firing was retaliated by the SFs, triggering off an exchange of firing. One Army trooper sustained injuries in the gun battle and the operation was suspended overnight. The operation resumed in the next morning and ended with the killing of lone militant hiding in the area, the sources said, adding identity of the slain militant was being ascertained.

• June 14: A dirty war of supremacy has broken out between militant outfits LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in Jammu and Kashmir. In the past month or so, three top ‘commanders’ from LeT and HM have been killed in clashes between the two groups in Doda, Reasi and north Kashmir. The latest casualty is the LeT militant Manzoor alias Zuber, who was killed by HM militant Irfan Mushtaq. His dead body was found by the Security Forces on June 11. “A failure to get fresh recruits, drying up of funds and elimination of over 40 terrorists by Security Forces within four months has created a vacuum in the top leadership. This has triggered a fierce rivalry between the LeT and Hizbul, both of whom want to lose control of areas from where they get extortion money,” said Lieutenant Colonel Biplab Nath, defence spokesman at Jammu. Manzoor’s killing comes days after Chota Bashir was killed by his junior, Lateef, at Dessa village in Doda. The assassin was later arrested by Police, but sources said he had surrendered after killing his ‘commander’. “The desire to obtain a larger share of the money routed through hawala channels might be a motive behind the killing. Besides, there was an attempt to show who is mightier,” added Nath.

• June 11: A ‘launching commander’ of LeT, Manzoor Ahmed alias Zubair, was found dead at village Agsi in Reasi District and was reported to had been gunned down by his associate Irfan in an act of gang rivalry.

• June 10: Deputy Inspector General, Udhampur-Reasi range Gulzar Singh Slathia said that Reasi Police arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) militant, identified as Shabir Ahmed and subjected him to questioning. During interrogation he disclosed the killing of Zubair the ‘launching commander’ of LeT by Irfan few days back. He took Police to Gagar Mandi Gali at village Agsi from where Police recovered bullet riddled body of Zubair. Police said that Zubair was a hardcore LeT militant active in Reasi and Udhampur Districts for last eight years and involved in a series of subversive activities.

• June 9: Pakistani born American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley has confirmed that LeT terrorists carried out the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai attack under the "guidance" of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Headley, who is being interrogated in the US by a team of Nation Investigation Agency (NIA) officials, has said that the notorious ISI was engaged with the LeT commanders responsible for the 26/11 carnage at "each and every stage of the plot". The account of the terrorist, who receed targets for LeT terrorists across the country, corroborates India's stand about the involvement of Pakistani State actors in terrorism, trains the spotlight on LeT-ISI tandem, and explains Pakistan's unwillingness to clamp down on the LeT leadership. Headley has mentioned serving officers of Pakistan Army — Major Sameer Ali, Major Iqbal and Major Haroon — as those who collaborated with the LeT terrorists. Major Sameer and Major Iqbal figured in the dossier India gave to Pakistani foreign secretary Salman Bashir.

  However, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is to demand voice samples of seven LeT commanders including Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu Al Qama and others when he meets his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik during his visit to Islamabad for the conference of Home Ministers from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. Pakistan has so far refused to give voice samples which could help investigators ascertain the identity of those who instructed the 26/11 attackers as they went about their deadly assignment.

  Headley has also revealed how post-26/11, ISI wanted LeT to disown the Mumbai attack to turn the global attention away from the terror outfit that Pakistan considers to be an important strategic asset to be used against India. With Mohammad Ajmal ‘Kasab’ snared, and investigations by India and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) homing in its nexus with LeT, ISI planned to blame the carnage on al-Qaeda. It even prepared a list of 4-5 al-Qaeda figures who were to be projected as the conspirators.

  Headley also admitted that while he had started off as a LeT recruit, he started drifting towards al Qaeda under the influence of Major Abdul Rahman Saeed. Saeed, who served with 6 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army, took voluntary retirement in 2002 to devote himself full time to al Qaeda's cause. Headley, who respected Saeed for his "sacrifice", went high in the retired Major's esteem because of precise inputs he provided for the 26/11 attack.

• June 8: An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in forest area of Kulgam District on June 8 while four militants were arrested from different areas of Kashmir valley. A joint team of Rashtriya Rifles of the Army and Special Operations Group of State Police launched a search operation in the forest area near Leenpathri village in Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam District, following receipt of specific information about presence of militants in the area, official sources said. Sources added that the encounter broke out between the two sides as the militants opened firing on the SFs approaching towards their positions. One militant had been shot dead so far while searches are going on in the area to look for any other militants present in the area, the sources said. The identity and organisational affiliation of the slain militant could not be ascertained till last reports came in from the area.

  However, the wireless intercepts between militants in Jammu and Kashmir and their Pakistani handlers reveal that LeT ‘commander’ Abdullah Ooni is making desperate attempts to run away from the valley as Indian SFs turn the heat on cross-border militants. Ooni, who masterminds the joint operations of the terror syndicate of the LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), has been pleading with his handlers across the border to allow him to return to PoK as he finds the going too hot for him, the officials say, citing wireless intercepts. ''We have intercepted their messages where they are desperately pleading to their handlers that they want to return safely. Ooni is desperately trying to run away,'' an intelligence official, privy to the communication intercepts, told IANS. The official could not be identified as he is not supposed to speak to the media.

• June 4: Security Forces foiled another infiltration attempt by the militants on the International Border (IB) in Hiranagar sector. The report said that an unusual presence of some dreaded militants, who appeared to be top commanders of different outfits, has been observed around launching pads in Pakistan side for past few days. The top commanders, supporting long beards and hairs, have been seen moving around launching pads of the militants opposite the IB for past few days, Intelligence sources said, adding they could be part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputed by its top brass or Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to search for the routes to infiltrate the militants, who have been held up along the border for past several months, unable to breach fencing and tight security cordon of the Border Security Force (BSF). ‘‘For the last few days, movement of new militants is being observed at launching pads erected by Pakistan Army, Rangers and ISI close to their posts on the IB on Pakistan side. Two to three such ultras have been seen at every launching pad'', sources said, adding they appeared to be the part of Pakistan's new strategy to force infiltration of held-up militants. Reports have suggested presence of more than 1000 militants opposite IB and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region for last several months. These militants, mostly belonging to LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits, were desperately trying to sneak into Indian territory but have been finding the going very tough.

  India is reported to be granted access to the LeT operative David Headley, says US National Security Adviser James Jones, reports NDTV.  A team of Indian investigators has been camping in Chicago for the last four days to question the LeT operative in connection with the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11).

  The Union Government declared the Indian Mujahideen (IM), suspected to be a shadow outfit of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Pakistan-based LeT, a terrorist outfit. The IM is reportedly involved in the serial bomb blasts in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore and Mumbai. It has been added to the list of terrorist groups under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. “An order has been issued adding the Indian Mujahideen and all its formations and front organisations to the list of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967,” the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement. Under the Act, the Government has banned 34 groups and declared them terror outfits. The IM came to light after the February 23, 2005 blast in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). Its hand was suspected in the incident. In 2008, it was reportedly involved in many terrorist attacks. Intelligence agencies believe that the outfit is also a front group of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI).

• June 3: At the start of the United States-India Strategic Dialogue, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to provide Indian authorities access to the LeT operative David Coleman Headley, accused in the Mumbai attacks and now in the custody of the U.S. Mr. Krishna said, “… access for our authorities to persons who have been apprehended by your government in connection with the Mumbai terror attack is the logical next step.”

  A team of Indian investigators has arrived in Chicago, USA and is preparing to interrogate Headley in connection with the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks. Three days after the team arrived in the US to question Headley, there was no confirmation from US authorities as to when and what kind of access would be granted to the team. An FBI Chicago spokesperson said that the federal agency would not comment or provide any information on the Headley interrogation. US Attorney's office spokesperson in Chicago Randall Samborn said he "does not have any comment on anything related to David Headley whatsoever".  The 49-year old Pakistani-American has been held at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center. 

  Headley had pleaded guilty to conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks but struck a deal with US authorities in a plea bargain that saved him from the death penalty and extradition to India.  The plea agreement had however said Headley would cooperate with foreign authorities and can be interviewed by them only on US soil.

  A hide-out of the LeT outfit was neutralised in a joint operation by Security Forces (SFs) at Lower Kasblari under the jurisdiction of Mendhar Police Station of Poonch District. A powerful 2.5 kilogramme Improvised Explosive Device (IED), 12 bundles of wire, three rounds of Rocket Projectile Gun (RPG), 48 Pika rounds, two AK magazines, 231 rounds, one rucksack, black powder, letter heads and other literature of the LeT outfit were recovered from the hideout.

• June 2: Army and Ramban District Police recovered a consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives during a search operation at Draman Trag in Banihal area of Ramban District. Recoveries were made during a joint operation conducted by the troops of 23 Rashtriya Rifles, 160 Central Reserve Police Force and Police, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramban Mubassir Latifi said. Recoveries include one AK-90 rifle, the latest version of assault rifles, four magazines of AK-90, one AK-47 rifle with 150 rounds, three HE-36 grenades, one binocular, explosive material and literature of LeT outfit. Army and Police continued searches in the area to trace the militants. However, no arrests have been made so far.

  The Army and Police extended searches in entire Thera top forests in Surankote tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District following reports that the top LeT militant Moosa Khan, who was injured on June 1, was trapped in the forests.  Reports said Army and Police have intensified searches in Thera top forests with a three tier security cordon after intercepts revealed that LeT’s Pakistan ‘commander’ Moosa Khan was hiding in the forests in an injured condition. Moosa Khan was a ‘district commander’ of the outfit and figured in the list of most wanted militants in twin border Districts of Rajouri and Poonch.

• June 1: A self-styled LeT ‘commander'' was killed in an encounter with the Army in Poonch District, an Army officer said. Acting on a tip-off, troops launched search operations in Dehra Ki Gali area in Surankot tehsil (revenue unit) in the Poonch District, he said. During search operations, militants opened fired on the troops and in retaliatory firing a self-styled LeT commander, Abu Kara, was killed and another militant was injured, he added. The encounter was on till late in the night. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included one AK-56 rifle with two magazines, two Chinese grenades, one rucksack back and a large quantity of LeT literature, adds Daily Excelsior.

  Senior Superintendent of Police of Doda District Parbhat Singh said that a Gandoh Police Station team led by Station House Officer Inspector Qureshi and joined by Rashtriya Rifles on a tip off raided a newly erected hide-out of the militants at village Dunadi and arrested two fresh recruits of the LeT. They were identified as Muzaffar Hussain (16) and Irfan Ahmed (17), both residents of village Koti.

  However, General Officer Commanding of the 16 Corps, Lieutenant General Rameshwar Roy,   said that militants are under intense pressure to perform and infiltrate into Indian side from across and the troops continue to ensure strong vigil and security along the Line of Control.  While speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the function organized in connection with the Raising Day of the White Knight Corps at Nagrota in Jammu, Roy said that there was nothing new in the resolve of the terrorists. They are under intense pressure from their mentors across to infiltrate into this side and perform.

• May 30: Troops rescued two youths from joining terrorist outfits while they were being taken by the LeT terrorist in Kishtwar District, reports Daily Excelsior. "Security Forces reclaimed two local youths while they were being forcibly picked up by Lashkar militant Ishaq Bhatt for recruitment and re-instated them back in the mainstream," official sources said. They said that the youths were picked up from Talogara and Kapari villages by the militants earlier a week.

  However, the youths identified as Sakib Mallik, 18, son of Bashir Ahmed Mallik, resident of Talogara and Mudasir Wani, 18, son of Anaytullah Wani, resident of Kapari (Chilli).

  A four-member National Investigation Agency (NIA) team went to the US with the decks finally being cleared for unqualified access to LeT operative David Coleman Headley, who was accused of his involvement in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 2611). The report adds that the Mumbai plotter can be interrogated thoroughly about the terror agenda envisaged by the "Karachi Project" to target India. Headley pleaded guilty on 12 counts, nine of which related to the 26/11 so as to avoid being extradited to India and escape capital punishment. He will be questioned on certain missing links in the 26/11 conspiracy. He will also be questioned about the February 13, 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune.

  In Laloor forests of Doda District, a newly inducted cadre of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) identified as Abdul Latief, a resident of Laloor killed a ‘district commander’ of the outfit identified as Bashir Ahmed alias Chota Bashir alias Imtiyaz. Abdul Latief, who surrendered before SFs and Police after the killing, along with AK-56 rifle and charged with murder under Section 302 RPC besides other legal provisions of militancy and Arms Act. Latief reportedly to have confessed that he eliminated his commander, who was pressurizing him to induct two particular girls in the outfit. Identity of the girls has been kept secret by the Police. His further interrogation was on to ascertain his more links in HM as well as hide-outs of the outfit in Doda District. According to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Doda District, with the killing of Chota Bashir and the surrender of Abdul Latief, the HM has been wiped out in Doda tehsil (revenue unit).

  The report adds that Doda District Police with the help of elderly citizens and former Panchayat (village level local self Government institution) members had managed to bring a number of women back into mainstream after working with different militant outfits for past few months. This had led to desperation among the militant cadre as the women were helping a lot to them in transportation of weapons and mobile phones besides arranging hide-outs. Chota Bashir was reportedly trying to bring more women into the cadre of HM. A Defence spokesman said that the failure of militant outfits to recruit fresh youth and drying up of funds has resulted in an internal crisis amongst the HM and LeT. Further, the elimination of over 40 ultras by the SFs within a span of four months has left a vaccum in top leadership which has triggered a rivalry between the outfits to gain a foothold on the extortion activities and area control.

  "The killing of Chota Bashir is a clear case of factional rivalry amongst the leaders and various groups for division of areas amongst various outfits operating in Doda District. This also reflects the low morale, lack of unity which is engulfing various militant cadres in the region of Doda, Kishtwar and Reasi due to the relentless joint operation conducted by the security forces. The ultras continued to run for cover due to the recent success by security forces," the SSP added.

• May 27: Pakistan's Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by LeT ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, seeking acquittal in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks case, after his counsel withdrew the plea.

  The Jammu and Kashmir Government revoked the detention orders of 25 Pakistani militants lodged in different jails of India to facilitate their return to their country. The State Government acted on the advice of the home ministry, which asked that the militants be released. “Their detention orders under the Public Safety Act (a law that allows the Government to keep people in jail without trial for two years) have been revoked and they would be sent to Wagah in Punjab for their return to Pakistan,” an unnamed official said. All 25 Pakistani militants, who would be handed over to Pakistan authorities at Wagah on May 28 (today), were arrested over the years from Jammu and Kashmir. Some of them were involved in acts of terror, the sources said, but did not specify the exact nature of crime committed by them. Some of them were lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir for security reasons. Most of the militants were of LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits, adds Daily Excelsior.

• May 26: 53 self-styled ‘commanders’ from different outfits - 22 of the LeT, 23 of the HM, five of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), one of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HuJI) and one of Al Badr were killed in 2009, which included the HM’s Deputy Chief of Operation Shabir Ahmed, top ‘Divisional Commanders’ of JeM, HM and LeT-Abdullah Satar, Saqib and Yousuf Gujjar. As many as 37 militants were killed in 2010 till May 15, they said, adding, it included 22 ‘commanders’ of the HM, LeT and JeM.

  Security Forces (SFs) in Jammu and Kashmir are fighting a "dozen-odd Hindu militants", according to a document prepared by Police. The document says four "Hindu militants" were among those killed in encounters with the SFs over the years, while one had surrendered and another was arrested. "Some of the (Hindu) militants are listed in the ‘A’ (the most dreaded) category and all are from various Districts of the Jammu region. The first time any Hindu was known to have joined a militant group was in the early 1990s," an unnamed Police officer said. The dozen-odd surviving Hindu militants are with the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al Badr, LeT and the Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA), the officer said, adding they are active in the Jammu Districts of Rajouri, Kishtwar, Doda and Reasi.

• May 25: Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has expressed disappointment over the verdict of the Pakistan Supreme Court, which upheld the Lahore High Court's decision to release Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest, citing lack of evidence, reports The Hindu. “There is a sense of disappointment. I am sure everybody in this country will share the same sense of disappointment on this development, especially when we regard Hafiz Saeed as one of the masterminds of the [November 26, 2008] Mumbai terror attacks and he has openly urged jihad against India,” Rao said. Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary stated, "Since Pakistan has assured us that it will not allow its territory to be used against India, we hope Pakistan will be sensitive to our efforts and take meaningful action."

• May 25: A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed pleas of the Federal and Punjab Governments against the release of Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed, maintaining that it was not a live issue. The bench comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi dismissed the petitions against the Lahore High Court verdict that ended Hafiz Saeed’s house arrest. The bench observed that keeping a person in detention on mere concerns of threat was not justified. It observed that the Punjab Government had admitted to lacking sufficient evidence against Saeed and his involvement in any illegal activities after his house arrest ended. Justice Khawaja said, “If there is any material against him then its ok, but if he doesn’t create any law and order situation then the UN resolutions don’t provide grounds to detain him.” AK Dogar, lawyer for Hafiz Saeed, said his client was a peaceful citizen and the JD was a welfare organisation. “The prosecution has failed to prove its case,” he added.

• May 24: The trial in the July 2006 serial train bomb blast case is scheduled to restart in a special court. Seven RDX bombs kept in first class coaches of Mumbai’s suburban trains exploded on July 11, 2006.  The Anti Terrorist Squad said that the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and at least five of the 13 arrested persons had gone to that country for terror training. The Police also said Pakistan-based militant outfit LeT had used the banned organisation, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), to engineer the blasts. 

  The trial started in a special court in December 2007. However, matters could not progress as the accused had challenged the application of certain provisions of law. The legal dispute was finally settled by the Supreme Court in April 2010 before the trial court in Mumbai could hear the case again. The process involved a delay of more than two years. In 2007, Saeed Ahmed, son of serial bombing accused Sohail Shaikh Shabbir Masiullah arrested for the 2006 Malegaon blast, and Zameer Rehman, accused in the Aurangabad arms haul case, had filed petition in the Bombay high court challenging the constitutional validity of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). When the High Court upheld the decision to slap MCOCA, the accused moved the Supreme Court in 2008 and it stayed their trials.

  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on the issue of access to LeT operative David Headley, suspected of having conducted surveillance of sites targeted during the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Prime Minister said, "I have been assured by the highest in the U.S. administration that we will get access to David Headley."

• May 23: The trend of women’s recruitment into militant cadre of LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) has been checked to quite an extent due to mobilization of elderly people, former Panchayat (village level local self Government institution) members and families of the women by Police and Intelligence agencies in Doda District. ‘‘The trend (of women joining militancy or lending support to the ultras in different forms) has been checked. It has been rather reverse. Police strategy to tactically wean away the women from the ranks of militants has paid off’’, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Ashok Gupta told Daily Excelsior after a two days visit to Doda District where he reviewed law and order situation of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts in a joint meeting.

  At least half a dozen women have shun the cadre of militants and silently stopped working for them on the intervention of some influential villagers, who have considerable say in their areas. The women were working for them by arranging food and shelter or even transporting their weapons in Doda District. Police have decided not to book the women as they have voluntarily given up the path of militancy. Sources, meanwhile, said only those girls, who have married the militants, have refused to join the national mainstream and continued to stay with the commanders of LeT and HM in their hide-outs located in mountainous areas. Family members of these girls, all of whom have been identified, were reported to have done their lot along with elderly villagers of the area to win back the women but couldn’t succeed. Sources admitted that prospectus of return of the women, who have married the ‘commanders’ after joining the militancy, were bleak. Accordingly, police have declared these women as ‘B’ category militants for their active participation in militancy.

• May 19: Intelligence inputs suggest that some top LeT militants, including top militant Furqan, have sneaked into Kashmir Valley infiltrating the Line of Control (LoC). Sources in the state Home department have said the inputs of wireless intercepts suggested that Furqan, whose actual name was not known, had infiltrated into the Valley to muster support among the local population and to streamline the operations of the terror outfit. Besides Furqan, five other top LeT militants were also among them, the sources said.

  Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said that the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) may have forged links with Pakistan-based LeT. "Though I have no confirmation some facts have come to light indicating that Naxals may have some connection with the Lashkar militants... The manner in which they are using IEDs, explosives and weapons with 100% technical surety shows there are experts behind this who are giving them training,’’ the Chief Minister said.

  Raman Singh also stated that Maoists are the biggest terrorists. "Who else can be termed as terrorists? They are the biggest terrorists...Naxalism is the biggest challenge to democracy. They want to capture power at gun-point,’’ Singh said when asked whether Maoists were terrorists.

  The Canada’s weekly current affairs magazine, Maclean, quoting an unnamed LeT commander claimed that Faisal Shahzad, the confessed bomb plotter of Pakistani origin, had received terror training in one of the ‘jihad’ (Holy War) camps of the LeT in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). A report in Maclean cited an unnamed LeT commander as saying that Shahzad, during his visit to Pakistan in 2006, had visited the LeT’s main base of operations in Dulai, a village situated 25 kilometres away from Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK. "He was an eager recruit. Very intelligent but also very intense, and driven to make his mark for the sake of Islam," the magazine quoted the LeT commander, as describing Shahzad.

  The LeT commander, however, denied any direct involvement of his outfit with New York bombing plot. "Shahzad came to us for training. He stayed with us for three months and we provided him with the basics. Then he went back to the U.S," the commander claimed. "After six months, we tried to contact him, but we received no response, not from emails or by telephone. We thought, well, okay, so maybe he’s had a change of heart. We have thousands of recruits who come to us for training. It doesn’t affect us if one of them is lost,’ the magazine quoted the militant leader, as saying. Recalling Shahzad’s attitude during his terror training, the LeT commander said one thing which was most noticeable in him was that he had a strong desire for glory. "He wanted to do something big, not just die an anonymous martyr alongside hundreds of other martyrs. He wanted something international. He wanted to be famous. For us, that was dangerous. We don’t want attention brought to us, and we were worried that Shahzad’s personal agenda would get him captured and bring the spotlight on us," the commander said.

• May 19: The Security Forces (SFs) shot dead two LeT militants, identified as Abdullah Aniece alias Ans alias Faisal Hafiz and Abdullah Mohammad alias Abu Maaz, both belonging to Pakistan, in a day long gun-battle at village Joura under the jurisdiction of Gandoh Police Station in Doda District, reports Daily Excelsior. A Special Police Officer (SPO) who sustained injuries in the incident died later. Recoveries made from their possession include one AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, five AK magazines, one sophisticated wireless set, 48 AK rounds, one IED, two pouches and documents. They had fired a large quantity of ammunition and lobbed explosive devices during the encounter.

  Inspector General of Police (IGP, Jammu) Ashok Gupta said that the SFs launched an operation in upper reaches of Joura after developing a specific input about the presence of two Pakistani militants—Ans and Abu Maaz—who had escaped from dragnet of SFs several times in Doda. The encounter ensued when the militants, hiding inside a house, opened fire as the SFs asked them to come out and surrender. In the exchange of fire the two militants were killed.

  Ans was a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of LeT and was operating in Doda district for last nine years while Maaz was a ‘district commander’ of the outfit and was active in the district during last seven years. Presently, they were co-ordinating activities among left out militants of LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit and were trying to strengthen their cadre with local recruitment. "For the first time in last two decades, Doda District has been cleared from Pakistani militants. Only two surviving foreign ultras in the district have been wiped out’’, IGP Gupta said. "Only 22 listed militants have been left in Doda District and all of them were locals. Entire District is today free from any Pakistani militant, who once ruled the roost in Doda’’, Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda) Parbhat Singh said.

  The Police arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the LeT, identified as Abdul Gani Butt, from forest area of Sarawan in the Kishtwar District. He was an associate of LeT ‘group commander’, Habib alias Salman. Similarly, another OGW, Khursheed Ahmad Dar, was arrested by the SFs at Srandoo in Kulgam District. A hand grenade was recovered from his possession.

• May 17: The SFs recovered arms and ammunition from a hideout of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants at Dera Ki Gali in the Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District. Recoveries include one Pakistan made pistol with magazine, three RPG shells, four UBGL shells, one wireless set, two Chinese grenades, one AK magazine, 125 AK rounds and 10 detonators.

• May 17: An encounter took place between the Security Forces (SFs) and militants in the forest area of Keshwan in Kishtwar District. The SFs launched the operation following inputs about the presence of top LeT militant Salman and his associates in Keshwan forests. After a brief exchange of firing between the SFs and militants, Salman and his associates managed to escape taking cover of dense forests.

  After traders, few truck operators have also come under clout for their links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and LeT in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and were not allowed to transport goods to Rawlakote from cross-LoC point of Chakan-Da-Bagh. The truck operators have come under surveillance following specific reports with Police and Intelligence agencies that ISI and LeT ‘launching commanders’ have stepped-up their activities at Chakan-Da-Bagh and were regularly frequenting zero line every Tuesday and Wednesday when the weekly trade is conducted. There were reports that the ISI has managed to win over some of the truck operators, hailing from Poonch District, and could use them for the militant activities.

• May 16: Suspected LeT militant Mohammad Zia-Ul-Haq, arrested by Hyderabad Police (Andhra Pradesh), had received e-mails originating from Pakistan asking him to carryout "subversive" activities in India and had millions of rupees deposited against his name in various banks, the investigating agency revealed. Officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) said that they are trying to verify the statements made by Haq, who is accused of plotting terror attacks in the city. Haq, currently under Police custody, reportedly confessed to having received e-mails from one Abdul Aziz of Pakistan, who instigated him to carry out subversive activities in India, they said. For receiving and sending the e-mails, Haq had visited cyber cafes in Rein Bazar and Mehdipatnam areas among others last month, the officials said, adding they have seized four computer hard disks from the shops and sent them to Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. The accused have also told the SIT officials that he had many bank accounts in various parts of the city with deposits running to Millions of rupees. The investigators are trying to find out the source of the money and suspect that Haq, a private car driver, received huge amounts through hawala (informal money laundering system) or other illegal means to carry out "subversive" attacks.

• May 15: To tackle the growing incidents of stone pelting in Kashmir valley, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, under special initiative, have decided to appoint stone pelters as Special Police Officials (SPOs), and entrust them with responsibility of taking on their former stone pelter partners. Police sources said that 85 youths have been appointed as SPOs and deployed in areas, which are most sensitive and infamous for stone pelting. They said that the incidents of stone pelting have considerably decreased after the deployment of stone pelters-turned-SPOs in the area. The State Police says that militant outfits based in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), particularly HM and LeT have prepared dozens of groups who are paid to instigate stone pelting in the valley. The Police claimed that these groups are paid between INR 5 lakh and INR 8 lakh, and a portion of this money is supposed to be paid to the stone pelters who pelt stones at Police and para-military troopers.

• May 14: A Policeman was killed when at least two gunmen attacked an unarmed Police Picket at the Khilwat junction of the communally sensitive Old City area of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, four days ahead of the third anniversary of the bomb blast at Mecca Masjid. Constable V. Ramesh and his colleague Sri Hari were under a tree when two youths drove up to them on a motorcycle. One of them whipped out a weapon and shot at the Policemen. Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K. Khan said that Police suspected the involvement of Vikaruddin, a suspected operative of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who reportedly masterminded a similar attack earlier. Subsequently, forensic experts who sifted the area found two spent cartridges and a blood-stained Compact Discs (CD) believed to have been left behind by the assailants. The CD contained a statement by an unknown outfit, Tehrik-e-Galba Islami that the attack was in retaliation for the bomb explosions at Mecca Masjid in 2007. The statement is in the name of Mohammad Fasiuddin. Experts said the caliber of the bullets fired matched those used to kill another Policeman on December 8, 2008 at Falaknuma.

  The LeT plans to attack a convoy of US military shipment en route from Karachi to Afghanistan. Sources said the shipment consists of approximately eight to 10 containers, and is likely to leave within a couple of days .The attack might be carried out in the vicinity of Dera Ismail Khan City in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

• May 12: Security Forces (SFs) rescued four teenagers while they were on their way to allegedly join LeT ranks in Kishtwar District. Superintendent of Police (Kishtwar) Shaheen Mughal said that the four, all 15, were handed over to their parents but would be kept under surveillance. "We're investigating the incident and looking out for the people who motivated them to join the terrorist ranks," he said. He said this was first such incident in 2010 and that the Police were keeping a vigil on the elements luring gullible teenagers. "They are on the run and have started luring the gullible youth especially teenagers to their ranks as a desperate measure to meet the shortage of ranks," a defence spokesperson said. Sources said that the four had left their homes in the morning to join the LeT but local residents informed the SFs after noticing their suspicious behaviour.

  The death sentence awarded to Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving LeT militant of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, is a result of a fair and transparent judicial process of India, the US has said. "This (trial of Kasab) was part of an Indian legal proceeding. Obviously, we have encouraged India and at times, in the aftermath, we have assisted India with the investigation, but this was the result of an Indian fair and transparent legal process," said Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley.

• May 11: The arrested Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant-cum-trainer Mohammad Ashraf, has said thousands of misguided Kashmiri youth are still receiving training in camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). He disclosed that the youths, who were getting training in different militant training camps in PoK wanted to return homes and lead a peaceful life. He further said that neither he nor other militants had any knowledge of the State Government’s proposed rehabilitation policy for them. He confessed to have received training at a militant training camp in Kacharban, PoK. He disclosed that over 2000 militants from this part of the State (Jammu and Kashmir) were active in training camps in PoK though some of them felt disenchanted with the militancy, adds Daily Excelsior. He revealed that all training camps of HM and LeT were fully active and were imparting arms training to the militants freely with active co-operation of Pakistan’s Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He disclosed that LeT and HM were the only two dominant outfits to whom majority of militants were affiliated at present in PoK while Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), once a force to reckon with in Pakistan, has virtually been rendered irrelevant with very few cadre. Only a couple of Jaish training camps were now active in PoK, Ashraf told his interrogators.

  General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen B. S. Jaswal said that infiltration from across the borders has not increased during the current year [2010]. He said, "Generally it is perceived that infiltration from across the borders with Pakistan has increased during current year but the facts are contrary to this. There has been less infiltration this year in comparison to last year [2009]. Only attempts to intrude for creating bloodshed in the State have increased…"

• May 12: The SFs neutralised a hideout of the LeT militants at Narol forests in the Mendhar tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District. Recoveries made from the forests include one pistol with one magazine, 45 AK rounds, one I Com radio set, two kilograms of TNT explosives, blankets, shawls, jungle shoes, chappals, biscuits, dry fruits and some incriminating documents. Also, the SFs recovered one AK-47 rifle, 216 rounds, two hand grenades, two grenades, one compass, one detonator and a bag during searches in the Maneeka forests of Sunderbani in the Rajouri District.

  A Delhi court convicted two Bangladeshi nationals for possessing explosives four years ago but acquitted them of the charge of being cadres of the LeT and waging a war against the country, reports PTI. Additional Sessions Judge S.K. Gautam held Alamgir Hussian Roni and Abdul Razzaq alias Aslam under the Explosive Substances Act.

• May 9: The ongoing anti-militancy operation in North Kashmir has been further expanded towards Kralgund and Vilgam forest areas in the Kupwara District as the SFs have credible information about presence of 11 militants including ‘divisional commander’ of the LeT in dense forests of the area. The area of operation has now been expanded to jurisdiction of all the three Police Stations - Vilgam, Kralgund and Handwara of the Handwara sub-division. "The cordon-cum-search operations in the forests falling between Baramulla and Kupwara districts have been intensified following intelligence inputs about presence of 11 more militants in the area," sources told Daily Excelsior. They said top LeT commander Abdul Rehman, who heads the subversive activities in North Kashmir, was believed to be among the group of militants hiding in the forests. "A coordination meeting of LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen [HuM] was scheduled to take place at a secret location but Rehman and his group had to retreat to the forests of Handwara after eight militants were eliminated by Security Forces in two separate operations at Dogaripora in Dangiwacha area and Chak-e-Adoora in Kupwara over past two days," the sources said.

  The Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M. Kadakin said that around 40 terror camps are still active in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border areas and Islamabad is yet to dismantle them, reports Times of India. Kadakin, in his second stint as ambassador to India, told Times of India in an exclusive interview that this information was based on Russian satellite imagery and intelligence. “From the information we have, there are about 38 to 40 such terror camps. Earlier they would have these bright green boards declaring the name of the organization like LeT, they have now removed them. However, the camps still remain,’’ Kadakin said, adding Pakistan had not done enough to get rid of these camps. Kadakin’s statement is extremely significant because it corroborates Indian intelligence reports that LeT has become more active in the region and is looking to target India’s interests in Afghanistan. On the developing situation in Afghanistan, Kadakin said Russia was “united 100% with India”.

• May 8: The SFs neutralized a hideout of the LeT ‘district commander’ Habib Gujjar alias Habibullah alias Salman and seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition in the forest area of Naidgam in Kishtwar District. The seizure included 60 kilograms of explosives, seven Chinese grenades, 11 UBGL grenades, two improvised pipe bombs, seven detonators, one 12 bore rifle, one RPG round, 37 gelatine sticks, 15 meters of cordex wire, one radio set battery and three fire extinguishers. The fire extinguishers could also be converted into improvised explosive devices, he added.

• May 7: A Srinagar city court acquitted a suspected LeT militant hailing from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from the charges of illegally crossing Line of Control (LoC) )and directed the Central Government to initiate proceedings for deporting him. "From the evidence, which has come on record, the offence against the accused has not been established. The accused can not therefore be convicted for the offence for which he has been charged on the basis of the evidence," Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar Mohammad Ibrahim Wani said while acquitting Shahzad Khan, a resident of Rawlakote in Muzaffarabad (Pakistan).

  The death sentence awarded to LeT militant Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab by a trial court for the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai terrorist attacks is a "clear message'' to terrorist outfits in Pakistan that they will not be allowed to get away with their nefarious designs, said Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony.  "It has been proved by this judgment that under the present law itself, if there is a will, we can take stern action...We can send a proper message to all those criminals and terrorists,'' said Antony.

  Seven LeT militants and two Army personnel were killed in an over 24-hour gunfight in the Shiekhpora forested area of Rafiabad in the Baramulla District, Police said. “The gunfight has ended. Seven militants belonging to the LeT outfit were killed while two soldiers also died,” Inspector General of Police (Kashmir), Farooq Ahmad said. “Our men are still searching the area,” he added. The gunfight was triggered late in the afternoon of May 6 after the Security Forces (SFs) surrounded the forest area on specific information about the presence of a group of heavily armed militants there. “As the tight cordon closed in on the holed up militants, they fired indiscriminately at the security forces leading to a fierce gunfight which continued for the entire night. More reinforcements were also rushed to the area yesterday (May 6),” Police said. Earlier it was reported that four militants and two Army personnel were killed in the gun battle. Although the security officials claimed that all the slain militants belonged to the LeT, a spokesman of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) told a local news gathering agency over phone that four of the killed militants were its cadres and claimed that three SFs personnel were killed in the encounter.

• May 6: The Special Sessions Court in Mumbai sentenced the lone surviving LeT militant, Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, to death for his involvement in the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai terrorist attacks. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab "shall be hanged by neck till he is dead", the court pronounced. Kasab was given the death penalty on five counts: murder, abetment to murder, waging war, criminal conspiracy and committing terrorist acts.

  He was also awarded life imprisonment on five counts: attempt to murder in furtherance of a common intention, kidnapping and abducting in order to murder, conspiracy to wage war, collecting arms with the intention of waging war and causing explosion thus endangering life and property. "You have been given the death penalty for murdering Indian citizens, Police Officers, conspiring with Lashkar [LeT] leaders and committing terrorist acts. The court has said while giving the judgment that you shall be hanged unto death," Judge M.L. Tahaliyani told Kasab. The Indian Penal Code Sections under which Kasab has been given death penalty are: 302 (murder), 302 read with 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war), 302 read with 34 (common intention) and 302 read with 109 (abetment) read with 120 B.

  In addition, he has been given death for the offence punishable under Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. For the other offences, he was awarded rigorous imprisonment, simple imprisonment and imposed with fines. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters that a confirmation of the death penalty from the Bombay High Court was awaited. Kasab would continue to be housed at the high security Arthur Road jail till further orders by the Government.

• May 4: A suspected LeT operative, Mohammad Zia Ul Haq, who was arrested by the Hyderabad Police, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

  The weekend alert in Delhi followed the busting of three separate LeT modules over last week across Nepal, Jammu and Kashmir and Hyderabad. While the former two modules were specifically tasked to hit crowded places in Delhi and were being directed by a common Pakistan-based handler, the Hyderabad module, led by local LeT operative Zia-ul-Haq, was on a mission to bomb multinational Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s HITEC City offices in the Andhra Pradesh’s capital.

  An uncorroborated intelligence input from Assam Police about groups of al-Qaeda terrorists slipping into India was one of the reasons behind the high alert sounded over the weekend. The Police was asked to look out for groups of terrorists from the al-Qaeda trying to sneak into the country from the western coast. Though the input was not corroborated, authorities did not want to leave anything to chance at a time when the LeT and other Pakistan-based terrorist groups sound determined to launch huge attacks on India.  At least a couple of inputs from Assam over the past two weeks said about 140 al-Qaeda members may have sneaked into India from the western coast, using Sri Lankan fishing boats. 

• May 3: A special sessions court in Mumbai pronounced Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving LeT militant of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks (also known as 26/11), guilty of waging war against India, after a 271-day trial. The 1,522-page judgment convicted Kasab of conspiring to wage war, along with nine other terrorists and 20 co-conspirators in Pakistan, and of murder and abetment to murder, among other offences. Among the 20 wanted accused indicted by the court are LeT Chief Muhammad Hafeez Saeed and other operatives Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Abu Hamza. The arguments for the quantum of sentence will begin on April 4 (today). Special sessions judge M.L. Tahaliyani at the Arthur Road jail court in Mumbai acquitted the other two accused, Indians, Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed, of “all the charges framed against them.” The two had been accused of making and conveying maps of target locations in Mumbai.

  The court said: “The preparations made for the attacks by Kasab and nine other attackers, and the co-conspirators, the training imparted to the gunmen, the arms and ammunition involved and the quantity of cartridges reached proved beyond reasonable doubt that this was not a simple case of murder but an offence punishable under Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code [IPC].”

  Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government would challenge the acquittal of Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed from the 26/11 case. Hours after the special court pronounced its verdict, State Home Minister R. R. Patil said that the Government will study on what grounds the duo was granted the benefit of doubt.  "We will seek opinion of the law and judiciary department before deciding on the future course of action, including challenging the verdict in a higher court."

  India is trying to defame the Kashmiri freedom movement by unjustifiably naming Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi in the Mumbai attacks case, spokesman of the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), the frontal organisation of LeT, Yahya Mujahid said in response to an Indian court’s verdict against Ajmal Kasab, the alleged lone surviving militant involved in the Mumbai attacks. “Right after the Mumbai attacks, Saeed categorically denied any involvement of his organisation in a press conference held the next day,” he said. Yahya said the Attorney General of Pakistan, Advocate General of Punjab and other Government law officials had put forth all available evidence before the Lahore High Court on the matter. “After careful review and diligent hearings, a full bench of the LHC decided that all the accusations against Saeed were baseless,” Yahya added.

• May 2: The Police arrested a militant of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) outfit, presently working for the LeT, who was linked to a major terror plot to carry out blasts in busy markets of New Delhi on May 2 & 3 for which a high alert had been sounded by the Union Home Ministry and an advisory had also been issued by the United States and Australia. The militant, identified as Omar Zargar son of Ghulam Nabi Zargar, a resident of Nawa Bazaar, was arrested from a terror hideout at Nawa Bazaar in Srinagar City before he could reach New Delhi to ute the plan along with some other associates, reportedly camping in the Union Capital. A satellite telephone, which is generally given by Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to top commanders, has been recovered from the possession of Omar Zargar. According to sources, Zargar was an active stone pelter and had rather become a ring leader of stone pelters for the past some time.

  During preliminary questioning, Zargar is reported to have confessed that he had to depart for New Delhi on May 1 as per directions of the Lashkar outfit. He was told that a person, whose identity had not been disclosed to him, will hand over explosives to him in the vehicle enroute Jammu to New Delhi. He had to plant explosive devices in busy markets of New Delhi to trigger blasts. Sources said simultaneously one or two more militants, who had been camping in New Delhi, had to plant explosives in other markets. The Lashkar plot was aimed at engineering serial blasts in busy markets of New Delhi, sources said.

• April 29: India and Pakistan agreed to the resumption of high-level dialogue, which has been disrupted since the Mumbai terror attacks of November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11. Meeting on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Yusuf Raza Gilani, decided to ask their Foreign Ministers and Foreign Secretaries to first discuss the modalities of restoring trust and confidence in bilateral ties. That would pave the way for talks on “all issues of mutual concern,'' Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said in Thimphu.

  India's concern on terrorism came up for detailed discussion with the Prime Minister conveying to Gilani that public opinion in India was exercised about the “terror machine'' that operates from Pakistan and this was the only aspect holding back normalisation of relations.  Manmohan Singh touched on all aspects of concern to India such as the Pakistan-based terrorist infrastructure, increase in infiltration and the slow progress in prosecuting the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Singh also spoke of India's “deep and continuing concern'' about the failure to prosecute LeT founder Muhammad Hafiz Saeed. Pakistan said there were some difficulties in the judicial system to deal with Hafiz Saeed. Gilani assured Singh that Pakistan was serious about prosecuting the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and maintained that all efforts were being made to bring the trial to a speedy conclusion.

• April 28: The U.S. has agreed to "take suitable steps" to give India direct access soon to Pakistan born LeT operative David Headley, who has admitted to his role in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

• April 27: Pakistan-based LeT is making concerted efforts to carry out attacks in India and to develop links in Maldives and other neighbours, the Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken told Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament). "Available inputs indicate that Pakistan-based terrorist groups primarily the Lashkar-e-Taiba are making concerted efforts to organise terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, inter-alia, including iconic institutions, prominent industrial installations and tourist locations among others," Ajay Maken told Lok Sabha in a written reply. The Minister also said some of the prominent groups which pose a serious threat include LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami (HuJI), Harkat-ul Mujahideen (HuM), Al Badr, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Communist Party of India -Maoist (CPI-Maoist). "There is also another organisation, the Indian Mujahideen," the Minister informed. Maken said, "The Government continues to be alert to these threats and re-calibrates its measures to combat terrorism by way of reviewing threat perception and a number of important decisions and measures have been taken.

  Further, he said "Government has constituted National Investigation Agency (NIA).The Multi-Agency centre has been strengthened and reorganised to enable it to function on 24x7 basis for real time collection and sharing of intelligence with other intelligence and security agencies."

• April 26: Pakistan has contended that the Indian evidence against LeT  founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed of his involvement in November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai terrorist attack is not admissible under their laws for prosecution. In a dossier given to India in which it asked for handing over of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, Islamabad has also asked New Delhi to give all additional evidence related to 26/11 to it by the middle of next month, sources said.  In the dossier given by Pakistan in response to the three dossiers given by India, Islamabad said whatever evidence India has given was not credible and not enough to prosecute anyone in a Pakistani court, sources said.  Pakistan said Indian evidence against Saeed and others, accused in the involvement of 26/11 Mumbai attack, was mainly based on the statement of Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist in 26/11, and it was not admissible under Pakistani law.  Pakistan has termed India's claims about involvement of a Pakistan Army Major and dreaded terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri as nothing but "figment of imagination".  The Pakistani response was handed over by Foreign Office officials to Indian Deputy High Commissioner Rahul Kulshreshth in Islamabad on April 26.

• April 25: Pakistan handed over to India six dossiers on its own investigation into the Mumbai attacks, with a request that India hand over Ajmal Kasab and an Indian national, Fahim Ansari, so that their testimonies could be recorded in Pakistan, reports Daily Times. Top Foreign Office officials handed over the dossiers to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner. "We have sought India's help that he (Ajmal Kasab) should be handed over to us so that the trial here can go forward," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said. Islamabad is holding seven suspects linked to the November 26 to 29 attacks on India's financial capital, including alleged mastermind of the operation, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and LeT operative Zarar Shah.

  An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi indicted the seven persons on the eve of the first anniversary of the attack. Since the indictment, officials have implied that the seven suspects' trial cannot proceed unless Kasab, who was convicted in Mumbai in March 2010 after a year-long trial, is handed over as a witness. When asked how India could extradite Kasab and Ansari to Pakistan, Basit replied, "It is not extradition per se. It is a legal requirement since the court has asked that Kasab be produced before it." Interior Minister Rehman Malik has also said that Kasab is required to appear in Rawalpindi.

• April 25: Two LeT militants, including a Pakistani, were shot dead by Punjab Police at village Rattarwaha in Gurdaspur District, bordering Kathua District in Jammu and Kashmir. Two Punjab Police personnel were killed and four others injured in the operation. Recoveries made from their possession include two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, six Chinese grenades, 16 AK and pistol magazines, all loaded, four IEDs, one compass, packets of detol soap and some other belongings.

  Two top LeT militants, identified as Ans and Maaz, both Pakistanis, once again managed to give a slip to Security Forces (SFs) and Police during an encounter at village Khatasoo in the Gandoh area of Doda District. An Army trooper was injured in the operation.

  A suspected LeT cadre, identified as Ghulam Qadir Mir, was arrested by the SFs along with four grenades and 22 rounds of AK ammunition in the Kupwara District.

• April 22: Asserting that LeT is a threat not only to India and America but also to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, P. J. Crowley said counter-terrorism is the central pillar of US'' strategic dialogues with all these countries. "It (LeT) is a threat to our citizens. It's a threat to Indian citizens. Next door, it's a threat to Pakistani citizens. And next door, it's a threat to Afghan citizens," Crowley said. "We have stepped up our cooperation with all of these countries. Together we are trying to reduce threat of violent extremism that threatens all of us and our respective citizens. It is a work in progress," he said when asked about the threat posed by the LeT.

• April 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested Mohammad Ahsan Antoo, the head of the little-known body called Human Rights Forum, hours before he was to organise a conference to be tele-addressed by the LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and HM chief Syed Salahuddin, according to Indian Express. Besides Antoo, the Police also arrested four other separatist leaders including Javid Mir, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad and Haji Farooq Ahmad Wani. They were heading towards the local hotel, where the meet was to be held, when the Police took them into custody. "We had reports that they are going to play a taped message of Hafiz Mohammad Syed. Then Jaish's Masood Azhar and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin were also going to address this gathering through phone. We investigated the matter and once we found out that it was not a seminar, but a separatist meeting, we had to act," Inspector General of Police Farooq Ahmad said.

• April 21: West Bengal Governor and former National Security Adviser (NSA) M. K. Narayanan said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has "proven links" with the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), reports The Hindu. He was speaking at a seminar on terrorism organised by the Mumbai Police. "The LeT is linked to the ISI these links are well-proven. There is a specified section of the ISI to oversee covert operations of the LeT, which has networks in 21 countries, including Australia, North America, Europe and Asia," said Narayanan. The involvement of American LeT operative David Headley and Canadian national Tahawwur Rana in terror plots had thrown light on the LeT's deep pool of recruits and the use of modern communication equipment in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks showed the level of sophistication in the outfit, he mentioned.

• April 20: Militants in Jammu and Kashmir are recruiting more and more women, a secret Police document stated. "Each village has a substantial number of women Over Ground Workers (OWGs) who are being used to deliver money, weapons or information to terrorists," the report says. Recruiting women has its advantages, according to the report, which says, "Getting women convicted under preventive detention is a distant dream. For example, one woman was caught transferring terrorist money and grenades but was let off on bail after Sopore witnessed law and order problems." Society, too, doesn't look kindly on women being held for terrorist activities.

  Also, the militants have started using upgraded technology. They are using voice overlapped internet protocol (VOIP) and encrypted messages. "Terrorists have switched to different methods of communication, including VOIP calls, which are difficult to track," the six-page document reveals, adding, "All messages sent and received are matrix-based and take a lot of time to decipher. By the time they are decoded, their importance is lost."

  The report further said that in the past six months, more than 20 Security Force (SF) personnel and 15 militants were killed in Sopore in various militancy-related incidents. The high casualty among SFs is attributed to a new strategy developed by the LeT chief Uni, who has been able to bring together several outfits. In 2010, Sopore has seen more than eight militant attacks on Policemen and security installations. Most of them have been carried out by a module comprising LeT, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and HM, all headed by Uni. Pakistani national Uni had replaced Furqan, LeT's Kashmir chief, who returned to his home country a few years ago. Uni was earlier operating from Lolaab and Bandipora areas, but has now started operating from Sopore.

• April 19: A link between the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and LeT has once again surfaced with the infiltration of two militants, including a Pakistani and a local of Doda in Jammu and Kashmir, from Bamial sector of Gurdaspur District in Punjab. The militants had surfaced at Chabe Chak in Rajbagh area on April 19 and after a brief contact with Police remained untraced since then. Reports said three suspected guides, who had the history of assisting infiltrators, have gone under ground after the Police operation between Chabe Chak to Billawar forests. A possibility is being explored whether these guides had helped the militants. Official sources said that intrusion of the militants from forward village of Simbal Skole in Bamial sector of Gurdaspur District in Punjab was facilitated by KZF cadre across the International Border (IB) in Pakistan. This has been corroborated by enough on spot evidence as well as messages intercepted on both sides—Gurdaspur and Kathua by the Security Forces (SFs). 

  Reports indicate that a couple of KZF militants might also have infiltrated into Punjab from Bamial sector but the reports have not been corroborated by the security agencies so far. However, a number of KZF literature (Dashmesh Regiment) was recovered by SFs from the border area from where the intrusion took place in the morning of April 19. Recovery of ‘Dashmesh Regiment’, a part of KZF outfit, and literature from the border from where the LeT militants had infiltrated has confirmed that a nexus between the two militant outfits still existed. A close co-ordination between KZF and LeT existed a long back too. However, after the militancy died down in Punjab, the KZF and LeT links were confined to Pakistan. 

  Sources said the intercepts as well as circumstantial evidence have confirmed that it was the KZF network opposite Gurdaspur District in Punjab which had helped the LeT cadre to infiltrate into this side as the militants were finding it difficult to breach fencing in Jammu sector despite making a series of attempts to do so during past few months. Except for Pallanwalla from where a big group of ultras succeeded in infiltration on the intervening night of March 26 and 27, most of other intrusion bids by the militants have been foiled. The LeT leadership, according to sources, is understood to have taken the help of their KZF associates in Pakistan to push the militants into this side as they were running extreme shortage of cadre especially in the wake of killing of almost all 17 militants, who were pushed to this side from Pallanwalla and Nowshera, during encounters with the Army and Police.

  The militants had infiltrated into Indian side from Bamial sector on the International Border in Gurdaspur sector after Pakistan Rangers had blasted fencing in 400 meters area by firing rockets and forced their way into Chabe Chak nursery in the Rajbagh area of Kathua. The militants, who kept on shuffling between border villages of Kathua and Gurdaspur Districts, were unable to breach Police cordon of both States to cross Jammu-Pathankot national highway to reach Udhampur or Doda Districts and were held up on this side for more than a week. Unconfirmed reports said that some Punjab militants had also intruded along with the Lashkar militants as literature of 'Dashmesh Regiment' of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) was recovered from the site of intrusion. Bamial sector in Gurdaspur has Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan on its three sides.

  The United States is working at the "highest level" to provide India with access to LeT operative David Headley, even as it is sharing "real-time" information with India, U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said.

  A Delhi court sentenced a former Jammu and Kashmir Police Constable to eight years rigorous imprisonment for being a cadre of the LeT. Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, who was posted as guard as the residence of Fazal Hussain Beigh, brother of ex-Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, was arrested from the Red Fort in New Delhi on November 25, 2006, by personnel of the Delhi Police's Special Cell. Besides the prison term, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma, who pronounced the quantum of punishment, also imposed a fine of INR 50,000 on Wani (30), holding him guilty of various offences under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court had held Wani guilty in the case on April 13.

  The Police recovered a large quantity of Pakistani items including fresh eatables from a bag seized from Chabe Chak Nursery where two militants had taken shelter. The militants reportedly have managed to escape into a nearby area in the Rajbagh area of Kathua District. Both the militants, whom intercept revealed as LeT cadre, hadn't been able to cross Ujh and were believed to be hiding in downtown of the river. As reportedly earlier, the militants had infiltrated in the morning of April 19 from village Simbal Skole in the Bamial area of Gurdaspur District in Punjab and took route of forward villages to reach Chabe Chak where they were spotted.

• April 16: Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) continues to have close links with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has used the outfit''s services to foment anti-India passion in Kashmir and elsewhere, a UN report said.  "The Pakistani military organised and supported the Taliban to take control of Afghanistan in 1996. Similar tactics were used in Kashmir against India after 1989," said the much-awaited report by UN-appointed independent panel to probe the killing of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto.

• April 14: Abdul Aleem (28), suspected LeT operative hailing from Maldives, was detained by Thiruvanathapuram city Police following an input from the Intelligence Bureau. There is a look-out-notice of the Interpol was pending against him. He would be deported to Male on April 15 since he was not involved in any cases India.

  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to give any credence to Islamabad's contention that further evidence was needed against LeT, which is responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. "I think the American intelligence and the American forces have pointed out the role of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the link between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Al Qaeda... So, I do not see there is any need for me to provide any additional evidence to Prime Minister Gilani about the role of Lashkar-e-Taiba... Hafiz Saeed, Illyas Kashmiri, Zaki-ur-Rahman, are names with regard to fanning of terrorism directed against (India)," he said. He also said that India could resume the dialogue with Pakistan only after "concrete" and "effective" action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror strikes. The Hindu adds that Prime Minister Singh told a press conference in Washington that that people who were named as part of the conspirators in the Mumbai terrorist attacks "are roaming around freely" in Pakistan.

  The Army and Police destroyed a LeT hideout at village Tandar in the Kishtwar District and recovered a large quantity of explosive devices and ration items. Recoveries include two UBGL launchers with 10 rounds, two Chinese grenades, two RPG rounds, one detonator, one AK rifle and a large quantity of ration, blankets, eatables and medicines. Police said the hideout belonged to slain LeT militant Dawood Ahmed.

• April 13: A Delhi court has convicted a former Jammu and Kashmir Police Constable for being a cadre of the LeT. Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, who was posted as guard at the residence of Fazal Hussain Beigh, brother of ex-Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, was arrested from a place near Red Fort in Delhi on November 25, 2006, by the Delhi police's Special Cell personnel. Wani, hailing from Baramulla District, was arrested along with INR 6 lakh alleged hawala money. It alleged the convict had come to the national capital to collect a consignment of arms, ammunition and hawala money which were to be used for terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The convict came into contact with his Pakistan-based handler Mohammad Ahmed, a ‘deputy commander’ of LeT, in September, 2006, and started working for the banned organisation at his instance. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma held Wani, 30, guilty of the various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The court is likely to pronounce the quantum of sentence on April 19.

• April 11: A LeT sympathiser was arrested from Doda District and sent to jail for two years under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Abdul Qayoom was arrested after a warrant was issued against him under PSA by the district magistrate on a dossier prepared by the Police. "Qayoom of Bhaderwah area has been sent to jail after his detention under the PSA for two years," Police said.

• April 9: Security Forces (SFs) arrested three local trained militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and two Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the LeT during separate operations in Kashmir valley. The SFs arrested the three HM militants, identified as Bilal Ahmad Wani, Imran Ahmad Wani and Mohammad Ashraf Gojri, from the Batapora-Magam area of Handwara in the Kupwara District along with huge cache of arms and ammunition. While an AK rifle, two magazines, 60 rounds of ammunition and two UBGL grenades were recovered from the possession of Bilal, six UBGL grenades were recovered at the instance of Imran and Ashraf.

  In another operation in the Magam area of the same District, the SFs arrested an OGW of the LeT, identified as Nazir Ahmad Mir, along with two hand grenades in the night of April 8.

• April 8: The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on arrested a Pakistani national in Dhaka suspecting him to be an organiser in Bangladesh of Pakistan-based LeT. The arrestee, Mobashwer Shahid Mubin alias Yahia (25), got involved with LeT in 1998 and came to Bangladesh in guise of a buying house businessman in 2006, RAB legal and media wing Director Commander Mohammad Sohail said. 

• April 7: An Army trooper was killed and another injured in a gun battle with militants holed up in the forest area of Handwara in the Kupwara District  Acting on a tip off about presence of militants, Security Forces (SFs) launched a search operation in the forests of Kramhour-Rajwar in Handwara. During the operation the troops came under heavy firing from the militants in which two soldiers were injured. One of the injured soldiers later succumbed to injuries.

  Three to four militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including the most wanted ‘commander’ of the outfit, Abdullah Uni, are believed to be holed up in the forest area. The militants were already operating in the hinterland of the Valley and were not infiltrators. However, intelligence sources said Uni, a Pakistani national, might have been on his way back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Uni is the top ranked LeT ‘commander’ in North Kashmir and has managed to escape the dragnet of SFs at least five times in the last five to six months. He is considered to be the brain behind all the major attacks on SFs and Police informers in Sopore and adjoining areas over the past couple of years.

• April 6: A US Defence Department think tank warned that India’s transportation, economic infrastructure and political establishment are on the LeT radar. It has also confirmed India’s charge that the militant outfit still enjoys funding from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).  The think tank found the close links between LeT and Karachi-based D-Company of underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim. “D-Company has established smuggling routes in the region, access to material, a partnership with LeT, and depends on ISI for refuge in Pakistan,” the report has said.  The think tank associated with the US Army War College said that the LeT, though having a close relationship with al Qaeda, will continue to evolve into a distinctive South Asia-centric terrorist actor while still receiving aid from fringe elements in Pakistan’s security and intelligence apparatus and elsewhere. “This will not only allow LeT to continue to plan future Mumbai-style terrorist attacks in India from safe havens in Pakistan, but will also enable it to guide and assist the predominantly indigenous Indian Mujahideen (IM).”

  According to the think tank, LeT collects donations from the overseas Pakistani community in the Persian Gulf and the UK, Islamic non-Governmental organisations, Pakistani/Kashmiri business people and through its parent organisation Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD). The militant outfit also counts on donations from sympathetic Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Islamist-leaning ISI leaders. “In addition, LeT maintains relations with extremist and/ or terrorist groups across the globe ranging from the Philippines to the Middle East and Chechnya by means of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa [JuD] network,” the report said.

• April 2: Four more Pakistani militants of the LeT and an Army trooper were killed in another encounter with Army and Police at Sadda Darkeri forests in the Kalakote area of Rajouri District during day long gun battle. During continued search operations in Kalakote and Dharamshal areas of Rajouri District, troops intercepted the militants at Sadda Darkeri forests and an exchange of fire ensued in which the four militants and the army trooper were killed. The slain militants were identified as Abu Mavia, Abu Zakir alias Chacha, Abu Hafiz and Abu Rana, all code names. All of them were Pakistani militants of the LeT outfit in the age group of 20 to 25 years. Recoveries made from the site of encounter include four AK rifles with 10 magazines and 250 rounds, two pistols, two Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs), three satellite telephones, three Global Positioning Systems (GPS), 12 hand grenades, three I Com wireless sets, two matrix sheets, four maps and some eatables.

  With this ended the nearly seven-day-long battle between LeT militants and Security Forces (SF) in Rajouri District. In all, 16 militants, militants, 15 of them Pakistanis, and five SF personnel died. The encounter began on March 27 and lasted till the evening of April 2. While a group of eight militants had infiltrated into Indian Territory from Pallanwalla sector, another group of militants reportedly entered into this side from Nowshera sector. The infiltrators were heading towards Mahore area of Reasi District, sources said.

• April 1: The US called on Pakistan to curb anti-India militants, praising Islamabad's recent efforts against extremism but saying it could do more to improve ties with New Delhi, reports Daily Times. Robert Blake, the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, held talks in India and Pakistan in late March where he said he voiced support for the recent resumption of dialogue between the long time rivals. Blake hailed the "enormous" progress in Pakistan in fighting extremists, pointing to its offensives against the Taliban in its northwest and recent arrests of militant leaders. "I think one can argue there is a lot of important progress that has been made but we think there also needs to be progress against these Punjab-based groups," Blake told reporters. He was referring to banned groups such as the LeT, which India holds responsible for a 2008 assault on Mumbai and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), believed to have joined LeT in a 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.

  The Security Forces shot dead six top LeT militants, including five Pakistanis and a local, after an exchange of fire at Khabra forests near village Raa Bagla in the Taryath area of Rajouri District, reports Daily Excelsior. The slain local militant was identified as Mohammad Aslam alias Qasim, a resident of Thanol, Mahore in the Reasi District. Aslam had been deputed by the LeT outfit to receive the infiltrators and take them safely to Mahore. Recoveries made from the scene of encounter include six AK-47 rifles with 27 magazines and 787 rounds, four UBGL grenades, two HE grenades, 25 Chinese grenades, two satellite telephones with one card, two mobile telephones with two Pak SIM cards, INR 2.30 lakh cash in Indian currency in the denomination of 1000, four compass, three Global Positioning Systems (GPS), one MP3 player, four maps of routes, five I Com wireless sets, drugs, water bottles, 92 batteries and a number of Pakistan made eatables.

  With this killing, two major groups of militants, who had infiltrated into Indian Territory from Pallanwalla and Nowshera sectors during past fortnight, have almost been neutralised. "A couple of more militants could be there but most of them have been eliminated. Majority of the ultras were dreaded commanders of LeT outfit hailing from Pakistan," official sources said. The militant groups were reportedly heading towards Gulabgarh and Mahore areas of Reasi District from where they were to be allotted to other areas.

  Sources said prior to killings, the militant in the night of March 31 went to the house of a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member Raj Kumar at Raa Bagla and asked for food. As the VDC member refused, the militants resorted to firing. The VDC members fired back forcing the militants to flee.

• March 31: Marking the end of the year-long November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack (also known as 26/11) trial, the special sessions court in Mumbai announced May 3, 2010, as "the day of judgment." Judge M.L. Tahaliyani gave the date after the lawyer for the third and last accused, Sabahuddin Ahmed, concluded his final arguments. On May 3, the court will give its verdict on the various charges against LeT militant Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, and co-accused Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin. The recording of the judgment will be done in April 2010. The trial, which began on April 15, 2009 had 191 hearings during which 653 witnesses were examined by the prosecution. The final arguments began on March 9, 2010 and lasted through the month with the prosecution laying out its case over a span of 11 days.

• March 30: Five militants, including four of LeT outfit, and four Security Force (SF) personnel were killed in two separate encounters in the Rajouri District. Two SF personnel, including a Station Hose Officer, also sustained injuries in the gun battle.

  The Police recovered five kilograms of IED, three kilograms of RDX and three detonators from Charmer Gali forest area in Rajouri District. Police were acting on the disclosure made by two suspected LeT cadres, identified as Mohammad Shabir and Mohammad Sadeeq, arrested earlier. "On the basis of the disclosure made by the arrested person during the interrogation, we launched a search operation. We found one IED in a pressure cooker, which was around five kilograms and we also recovered three kilograms of RDX," said Farooq Kesar, the Deputy Superintendent of Police.

• March 29: As revealed by different detained foreign militants, 15 foreign militant organisations were active or are still operating in Bangladesh since 1991 using the country as a safe shelter or transit to infiltrate neighbouring countries, reports Daily Star. The organisations are Pakistan-based LeT, Tehrik-e-Jehad-e-Islami-Kashmiri (TJI), Harkat-ul Mujahideen (HuM), Harkat-ul-Jehadul Islami (HuJI), Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HuM), Hezbe Islami, Jamiatul Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Ansar, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), India-based Asif Reza Commando Force (ARCF), Myanmar-based militant groups Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) and National United Party of Arakan (NUPA). The statements of detained militants also reveal agents of a Pakistani intelligence agency not only coordinated the militants'' activities in Bangladesh but also provided them with necessary funds and training.

  However, Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Hassan Mahmood Khandkar said, "Now Bangladesh is no more a comfortable place for local or foreign militants as we constantly remain vigilant and go after militants upon instructions of the Government."

  The Army said that nearly 550 terrorists were operative in the State, including around 250 in Jammu region, while 200-250 others were waiting at different launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) to enter the Indian territory to help the depleted rank and file of militant organizations in launching offensive, according to Daily Excelsior. Brigadier Gurdeep Singh, Brigadier General Staff (BGS) 16 Corps, while addressing media persons at Corps Headquarters, Nagrota, informed that there was no let-off from the side of Pakistan in abetting and aiding terrorism against India, as 42 training camps still exist across the Line of Control (LoC) out of which 34 are working wherein, 2000-2500 militants are getting training.

  The recoveries, including SIM cards, music players, eatables etc, made from the Pakistani militants killed at Kalakote in the Rajouri District on March 27 have once again proved that Pakistan is aiding and abetting militants, as all the materials recovered from their possession were found made in Pakistan, he said. "Most of the recoveries point to the involvement of our neighbour. Two Nokia mobile sets with 2 SIM cards of Jazz and Telenor mobile companies of Pakistan, perfume brands of Haji Gulzareen Khashbu House of Peshawar (Pak), Star high nutrition mixer of Multan road Lahore, Mosquito replant of Karachi and 2 GB MP player (Pak made)," he maintained.

  The BGS further said that the Jammu region has been by and large peaceful and so far, in the first three months of 2010, 24 militants, including 11 ‘commanders’ belonging to the LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Harkut-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) have been eliminated in different anti-militancy operations with the least of collateral damage. On the number of militants in the State, he said 200 to 250 militants, 50 per cent of them foreign mercenaries, are operating in Jammu region and nearly 300 in Kashmir, adds Rediff. He said, "We have also focused on over ground workers (OGWs) and facilitated their arrest under a pro-active policy to target OGWs of militants".

• March 28: About 400 militants were waiting to cross over to Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) and nearly 300 militants were active in the Kashmir Valley, Brigadier General Staff at 15 Corps headquarters Gurmeet Singh said. "According to the Intelligence available with us, there are 42 training camps across the LoC and 34 of these are active. There are 20 launch pads opposite our Corp zone where around 400 militants are waiting to infiltrate," Daily Excelsior quoted him as saying. Asked about the identity of slain militants, he said it was still being ascertained. "The militants are now coming in mixed batches - Hizb-ul-Mujahideen [HM], Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT] and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen [HuM]," he added. He said the militants were using Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite phones as they do not trust the local guides anymore.

  Further, militants are using GPS for cross-border infiltration and locating safe routes in Jammu and Kashmir, Police said after a high-end GPS was found from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants on March 27. "Militants are using GPS for finding infiltration routes and tracks for movement within J&K. The satellite based navigation system is being used by militants as a guide in mountainous terrain," Superintendent of Police (SP, Noushera) R. K. Bhat told PTI. A Taiwan-made ‘Garmin GPS’ was seized from two LeT militants who had recently infiltrated from across LoC and were killed in Dharamshal area of Rajouri District on May 27, the SP said. As the infiltrating militants are increasingly finding it difficult to get guides to help them move from one area to another, they are now using this GPS system, he added.

  Meanwhile, intelligence agencies of Security Forces and Police believed that the number of Kashmiri youths held up in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was precisely 2500. "There is no accurate official data as families of most of the youths, who had crossed over to PoK for arms training during past several years of militancy, have not lodged their missing reports. We have through our own sources of information managed to identify most of the youths who were stationed in PoK", official sources told the Daily Excelsior. "To be very precise, the number of such youths could be around 2500. The number, however, varied with different agencies with some putting it at 2000 and others at 2500 or 3000. We are taking it at 2500", they said, adding there was no basis in the claim of some human rights organisations which described the number around 10,000 or so.

  In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram pressed the point that India continued to remain vulnerable to State sponsored terror. The remarks come at a time when fresh revelations by the LeT operative David Headley indicate that there could be five-six serving Pakistani officers who were involved in the Karachi project. Chidambaram said, "The challenge before security is that the source of the terror lies across our border and they have the support of the state and therefore their capacity to reach here and strike is very high."

  At the same time, he also said that the Security Forces have the capacity to give a "swift and decisive" response to any terror attack targeted against the country. Chidambaram said that cities in India were as vulnerable to terror as those in other parts of the world. "Like any other country we are vulnerable to terror. We are no more vulnerable and no less vulnerable to terror than any other country," he said.

  The SFs arrested two persons, believed to be the Over Ground Workers working for the LeT, in the Shahdra Sharief area under the jurisdiction of Thanamandi Police Station of Rajouri District in Jammu and Kashmir. The duo, identified as Mohd Shabir and Mohd Sadeeq, and residents of Shahdra Sharief, during preliminary questioning they disclosed that they have contacts with self styled LeT ‘commander’ of Thanamandi namely Abu Qamar and his group and also revealed that Abu Qamar and his associate may be hiding in Chamrer Gali area. Based on the information provided by the duo, the SFs launched a search operation in the Chamrer Gali forest area and recovered one IED fitted in a pressure cooker weighing about five kilograms, three kilograms of RDX and three detonators.

  The Police arrested a suspect along with INR 500, 000 which was to be delivered to militants for fuelling violence in South Kashmir. Acting on a tip off, Police arrested one Nazir Ahmad Ganaie after recovering INR 5 00, 000 cash from him at Harmain in Shopian District. "The money recovered from Ganaie can be described as proceeds of terrorism. He is likely to have received the money from a courier for onward distribution among militants," said Senior Superintendent of Police (Shopian) Shahid Mehraj. The Police recovered a letter pad of LeT, a matrix sheet and a mobile phone set from his possession. This is second success of the Police against hawala (illegal money transfer) operators in Kashmir valley since 2009. In July 2009, Police had neutralized a big hawala racket spread over four Districts of the Valley and had recovered INR 4 00, 000 from the conduits.

• March 27: Pakistan-based LeT, predominately a threat to India, is fast expanding operations to other South Asian countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives, said Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command in his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The dangerously expanding influence of LeT, which was responsible for the Mumbai attack in 2008, is an issue of concern for the Obama Administration, he said. "Right now our concern is the movement of Lashkar-e Taiba, the terrorist group that emanates from Pakistan that was responsible for the Mumbai attacks in India, and specifically their positioning in Bangladesh and Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka," Willard said in response to a question from Senator George Lemieux.

  Admiral Robert Willard said the US was working "very closely with the Indians" and within to develop the necessary plans to counter LeT and its movement into the Asia-Pacific region. Asked specifically if the LeT is a regional threat or a threat to India, Willard said as of now Lashkar is predominately a threat to India. "We're attempting to develop a further understanding of the extent to which they're a regional threat. If you'll recall, Lashkar-e-Taiba was evidenced in Chicago with the arrest of Headley," he said. "And we have certainly knowledge of their influence within the region beyond the countries that I just mentioned. The extent of that influence is what we're taking under study," he said. Responding to a question from Senator Daniel Akaka, Willard said the military-to-military relationship with India has been evolving over the last decade and has also started at the tactical level service-to-service type interaction.

  At least four LeT militants were killed in gun battles with Security Forces (SFs) in the Rajouri and Kishtwar Districts. Two top LeT militants, identified as ‘district commander’ LeT Patimahal, Rehmatulla alias Saifullah, and Nissar Ahmed Parrey, who had recently been recruited into the LeT, were killed in Kishtwar District. The SFs also recovered one AK-47 assault rifle and one Chinese grenade from the militants.

  In another encounter in the Kalakote area of Rajouri District, two top Pakistani terrorists of the LeT were killed in a gun battle with the SFs. The slain militants were identified as Abu Osama and Abu Sorab. Two AK-47 rifles with eight magazines, 214 rounds, one Chinese pistol with three magazines and 15 rounds, one solar charger, two radio sets/icon with two chargers, one GPS Garmin, one satellite phone charger, two hares, a sophisticated compass, a map sheet and matrix sheet, two UBGL grenades, one binocular, two hand grenades along with medicine and eatables were recovered from the rucksacks of the slain militants.

• March 26: The LeT has issued a warning in Kashmir, telling residents to stop helping defence forces or face death. In its latest diktat, the LeT has put up posters in the Doda District of Kashmir warning locals that all who either serve in the paramilitary forces or the Police force will be slaughtered. The posters warn locals who are working in the paramilitary or Police force, that they should resign or face consequences. The leT goes on to add that in coming days the group will target the Special Police Officers (SPOs).

  LeT operative David Coleman Headley identified five-six serving officers of the Pakistan Army among the leaders of the Karachi Project, which seeks to organize attacks on India through fugitive Indian jihadis being sheltered in Karachi by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)-LeT combine. Sources said that besides serving Majors Samir Ali and Iqbal of Pakistan Army, Headley has told his FBI handlers about the role of one Colonel Shah and at least two other officers of the Pakistan Army in the Karachi Project. The role of two serving officers of the Pakistan Army, Majors Samir Ali and Iqbal, in the Karachi Project, was reportedly mentioned in the dossier that was submitted to visiting Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir in New Delhi on February 25.

• March 26: Several satellite phone conversations intercepted by Indian agencies in the past few months indicate that LeT is now deeply involved in attempts to drive India out of Afghanistan. These intercepts, which have been brought to the notice of US security agencies, are in Urdu and not just in Pashto which, according to Indian officials, suggests the involvement of LeT. The location of the satellite phone in most of these conversations was established in areas adjoining the Kunar province along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Kunar is the place where LeT was first formed in the early 1990s. One such conversation was intercepted in the first week of February 2010 by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) in which terrorists were heard talking about the need to hurt India in Kabul. "Unlike earlier, apart from Pashto, many of these recent intercepts have been in Urdu. These were taken up with US agencies and they later authenticated them," said an official source, adding that through the intercepts, India has been able to confirm at least five meetings since September 2009 in which plans to attack Indians in Afghanistan were discussed.

  The intercepts also revealed that ISI officials were in constant touch with not just LeT but also other groups in Afghanistan to carry out attacks against Indians and Indian establishments in Afghanistan. The first of these was in Kunar in September 2009 in which LeT played host to the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Taliban leaders and other groups like Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an ISI lackey and rabid India-baiter. According to Indian officials, it appears that the LeT is trying to revive its old base in Kunar and use it to carry its battle against India to Afghanistan.

  A week after the February 26 attacks on Indians in two guesthouses in Kabul, a spokesperson for the Afghan intelligence service had said that the perpetrators were from the LeT because they were heard talking in Urdu by those present at the spot. US counter-terror coordinator Daniel Benjamin said in New Delhi on March 25 that US was focusing on LeT because it was filling up the gap left by "a diminished Al Qaida".

• March 25: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram urged the UK and the US to put pressure on Pakistan to shut down terror camps operating in that country adding terror training must come to an end, reports Times of India. In an interview to BBC, he said that the civilian Government in Pakistan has not moved towards reining in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and likened Pakistan-based militant outfits LeT to al-Qaeda. Chidambaram, on an official visit in London, said things would be better "if there is a truly civilian Government in Pakistan which can rein in the ISI and direct the army and the ISI to move in and dismantle their terror infrastructure". "The camps must be closed. Training must come to an end", he added.

  Chidambaram also said that it would be "naive" for Western countries to think that only India faces the threat from Pakistan-based terrorists. "Once you allow these terror groups to train, recruit and be able to build capacity to strike, they can strike in India, they can strike in UK, they can strike in Denmark as they were planning out of the Karachi project", he said. "No country is truly safe....Don't think that India alone is under threat. Every country is under threat from these groups and the Lashkar-e-Taiba today is like the al-Qaeda, a multi-country group," he stressed.

• March 23: The militants vowed to wage jihad (holy war) to liberate Kashmir from Indian control. About 5,000 persons attended a rally in Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), shouting, "We are ready for jihad, we are ready for jihad!" The gathering marked the anniversary of the 1940 Pakistan Resolution, in which Indian Muslims decided to struggle for a separate country following independence from British rule. Pakistan was born seven years later on 14th August 1947. "Diplomacy, talks and negotiations spanning several decades have not worked," said Syed Salahuddin, chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), which consists of 16 religious groups, militant outfits and political parties. "The only way to liberate Kashmir is jihad," said Salahuddin, who is also 'commander-in-chief' of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). He denied that jihadi groups were behind attacks within the country. The rally was also attended by leaders of Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD). A resolution adopted after the meeting said, "Jihad will continue until India ends its occupation of Kashmir."

• March 22: A special team comprising members of National Investigation Team (NIA), as also Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials, will soon leave for the US to question Pakistani-American militant David Coleman Headley who recently confessed plotting November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorists attack attacks and also his links with the LeT. Sources said that Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has asked officials to prepare a questionnaire for Headley''s interrogation.

• March 21: At least five persons involved in trade across the Line of Control (LoC) were arrested for giving ‘hawala’ money to Let militants, Police said. The report adds that the arrested persons allegedly distributed INR 1,385,000 obtained from sale of goods sent from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) among terrorists and others associated with LeT outfit for terrorist activities in the Valley, they said. "Some people linked with cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and POK have been found indulging in providing hawala money and helping terrorists involved in anti-national activities and terrorism," Police officials said.

• March 19: The Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed that the March 16 attack on Security Force personnel at Lal Chowk in Srinagar was carried out at the direction of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin, reports India Today. Srinagar Deputy Inspector General of Police S.K. Lohia said, "The attack at Lal Chowk was carried out by Syed Salahuddin's men. We have information that the attack was carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen and LeT [Lashkar-e-Taiba] since they have joined hands now."

• February 24: The Criminal Investigation Department (Counter Intelligence) lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against a dealer for issuing a SIM card in the name of a dead person, which was being used by a LeT militant. The mobile phone number 8803222092 was issued by a private Telecom company's dealer at Budhal on December 25, 2009 in the name of a person Mohammad Rashid, who had died on January 1, 2007. "This was a clear case where the company had issued a cell phone connection without proper verification", official sources said, adding, the SIM card was reportedly being used by a LeT militant Irfan, who was operating in Rajouri District.

• March 18: Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley, accused of plotting the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai terrorist attacks and conspiring to target a Danish newspaper, pleaded guilty before a U.S. court in Chicago. Headley told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber that he wanted to change his plea to guilty, in an apparent bid to get a lighter sentence than the maximum death penalty. Headley reportedly charged on 12 counts, admitted he was guilty of all of them.

• March 17: A Special Tribunal Court of Dinajpur sentenced two Jama'atul Mujahideen of Bangladesh (JMB) militants, Mohammed Anwar Shahadat (32) and Md Obaidullah (34), each to life term imprisonment and 10 years' jail in a bomb blast and arms case of February 22, 2003, in Dinajpur District.

  Meanwhile, the Law Minister of Bangladesh, Shafique Ahmed, briefed after his visit from the United States (US) that the US Government was examining whether there are links between Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Bangladesh and the Pakistan-based militant organisation LeT.

  The LeT has two support groups in Kerala, reveals arrested militant Thadiyantavide Nazeer during interrogation by the Police team in Kannur. Going by the revelations made by Nazeer, who is now under the custody of the Police in Kannur, he was in charge of the support group of LeT in north Kerala. His main assignment was to recruit youths for terrorist activities. He also told investigating officials that LeT had given him INR 75,000 during his stay in Bangladesh after four Malayali LeT militants were killed in Jammu and Kashmir. The funds for the Kerala operations came from Gulf countries, according to Police sources.

• March 16: Three civilians and three Security Force (SF) personnel were killed and eight others, including three SF personnel, injured by militants in the Srinagar and Baramulla Districts. Three terrorists fired from a close range using automatic weapons at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) posse at Lal Chowk in Srinagar in the morning. A shop worker was killed and another injured civilian died in the hospital later. The CRPF personnel killed were identified as constable Basant Kumar and head constable Omkar Ram. Three civilians and two CRPF personnel were injured in the attack. No group owned up the responsibility for the attack. Kashmir Times quoted Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of CRPF as saying, "We have inputs that militants have sneaked into the city... I cannot say the exact number of militants sneaking into the city but there can more attacks."

  In the evening, terrorists attacked a posse of the Special Police Officers (SPOs) at the Sopore bus stand in Baramulla District killing SPO Asif Hussain and a civilian Tanveer Ahmad, adds Economic Times. Five civilians and another SPO were injured in the attack.

  Meanwhile, Ittehad Al Salasa Al Jehadi, a hitherto unknown militant amalgam of three lesser known groups, claimed responsibility for the March 16 Srinagar attack as well as the grenade explosion on March 14 that killed a Para-military trooper and left five injured, according to Daily Excelsior. A spokesman of the amalgam, comprising Al Nasireen, Farzandaan-e-Millat and Shuhada Brigade, said they carried out the attack at Koker Bazaar (March 16) and Zaina Kadal (March 14). "People should stay away from places where troops are deployed either individually on in large number. Any civilian getting injured in such attacks will be responsible for his or her own safety," the spokesman told media persons over phone. However, aother report adds that the grenade attack was claimed by Save Kashmir Movement militant outfit, which is believed to be a joint brigade of the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM).

  Separately, SFs recovered a rocket launcher from the Bhatidhar area of Mendhar in the Poonch District.

• March 15: Special Operations Group (SOG) of Police arrested a wanted militant of LeT terrorist, identified as Noor Hussain, from Regal Chowk area of Srinagar city. One pistol, one magazine and seven rounds were recovered from his possession.

• March 13: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested two militants for plotting to set ablaze the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) office in Mumbai, ATS chief K.P. Raghuvanshi said. The duo, identified as Abdul Latif Shaikh (29) of Bandra and Riyaz Ali (23) of Dahisar, were arrested at 8.30 p.m (IST) from Matunga area on information given by Central agencies. Raghuvanshi said that the two were suspected of working on plans to target Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, offshore installations of the ONGC in Mumbai and Nhava Sheva, fuel storage tankers of oil companies in Sewri, Thakkar Mall in Borivili and Mangaldas cloth market, adds Times of India. However, they were produced in court on March 14 and remanded to Police custody till March 18. The ATS Chief said both were in touch with a person from Pakistan, whom they referred to as “uncle.” They had received instructions from Pakistan to get their passports readied. Raghuvanshi also said that the ATS was probing their links with terror outfits in Pakistan.

  Meanwhile, the Union Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) sources in New Delhi said that the conspiracy was part of the Karachi Project — a joint venture of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and LeT which involves serving and retired officers of  the Pakistan Army and fugitive terrorists from India. The project, first revealed by the American LeT terrorist David Coleman Headley to his Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) handlers, is designed to use Indians for setting off terror attacks in India.

• March 12: The Army and Police neutralised a major hide-out out, consisting of three small under ground rooms, of the LeT in the Pathimallah Palmar area of the Kishtwar District. The Security Forces (SFs) recovered 10 rounds of AK-47, six gelatine sticks, two Chinese grenades, three UBGL grenades, four safety fuses with detonator, one mobile charger, torch cell, two blankets, two mattresses, plastic sheets, one small gas cylinder, 20 litre kerosene oil, water cans, utensils and 15 kilograms of ration from the hideout. Superintendent of Police (SP, Kishtwar) Haseeb Mughal said the hide-out reportedly belonged to top LeT cadre Saifullah. Constructed to accommodate 7/9 terrorists with sufficient stocks the hide-out had inconspicuous entry. "The hide-out was a major waypoint for LeT terrorists where they used to take rest and recoup prior to undertaking their nefarious activities in Malar/Bhatta areas", the SP said, adding, "The destruction of hide-out has disrupted the movement of terrorists in the area and adversely affected their chain of supply and replenishment". He further said that neutralising of Saifullah’s hide-out has given some vital clues to the SFs about the group of LeT terrorists active in the area.

  Another hideout of militants was neutralised during a search operation in the Gari forest area of Ramban District, reports Kashmir Times. The arms and ammunition recovered included 31 rounds of PIKA gun, one empty ammunition box and 28 empty cartridges of AK 47.

  The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked Kerala Police to step up security in Kochi following intelligence inputs that LeT militants may attempt to strike the coastal city. Following the intelligence inputs, Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai spoke to Kochi Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham and asked him to beef up security in and around the city, official sources said. The commercial capital of Kerala hosts Southern Command of Indian Navy, a famous Jewish synagogue, Kochi Shipyard and some other sensitive installations. The Kochi backwaters frequented by foreign and domestic tourists are also believed to be under the radar of terrorist groups. When contacted, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told news agency in Thiruvananthapuram that the State Director General of Police (DGP) received some information from the Union Government and steps have been taken on that basis. High alert machinery has been put on active mode following the receipt of the information, sources said.

• March 11: The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, continues to maintain links with the LeT, the terrorist outfit responsible for November 26 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11), and Islamabad is reluctant to take action against its leaders and its network, several eminent United States (US) scholars and experts of South Asia have categorically told US lawmakers.

  Attending a special Congressional hearing on ''Lashkar-e-Taiba and the growing ambition of Islamic militancy in Pakistan'', Congressmen unanimously expressed concern that despite best of the efforts by the Obama administration, the ISI continues to maintain links with LeT and that Pakistan is not taking decisive action against the terrorist outfit. Testifying before the Congressional committee, Marvin G. Weinbaum, from the Middle East Institute a Washington-based think tank, said the ISI is believed to continue to share intelligence and provide protection to LeT. Eminent Pakistani scholar Shuja Nawaz too conceded that the relationship between the ISI and LeT has stayed overtime. "The LeT''s emerging role as a trans regional force that has broadened its aim to include India and perhaps even Afghanistan, by linking with the Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI and the Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami or HUJI of Bangladesh poses a serious threat to regional stability," Nawaz said. Nawaz is currently the director, South Asia Center, The Atlantic Council of the United States.

  "Pakistan’s military is likely paying compensation to the families of the terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks", says chairman of US House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia Gary Ackerman and blamed Islamabad for allegedly continuing to support LeT, "There is, in fact, no reason to doubt that Pakistan’s military is likely paying compensation to the families of the terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks, adding that these are our allies in the war on terror," he bemoaned.

  Meanwhile, a Pakistani-American expert, Shuja Nawaz, said that the LeT was "a Frankenstein’s monster", which assumed a broader regional role. Nawaz, who is the director of South Asia Centre at the Atlantic Council of the US, warned that "another Mumbai-type attack involving the LeT might bring India and Pakistan into conflict, a prospect that should keep us awake at night."

  Further, Shuja Nawaz said that "Resolving the Kashmir problem by itself is not going to remove this threat because the aim of these groups is to leverage themselves into a position of power inside Pakistan and to take control."

  A resolution of Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan would no longer satisfy LeT and it would continue to pose a serious threat to both India and the western world in particular the United States, top experts have told American lawmakers. "There is no doubt in my mind that we have to find ways to resolve the issues relating to Kashmir. But I think resolving Kashmir is not going to solve the problems relating to LeT," Ashley J. Tellis, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told US lawmakers at a Congressional hearing. "I always find it interesting that the people conducting the murder and mayhem (in the Valley) today are not Kashmiri. The people who actually are deprived of all their political rights, they are not conducting the murder and mayhem," Tellis added.

  However, the eminent Pakistani scholar and Director of South Asia Centre, the Atlantic Council of the United States Shuza Nawaz said "resolving the Kashmir problem by itself is not going to remove this threat because the aim of these groups is to leverage themselves into a position of power inside Pakistan and to take control," said. Both Nawaz and Tellis were responding to concerns of the US Congressmen at the hearing if LeT would abandon terrorism if Kashmir dispute was resolved given that LeT was initially popped up by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan for the specific purpose of targeting Kashmir and India in particular.

  Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has identified as many as 320 targets across the globe, 20 of which are in India, US Congressman Gary Ackerman said, reports Times of India.  "In the wake of the (26/11) Mumbai attack, investigators uncovered in controller records and e-mail accounts a list of 320 locations worldwide deemed by the LeT as possible targets for attack. Only 20 of the targets were located within India," Gary Ackerman said before a Congressional hearing.  "The LeT has been attacking US forces in Afghanistan almost from day one and their forces are present throughout Afghanistan. The LeT has been slaughtering Indians by the score for decades. The LeT has put the world on notice that they intend to escalate the carnage and spread it worldwide," he said.   Noting that it would be unfair and wrong to suggest that the LeT problem is strictly confined to Pakistan and Middle East, he said, adding in fact, one of the key facilitators of the Mumbai attack was an American of Pakistani extraction, referring to David Coleman Headley. "Unfortunately, the LeT enjoys a substantial global network stretching from the Philippines to the United Kingdom," Ackerman added.

  According to Ackerman, though after 9/11 Pakistan officially banned the LeT, the reality is that like other Islamist terrorist groups, LeT maintains a clear public presence and a vast recruiting network by providing extremely useful charitable and social services to millions of impoverished people in that country.  "Public estimates suggest LeT operates some 2,000 offices in towns and villages throughout Pakistan, as well as maintaining ties with the Pakistani military. There is, in fact, no reason to doubt that Pakistan''s military is likely paying compensation to the families of the terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks. These are our allies in the war on terror," he informed. "Operational funding for the LeT comes from charitable fundraising amongst the general population in Pakistan, but also depends heavily upon contributions by Pakistani businessmen living abroad and other wealthy individuals from the Persian Gulf. Let us note too, these states are also our allies in the war on terror," Ackerman said.

• March 10: A Bangladeshi national and his Kashmiri associate, both belonging to the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) outfit, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court for possessing explosives and waging war against country. Additional Sessions Judge Nivedita Anil Sharma sentenced Mohammad Amin Wani, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, and Lutfur Rahman, the Bangladeshi national who was reportedly to have received training at the instance of Pakistan-based Jama''at-ud-Da''awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, to life imprisonment. Awarding the sentence, the judge said they did not deserve capital punishment as the case was not the rarest of rare. Wani (29) was arrested on January 4, 2007, from Seeshganj Gurdwara in the old city area by Delhi Police''s special cell for possessing INR 450000 hawala (informal money laundering system) money. Rahman (30) was arrested from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station with 1.5 kilograms explosives and a timer. According to the Police, the duo was in the capital to disrupt the January 26 Republic Day function.

• March 10: Terrorist outfit  Indian Mujahideen (IM) has set up bases not only in Karachi in Pakistan, where its top leaders Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal are currently located, but also has safe houses in Gulf countries, Nepal and Bangladesh, interrogation of arrested IM cadres has revealed.  Such bases normally serve to house runaway IM leaders who operate from there to keep the local jihadi network alive. They also offer temporary shelter to IM recruits during transit between Pakistan, where they receive their terror training, and India.

  As per matching versions of IM operations put out by Salman, arrested by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police from Sidharthnagar District, Amjad Khawaja, arrested by the Hyderabad Police and Shahzad, arrested from Azamgarh District in UP, IM cadres were receiving training at the same facilities used by the LeT, both in Karachi as well as other parts of Pakistan. However, the focus of IM training is mostly bomb-making, unlike LeT cadres who are trained to fire sophisticated arms and use guerrilla tactics. However, IM cadres, recruited from various Indian locations including Azamgarh, Bhatkal village near Mangalore in Karnataka and Hyderabad, receive their training from serving as well as retired officers of the Pakistani Army, who are referred to as ‘Bada Saheb’ and ‘Chhota Saheb’. Incidentally, this is part of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)-engineered ‘Karachi Project’ unveiled first by American terror suspect David Coleman Headley. Under the ‘Karachi Project’, Indian terror kingpins recruit jihadis from here and send them across to Pakistan for training. Once trained, these cadres ex-filtrate through the Jammu and Kashmir border or enter India via Nepal, Bangladesh or UAE.

  Further, Salman revealed that the outfit’s new recruiting grounds are now in South India. Salman claimed that hit hard by the arrest of its cadres between 2008 and 2009, the IM has launched a fresh recruitment drive. Investigators said that the terrorist outfit has traded its traditional bases in Uttar Pradesh for South India. Investigators also adds that one of the reasons for the IM to shift down south could be several arrests from the Azamgarh District base and a constant scrutiny by intelligence agencies.

  Meanwhile, security agencies suspect that several modules of such trained IM cadres may be currently lying dormant, waiting to be activated by LeT ‘commanders’ who may not be holed up in the Kashmir Valley. According to a senior intelligence official, there are inputs of a tie-up between Pakistani Taliban and LeT for attacks aimed at India, and their ‘commanders’ are possibly already in Jammu and Kashmir — as evident from the various encounters in the recent past. These commanders may only be waiting for the right time to move beyond the Valley and activate the local IM modules for logistical help to carry out more terror attacks. “IM is a potential resource base that the LeT hopes to use right from identification and reconnaissance of targets to arranging logistics for terror attacks planned by it,” a senior intelligence official told Economics Times.

  The European Union’s (EU) counter-terrorism coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, said that Pakistan-based LeT is a "dangerous group" having a "global agenda", Daily Excelsior reported. "We see Lashkar-e-Taiba as a very dangerous organisation with a global agenda and not a local agenda," he explained. Apparently, referring to Pakistan he added, "It is all but a good idea to fight India with proxy through terrorist organisations." He was addressing a seminar on Yemen organised by Carnegie in Brussels (Belgium).

• March 9: Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told Lok Sabha (Lower house of parliament) in a written reply that the LeT and the Naxalites (Left-Wing Extremist) had undertaken extensive recces in a bid to attack Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) armouries located at power plants in several States, reports Times of India. "Militant and terrorist outfits had planned to target some power plants in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Besides LeT, there are also reports of CPI (Maoist) [Communist Party of India-Maoist] having undertaken extensive recces to target CISF armoury located in some power plants," Ramachandran said.

• March 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed that militant outfits Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have been rooted out of the Jammu region. The focus, they said, has now shifted to the LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), who remain active. "HuJI and JeM were mostly active in Kishtwar District and have been wiped out. Out of four HuJI militants, three have been eliminated. The fourth has left the organisation and is now working as a freelance journalist," said Ashok Gupta, Inspector General of Police (IGP, Jammu Zone). Nearly 180 militants, including 21 women, are still working in Doda and Kishtwar Districts, Gupta said. "We worked on a strategy for winters and eliminated more and more militants as they came down from the hills. With the support of civilians, we were able to target militants, particularly commanders," he said. This year, 17 militants have been killed in Jammu, of whom 10 were HM commanders, the IGP claimed.

  Arrested Indian Mujahideen (IM) cadre and September 13, 2008 Delhi serial bomb blast accused Salman Ahmed was remanded to eight-day Police custody. The investigators claim that he has already provided some details of the LeT’s plans to launch fresh attacks on Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. As reported earlier, Ahmed was arrested on March 6 by the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh Police from Siddarth Nagar District. However, Police claimed that they recovered a Nepali passport obtained under a fake name and an international SIM card from Salman’s possession. After his name cropped up in the bomb blast cases, Police claimed, he moved to Nepal, where he reportedly got the passport issued in June 2009. With the help of the passport, which was issued in the name of Mohd Fahad Ansari, the IM operative travelled to Pakistan and other countries. Ahmed is believed to have gone to Pakistan in December 2009 and returned to Nepal in January 2010. According to Police, Ahmed is an expert in carrying out blasts. He is also alleged to have received training in handling weapons and explosives during his stay in Pakistan.

  Hafiz Saeed, the founder and 'chief' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (also known as Jama'at-ud-Da'awa) and the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, accused India of waging water wars on Pakistan while addressing a public rally in Lahore. He urged the Pakistani Government to prepare the country to counter "Indian aggression" and called for launching a nation-wide movement against India on the issue. Saeed maintained that India has imposed war on Pakistan by "constructing illegal dams and diverting water from Pakistani rivers".

• March 7: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied Pakistan''s contention that LeT chief Hafiz Saeed did not figure in the recent foreign secretary-level talks. The MEA, in a statement said, "India has been demanding action against Saeed, one of the masterminds of the Mumbai terrorist attack [26/11], since the barbaric and dastardly attack took place." Yet, on March 6 Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi declared that India had not asked for the arrest of Saeed nor did he figure in the February 25 talks.

• March 5:  The Army and Police recovered explosive devices and ammunition during a search operation at Peer Kaleva forests near Dudasan Bala in Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District. A hide-out of the LeT outfit was destroyed during the search operation, Police said. Recoveries made during the searches include 30 grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), six hand grenades, 23 Pika rounds and three detonators.

  The Police in Doda and Kishtwar Districts have identified 15 young women, who have been actively working for LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits and were even trying to motivate other ladies to join ranks of the militants. Inputs developed by Police of Doda and Kishtwar through their Intelligence network during past few days of winter have confirmed earlier intercepts of some women’s support to the militants of two major outfits in the two Districts.

• March 4: Delhi Police sought death penalty from a court against two Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) militants, including a Bangladeshi national, who have been convicted of waging war against the country and possessing explosives. Public Prosecutor Vinod Kumar Sharma argued for the capital punishment against Mohammad Amin Wani, a Jammu and Kashmir resident, and Lutfur Rahman, the Bangladeshi national who is reportedly to have received training at the instance of Pakistan-based Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

• March 4: A Delhi court allowed the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to interrogate a suspected LeT militant as part of its probe against Pakistani born American national David Coleman Headley charged with conspiring in November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja allowed an application by the NIA seeking permission to examine Mohammad Aslam who was arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell from the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi railway station on August 25, 2009.

• March 2: Pakistan-based LeT was blamed by an Afghan intelligence official for February 26, 2010 car bomb and suicide attacks that killed 16 people, including 9 Indians, in Kabul. Saeed Ansari, a spokesman for Afghanistan's intelligence service, said that his agency has evidence that Pakistani nationals, specifically LeT militants were involved in the attacks. "We are very close to the exact proof and evidence that the attack on the Indian guest house ... is not the work of the Afghan Taliban but this attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba network, who are dependent on the Pakistan military," Ansari said in an interview. He also said that one of the attackers was heard speaking Urdu. As reported earlier, the Afghan Taliban militants already claimed responsibility for the attacks.

• March 1: A LeT militant was arrested in Baramulla District. Identified as Fayaz Ahmad Gojri alias Yasser, he was arrested by Security Forces (SFs) in the Khawajabagh area. An under barrel grenade launcher with two grenades were recovered from him, Police said, adding, he was a resident of Mohalla Kadeem in Baramulla.

  25-year-old Abdhulla Unni, a resident of Pakistan, is one of the most wanted LeT militants in Jammu and Kashmir. He is reported to have dodged SFs eight times during encounters in Sopore. Unni, the operational head of LeT, is the mastermind behind all suicide attack operations in the region. “He is presently the most wanted militant in north Kashmir and carries a reward of Rs [INR] 10 lakh on his head,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police (North Kashmir) Abdul Qayoom Manhas. Police said there were more than 200 militants in North Kashmir which shares a very long Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.

• February 25: India submitted three dossiers during foreign secretary level talk with Pakistan in New Delhi, which Pakistan assured it would seriously examine. One dossier provides information on some individuals associated with the November 26, 2008 (also known as 26/11) Mumbai attacks, the second was a list of Indian fugitives sheltered in Pakistan and the third on the Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD), chief Hafiz Saeed's anti-India statements. India asked for 33 terrorists -- Pakistani nationals as well as Indian fugitives, including two serving Pakistan army officers, Major Iqbal and Major Samir Ali -- to be handed over, giving three dossiers. In the meantime, Pakistan discussed India's involvement in supplying weapons and money to insurgents in Balochistan which India said was a "baseless allegation." Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir dismissed a strong Indian dossier on Hafiz Saeed as "literature, not evidence", seriously endangering the future of the engagement. He make light of India's insistence on action against 26/11 masterminds, saying that Pakistan did not want to be sermoned on terrorism.

• February 23: Five top militants and three Security Force (SF) personnel, including an Army officer, were killed and three soldiers injured in a fierce 18-hour gun battle between the SFs and militants in the Sopore town of Baramulla District. Police sources said that on a tip-off the SFs cordoned off the Chinkipora locality in Sopore. As they launched a house-to-house search, the militants hiding there opened fire, triggering a gun battle. The militants, the sources said, were hiding in three houses. Captain Davinder Singh Jass got trapped in a house and was killed by militants. His body, however, could not be retrieved till late in the evening. Two soldiers Naik Selvakumar and Imtiaz Ahmad were also killed.

  The slain militants included Bhasharat of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Noman and Hamza of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Sallahuddin of LeT and a local militant Tauseef Mir, the sources said. Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Brar said, "A few top terrorists are believed to be injured or killed. The security forces have lost three men including an officer. The operations are still in progress." A civilian, identified as Rafiq Ahmad, was also injured in cross fire. The daily added that all the killed militants belonged to the LeT.

  The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) detained another suspected militant in Gujarat as part of the ongoing probe into the February 13 Pune (Maharashtra) bomb blast. Sources said the suspected militant, identified as Faisal, was detained in Aane near Surat. Faisal, who is believed to be an active cadre of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) which also maintains links with the LeT and Indian Mujahideen (IM), is being questioned in connection with the Pune blast.

  The National Defence Academy in Khadagwasla (Maharashtra) and defence establishments in Pune (Maharashtra) figure on LeT’s hit list, apart from civilian targets such as Osho Ashram and Chabad House, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has told the Government. According to FBI chief Robert Mueller, who was in New Delhi to discuss co-operation in terror matters, American terror suspect David Coleman Headley had extensively surveyed and video graphed Army sites in Pune's cantonment area as well as the Raksha Bhavan in New Delhi.

• February 20: The most wanted militant ‘commander’ of the LeT in North Kashmir, Abdullah Yuni, managed to escape for the fifth time in past four months from a cordon laid by the SFs in Sopore area of Baramulla District. SFs laid cordon around Warpora village in Sopore area since morning following credible intelligence inputs about presence of some top LeT militants in the village including Abdullah Yuni, official sources said. However, before the SFs could complete cordon around the village, the militants opened indiscriminate firing on them and escaped from the spot. Yuni is an A-category militant and carried a cash reward of INR 2.5 million on his head.

• February 19: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that all pending issues related to the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks (also known as 26/11) investigation would be raised by India at foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan, scheduled to be held on February 25. Noting that "specific issues" to be taken up during the discussions were being finalised by the Indian side, he said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would like pending issues concerning the 26/11 case and investigation to be part of it. The Home Minister also said his ministry would go through the legal process to seek access to Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley, now lodged in a Chicago jail.

  Asked if he favoured talks between India and Pakistan despite the fact that Islamabad was yet to fulfil the demand of dismantling terror infrastructure, the Home Minister said it was the Government's decision of which he was a part. Reiterating what Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna had stated, Chidambaram said, "These talks are for talks." Responding to queries regarding militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, the Home Minister said while militancy had come down, infiltration had increased.

• February 16: A Delhi court convicted two Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) militants, including a Bangladeshi national, of possessing explosives, hawala (informal money laundering system) money and waging war against the country, charges which envisage death penalty as the maximum punishment. Additional Sessions Judge Nivedita Anil Sharma held Mohd Amin Wani, a Jammu and Kashmir resident, and Lutfur Rahman, the Bangladeshi national, who is reportedly to have received training at the instance of Pakistan-based Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, guilty in the case. Both the convicts were charged under the various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including those relating to waging war against the country and other offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

• February 16: An unknown Pakistan-based terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the Pune bomb blast that claimed 10 lives. Identifying himself as a spokesperson of a group calling itself the Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi (LeT-al-Almi, meaning international) an individual using the code-name ‘Abu Jindal’ said the bombing was carried out because of India's "refusal" to discuss the Kashmir issue in the coming talks with Pakistan. ‘Abu Jindal’ said he was calling from Miramshah in North Waziristan, and the telephone number used to make the call carried an area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the adjoining District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. No past communiqué was issued by the LeT- al-Almi, the existence of which has been questioned. However, the caller - who appeared to be educated - said the group had split from the LeT because it took orders from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

  Another report adds that one so-called Indian Mujahideen Kashmir outfit also claimed responsibility of the attack through a text message sent to some media houses. Earlier, al-Qaeda affiliated jihadi leader Illyas Kashmiri was reported to have sent an e-mail to a Pakistani journalist, claiming responsibility for the attack.

  Meanwhile, Indian intelligence sources said that the claims appeared intended to deflect attention from the LeT, which is emerging as the principal suspect.

• February 15: A self-styled 'district commander' of the LeT Ashraf Moulvi and his close associate Rouf Ahmad Bhat were killed in a gun battle with a joint search party of Police and Army at Qaimoh in Kulgam District, 70 kilometres from Srinagar in South Kashmir. The duo was affiliated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) but had recently switched over to the LeT which was revealed by the documents recovered from them.

• February 15:  Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh at a press briefing informed that the toll in the February 13 bomb blast has gone up to 10, after 24-year old Abhishek Saxena from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh succumbed to his injuries. The report confirms that altogether 10 persons, including two foreign nationals, were killed and 60 others injured in the incident. Singh further reaffirmed that RDX, ammonium nitrate and hydrocarbon oil were used in the bomb blast. He, however, refused to confirm if the bomb was remote-controlled, as being suspected.

  Meanwhile, in the first breakthrough in the bomb blast probe, investigators detained two suspects from Kudalwadi and Janwadi on the outskirts of Pune city. They were picked up after sleuths probing the case identified conversations between suspected terrorists. It is also believed that these two men are the same who were spotted in a hotel''s CCTV footage, located in front of the blast-hit German Bakery. The footage showed the two men entering the bakery with a bag.

  Further, a television report also claimed that two more persons were also detained in Aurangabad District. In addition, the Union Government did not rule out the hand of a foreign force in the Pune bomb blast. Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said that the Government was waiting for the investigation report which was in its initial stages. He said that terrorist activities against India were planned in Pakistan but he would not jump the gun in this attack till there was some critical evidence. The Union Government believes that local terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) could have been instigated by the LeT or Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD) in Karachi as some arrested operatives had said they were shown videos made by David C Headley an American terror suspect who is wanted by India in the 26/11 terror attacks case and is currently under US custody including clips of the Osho Ashram in Pune. Pillai also added that it was a part of the notorious ''Karachi Project'' which was aimed at attacking India.

• February 14: Separately, a top LeT militant, identified as Vashir Ahmed alias Abu Wakas, was killed in an encounter with Security Forces in Rajouri District. Acting on the tip off that a group of four militants, including top Pakistani 'commander' Abdullah Inqullabi, were operating in Chandroi-Triyath belt of Kalakote belt in the District, a Police team led by Noushera Superintendent of Police, Ramesh Kumar, and Rashtriya Rifles troops had cordoned off the area. An AK rifle, two grenades and some magazines were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• February 13:  Nine persons including four foreigners, all women, were killed and over 40 injured in a bomb blast in the famous German Bakery on North Main Avenue in Koregaon Park near the Osho Ashram in Pune around 7.30 p.m. (IST). Unofficial figures put the number of injured at 50. Initially the Police said it was a gas cylinder blast, but the explosion is now suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) using an ammonium nitrate fuel oil mix, with RDX as a booster, Police sources added. About 7 kilogrammes explosives may have been used. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said preliminary reports indicated that it was a bomb blast. The bag containing the bomb was said to be under a table, according to one eyewitness account, and a waiter is said to have tried to open it. This caused the explosion which devastated the bakery, located near the Jewish Chabad House. The bakery is a popular spot with foreign tourists. Six or eight of the injured are said to be foreign nationals.

  Meanwhile, the Union Government said the scene of Pune’s bomb blast was very close to Osho Ashram which had been surveyed by LeT operative David Coleman Headley, which the Maharashtra Government had been alerted about this in the month of October, 2009. Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said it was worth noting that the German Bakery, the site of the blast, was about 200 yards away from the ashram, which was one of the sites surveyed by Headley. The Lashkar operative visited Mumbai and other parts of the country ahead of the November 26, 2008 terror attack. Pillai said the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) had alerted the Maharashtra Police about the survey done by Headley.

  Further, one week before a bomb went off in Pune’s German Bakery killing eight, the Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD), front organisation of the LeT, in Pakistan had warned of the city being a potential target. Addressing a rally in Islamabad on February 5, Abdur Rehman Makki, ‘deputy’ to JuD leader Hafiz Saeed said that at one time, jihadis were interested only in the liberation of Kashmir but the water issue had ensured that "Delhi, Pune and Kanpur" were all fair targets.

• February 11: The Army recovered a cache of arms and ammunition belonging to the LeT at Keri of Manjakote in Rajouri District. The recovery included four AK-47 rifles, 490 rounds, 14 magazines, nine UBGL grenades, 12 plastic hand grenades, 1.4 kilograms of explosive material, two radio sets, five pouches and some incriminating documents.

• February 7: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram described the Pakistan-based terrorist outfits as “dark forces,” which were “implacably” opposed to India. They would be defeated whenever confronted, he said. In his opening statement, he said such militant groups as the LeT and the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) staged a meeting at Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on February 4. “Their weapons are mayhem and violence, and their goal is forcible annexation of Kashmir. Let me make it clear that these dark forces will not succeed in their designs,” Chidambaram said. 

• February 5:  Two top LeT ‘commanders’, identified as Shah Din Khandey, a LeT ‘divisional commander’ and Aslan, a Pakistani militant, were believed to have escaped from an encounter at Badi Dhok in Gandoh area of Doda District. Police recovered two 12 bore guns, two AK magazines, two pistol magazines and 200 kilograms of ration from the encounter site.

  The Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), front organisation of the LeT, held a public meeting in Islamabad, vowing to seize Kashmir by force and threatening “rivers of blood” in India. In Lahore too, the JuD organised a public rally, led by its chief Hafiz Saeed, alleged by India to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The rally went from the JuD headquarters in Chauburji to the University Grounds, where Hafiz Saeed led the participants in Friday prayers. It proceeded to the famous Masjid-e-Shohada on Mall road, where the second tier leadership of the group made anti-India speeches. Saeed, however, did not speak at the public meeting. The meetings were held alongside other country-wide events to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, annually observed in Pakistan on February 5. “Whenever our jihad in Kashmir nears success, India becomes ready for talks,” Abdur Rehman Makki, deputy to JuD leader Hafiz Saeed, told his audience, mostly traders from the local market, students from madrassa (seminary) and JuD activists bussed in from Rawalpindi.  The JuD rally in the capital was held at Aabpara chowk in the heart of the city, a short walk from the barricaded headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

• February 4: An anti-India jihadi rally to express Yakjehti-e-Kashmir (Solidarity with Kashmir) was organized in Muzaffarabad of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD), a banned frontal organization of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The meeting began on February 4 and is likely to go on for a couple of days. The meeting is expected to be attended by top jihadi leaders including Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Syed Salahuddin and JuD leader Abdul Rehman Makki. The LeT ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed, blamed by India as one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks, is expected to address a similar rally in Islamabad on February 5 (today), an official said. Former chief of Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Hamid Gul, an invitee to the conference, said the Pakistan Government was aware about the jihadi rally. "… If India is feeling unhappy, let them (be)," Gul said adding that the meeting was "an important human cause" and India should "face the reality in Kashmir".

• February 3: In the biggest-ever exercise to track down terror funding, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered around 30 cases across India in the last three months against terrorists on charges of money laundering and waging war against the country. It has also frozen many bank accounts, and sealed properties allegedly acquired using terror funds. In Delhi alone, 15 cases have been registered against terrorists such as Jagar Singh Hawara, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militant accused in Delhi cinema hall blasts in 2005 and LeT militant Tarik Ahmed Dar, reportedly involved in the Delhi Diwali bombings in Sarojini Nagar in the same year. The ED has tracked down the Germany-based source from which Hawara received INR 1.9 millions. Dar''s account in Jammu and Kashmir Bank with a balance of INR 550000 has also been sealed. Other terrorists against whom the ED has registered cases include Mukhtar Ahmed Khan (arrested in Delhi with explosives in 2007), Imran Ahmad Kirmani and Ghulam Rasool Bafanda (both arrested for possessing RDX in Delhi in 2006). "All these cases are based on FIRs [First Information Report] and charge sheets filed by Delhi Police, the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] or other security agencies. Our major focus this year would be on terrorist-related financing," a senior ED official said.

• February 3: Security Forces (SFs) shot dead two top militants of the LeT outfit at Pati Mahal area of Kishtwar District. One of them was identified as Nissar Ahmed Shah alias Abu Maaz who was operating as 'district commander' of the outfit. Recoveries made from the site of encounter include four SIM cards, one AK-47 rifles with one magazine and a plastic bag full of bullets, one pistol with four rounds, one wireless set, one Nokia mobile phone, two diaries, 30 pencil cells and two grenades.

• February 2: Reasi District Police arrested two Over Ground Workers (OGWs), identified as Ghulam Mohammad and Zakir Hussain, of the LeT from Mahore area. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered from their possession. The duo was resident of Dubri in Mahore.

• February 1: The Mumbai Police investigators said that they might have identified Indian LeT operative who played a key role in guiding the operations of the team that attacked Mumbai in November 26, 2008. Based on information provided by India's intelligence services, as well as interrogation with arrested jihadis, Police believe the Indian national in the LeT's control room could be Syed Zabiuddin Syed Zakiuddin Ansari, a LeT-linked Maharashtra resident, who has been a fugitive since 2005. The unidentified Indian operative was one of several LeT militants who used Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) links to provide orders to the assault team. Meanwhile, Indian intelligence agencies said that Ansari, operating out of terrorist camps in Karachi in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), is a key figure in the jihadi group's plan to realise the threat he ordered the assault team to deliver.

  Mohammad Amjad Khwaja, a militant of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) from Hyderabad has told his interrogators that Abu Jindal was the alias of Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, a LeT operative from Beed in Maharashtra. The name Abu Jindal was earlier revealed by lone arrested militant Kashab during investigation. Ansari alias Abu Jindal, along with several other fugitive jihadis, has been sheltered in Pakistan by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)-LeT combine as part of their Karachi project to target India by using its own nationals. Khwaja pointed to Ansari after Police played recordings of the conversation between Jindal and the two militants who had attacked Chabad House in Mumbai.

• January 28: Reacting to Pakistani investigators admission of LeT’s role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is only one of the 26/11 masterminds, adding that there are other masterminds also, reported Times of India. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Chidambaram said, "Lakhvi is one of the masterminds. There are others. We know their names and we think Pakistan also knows their names. If they do not bring others to trial then I would have to conclude reluctantly and regrettably that they are still dragging their feet."

  The Union Home Minister Chidambaram strongly refuted Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Gilani''s claim that there was insufficient evidence on Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed''s links to 26/11, saying that even a "station officer can begin an investigation" on the basis of the information given to Pakistan. Chidambaram said fresh information had been given to Pakistan by the US apart from what had been gleaned from LeT gunman Ajmal Kasab. "What can I do if a government closes its eyes to the evidence," he said. Despite India''s demand, no charges were pressed against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. India has also asked Pakistan to identify state actors involved in 26/11, but Pakistan has not mentioned any role of state actors in its reports.

  Meanwhile, Pakistan PM Yousaf Raza Gilani denied Indian accusations that his Government was dragging its feet on booking the prime accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying the alleged chief architect Hafiz Saeed was very much on trial and the court had to decide when to order his arrest. But Gilani also reiterated that India was not giving it enough information to act against Saeed. Gilani said Pakistan''s judiciary had to take a call on Saeed''s arrest. "We need more evidence to (take) him to task," he told CNN-IBN in his first interview to Indian media after 26/11. The Pakistan PM maintained that his country wouldn''t allow its soil to be used for terrorism. "We''ve given this assurance. We''re fighting our own war on terror (and) face Mumbai like attacks on a daily basis." Gilani pledged to share credible information with India and sought reciprocation from New Delhi to prevent Mumbai-like attacks. "We''re ready to share information with India. Let us start sharing more information and work together in the war on terror," he added. The Pakistan PM clarified his recent comments on Pakistan''s inability to prevent another Mumbai-like attack, saying it was in reaction to some of the Indian leadership''s comments. "Your leaders are saying that if there is any incident in future, there is no difference between state and non-state actors which isn''t right," he said.

  The Pakistani PM also said India and Pakistan can''t afford war and reiterated Islamabad''s call for resumption of talks. Despite repeated rebuttals, Gilani claimed that he was convinced of India''s role in fomenting trouble in Balochistan. "I''ll share the evidence at an appropriate time."

• January 27: Pakistani investigators said that there is "sufficient incriminating evidence against" the seven arrested terrorists for their involvement in the Mumbai (India) terrorist strikes on November 26, 2008, reports Times of India. The Pakistan report presented to the court conducting the trial of seven accused, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, states that there is "sufficient incriminating evidence on record against those arrested for orchestrating the Mumbai attacks." Pakistani investigators in a report to an anti-terrorism court also corroborated the statement made by Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone LeT militant arrested during the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

  The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) report said there is enough evidence to prosecute all the seven accused, who are in custody. Among them is Hammad Amin Sadiq, who gave out funds and safe houses for the terrorists. Zakhiur Rehman Lakhvi has been named as the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack. Abu-al-Qama, has been identified as the terrorists’ handler, who trained Kasab and the nine others who attacked Mumbai. Zarar Shah, has been named as the Lashkar''s facilitator in the reports and is also an expert in computer networks. Reports identify Shahid Jamil Riaz as a crew member of one of the boats used by Kasab and gang to travel from Karachi to Indian waters. Jami Ahamd has been identified as the man who partially financed the Mumbai terror plot and Muhammad Younas Anjum has been named as the chief financer of the terror strikes.

  The report said: "The joint investigation team headed by the Director of the Special Investigation Group of the Federal Investigation Agency has scrutinised the entire evidence collected during the inquiry." It also collected evidence "during the investigation and has unanimously agreed that substantial incriminating evidence is available on the record directly connecting all the accused persons with the commission of the offence." The 61-page report, which was compiled by a team of experts led by FIA officials, was presented to the anti-terror court in Rawalpindi in July 2009. It contains the photographs of all the accused, including those who are still at large and have been declared "proclaimed offenders." Those who are still at large include crew members of the Al-Fauz and Hussaini, the two boats used by the ten terrorists who attacked India''s financial hub. The report also contains a list of 150 documents and items of evidence, including proof and information provided by India. Investigators had also corroborated Kasab''s statement about his family and his native village of Faridkot in Pakistan''s Punjab province by collecting records from his school and local voters'' list. The report concluded that all the accused should be convicted because there is sufficient incriminating evidence against them. Diplomatic sources said that the report made public by the news channel did not contain any information that was not included in the dossiers provided by Islamabad to New Delhi.

• January 22: Security was beefed up at airports across the country after intelligence inputs suggests that Pakistan-based terrorists outfits LeT and other al Qaeda-linked terrorists are planning to hijack aeroplanes, reports Times of India. The intelligence input about these outfits'' plan has been shared with India by Western intelligence agencies, which had received an intercept. The information prompted authorities to put flights of Air India and other Indian carriers operating in South Asia on high security alert. The input pointed out that the terrorists were planning to hijack an Air India plane especially operating to or from (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries - Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India as well. More specifically, the input pointed that the hijacking could be attempted from airports located at Yangon (Myanmar), Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Colombo (Sri Lanka).

  Meanwhile, another intelligence input said that LeT is ready to carry out airborne suicide attacks using para-gliders in India. The outfit has already acquired more than 50 para-gliding equipment, which can be quickly assembled and used as ‘missiles’ from open highland areas or from over 300 of unused/unmanned airstrips in the country. The intelligence input — which came barely days ahead of the Republic Day celebrations — on LeT’s shopping spree for para-gliding equipment in different European countries, including Germany, prompted authorities to ensure tight air security around all vital installations and nearly 326 unmanned, abandoned or mostly unused airstrips spread across the country. The inputs also suggest the possibility of LeT acquiring related equipment — possibly Chinese make — from within Pakistan.

• January 20: The Police arrested six cadres of LeT, including a Special Police Officer (SPO), while a Police head constable, Devinder Kumar Singh aka DK was absconding for their involvement in selling weapon(s) to LeT militants in Bhaderwah tehsil (revenue unit) of Doda District. LeT ‘District commander’ Mohammad Rashid alias Aslan, operating in upper reaches of Bhaderwah, is reported to be the beneficiary of weapon(s) sold by the cops. So far, the arrested LeT cadre has admitted having sold a revolver to Aslan for INR 35,000.

  After the smuggling of satellite telephone and Pakistani SIM cards from across the Line of Control (LoC) in cross-LoC bus service and trucks used for trade, the intelligence agencies unearthed a Pakistan plot to mix AK bullets with almonds imported by the traders on Indian side. Official sources said that Intelligence agencies found AK bullets mixed with a consignment of almonds.

  The Police have recommended dismissal of absconding head constable Devinder Kumar Singh alias DK from the services for selling weapons to militants especially LeT ‘district commander’ Mohammad Rashid alias Aslan in Doda District. According to reliable sources, DK is also reported to have provided ammunition to two LeT militants, Javed Qureshi and Manzoor Ahmed.

• January 19: Bihar Police said Ghulam Rasool, who was arrested from a train at Purnia Junction, is a member of Taliban and has links with the LeT. Purnia Superintendent of Police (SP) Nayyar Hasnain Khan said Rasool sneaked into Jogbani from Nepal and was on his way to Bangladesh. Acting on a tip-off, however, the Special Task Force (STF) personnel arrested him in the evening of January 12.

  Rasool, the SP said, has his base at Hyderabad. A murder convict, he was in a Hyderabad jail for eight-and-a-half year - in two phases. It was while serving the jail term that he came in touch with a fellow prisoner, Mehmood, who was a Talibani. On his release, Rasool shifted to Afghanistan, the SP said. Rasool is learned to have told his interrogators that he worked as an operative of Taliban and LeT between 2004 and 2008. He also confessed to his involvement in several terror strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Police sources said and added Rasool later escaped to Nepal where he was once handpicked by Nepal police but let off for want of evidence. Rasool also revealed that he wanted to return to Afghanistan via Bangladesh. "That's why he clandestinely crossed into Jogbani taking advantage of the long and porous Bihar-Nepal border," the SP said.

• January 18: The Special investigation Team (SIT) of Hyderabad Police arrested ‘south India commander’ of the LeT, identified as Shaik Abdul Khaja alias Amjad, from Afzalgunj area of the city. The Police said that the arrestee was linked to Mohammed Abdul Shahid Bilal, key suspect in the May 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing. Hyderabad Police Commissioner B. Prasada Rao said that Amjad was a resident of Moosaram Bagh and has been absconding since 2005. Amjad, who also goes by the noms de guerre of Saif, Pappu and Abdullah, is accused of having close links with other terrorist groups like the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Rao said, adds The Hindu. Rao also mentioned that Amjad was in Hyderabad for a recce for a terrorist attack. At the time of his arrest, he had in his possession USD 348, Saudi Riyal 313, United Arab Emirates Dirham 225 PNR 28,640 and BNR 348, Rao said.

  Under the cover of dense fog, militants made two attempts to infiltrate from the International Border (IB) near Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura tehsil (revenue unit) of Jammu District. One of the groups succeeded in cutting a part of fencing on Pakistan side but the intrusion bids were foiled at both places by the Border Security Force (BSF). In both attempts, the number of infiltrators was between five to seven. This was third incident of infiltration on the IB where the militants have succeeded in cutting fencing during past fortnight. The intruders had also managed to cut the fencing at Kanachak and Chinore (Gajansoo) sectors. According to intelligence reports, a large number of militants were camping close to Pakistan Army and Rangers' posts across IB and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region awaiting an opportunity to infiltrate. In some cases, the militants were reported to have been lodged in forward posts of Pakistan Army and BSF.

  The Pakistan Army violated cease-fire in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch District on the LoC apparently in an attempt to push infiltrators. Official sources said Pakistan Army opened heavy firing from their Kaddu post targeting forward Indian post, Kranti and others at Nangi Tekri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch.

  The Army and Police recovered six anti tank rockets and other explosive devices from forest area of Pyas Chhichha in Kishtwar District. This is for the first time that anti tank rockets have been recovered by Police in the District. The recovery included six anti tank rockets, six wireless sets, two grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) and two HE grenades. The unique anti tank rifle grenades carried 70 per cent RDX and 30 per cent TNT mixture and were capable of causing extensive damage. Police said the LeT cadres appeared to have dumped the rockets and explosives.

• January 17: Two regular visitors to Poonch from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) having links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and LeT have been detained under Public Safety Act (PSA). The visitors, who were arrested in November and December 2009, have been lodged in Kot Bhalwal jail. Poonch Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Manmohan Singh, confirmed detention of PoK citizens under the PSA by the District Magistrate on a dossier prepared by Poonch Police.

• January 12: Two LeT militants were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each by a Delhi court for possessing RDX in connection with a conspiracy to carry out a suicide attack at the Indian Military Academy in 2005, Hindustan Times reported. Convicts Hamid Hussain and Mohd Shariq, who were arrested with about 10 kilograms of RDX, were also fined of INR 125000 and INR130000 respectively.

• January 10: The security of 10 scientists working in sensitive areas, like defence and space, has been tightened in the wake of threats from Pakistan-based LeT. The scientists, who have not been identified, were mentioned by Sarfaraz Nawaz, an accused in the July 2008 Bangalore bomb blasts, during interrogation. However, the information was also corroborated by LeT's point man in South India T. Nazir. Sources said that a security review was carried out, and it was decided to take no chances.

• January 9: Handwara Police arrested one Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the LeT from Kralgund area of Kupwara District and recovered some arms and ammunition form his possession, a Police spokesman said. Fayaz Ahmad Mir alias Ibrahim, a resident of Sheikhpora village in Rafiabad area of Baramulla District, was arrested at Bicharwara in Kralgund area. One wireless set, four IED timers, one remote control and 20 AK rounds were recovered from his possession.

• January 8: Two LeT militants were shot dead by the Security Forces (SFs) during an encounter at Khrew area in Pulwama District. They were identified as Altaf Ahmad Mir alias Mohsin and Zahoor Ahmad Mir alias Haroon. Some arms and ammunition, including AK rifles, were recovered from the encounter site. A Police spokesman said that both the militants were part of the break away group of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit which had joined the LeT in 2009 and had been instrumental in strengthening of the LeT. They had developed a strong base in Srinagar and South Kashmir, the spokesman said. He said the duo was wanted by the Police for their involvement in a number of terrorist acts, including the car bomb blast outside the Central Jail Srinagar and killing of two Policemen at Pampore in 2009. "By killing the duo, the police has solved the Kathidarwaza IED [Improvised Explosive Device] blast case and the Pampore shoot out case," he added.

• January 8: A militant threw a consignment of arms, explosives, a Pakistani SIM card and cash from atop the fencing in Arnia sector, but it was seized by the Border Security Force immediately. This was second time in less than a fortnight that the militants, with active backing of Pakistan Rangers, threw arms and explosives from atop the fencing to this side of the International Border (IB), reportedly for the militants or their couriers.

  The Centre expressed its firmness in continuing with its decision to ban pre-paid mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir saying that these type of connections were popular among terrorists and have been used to detonate landmines targeting the Army convoys in the State, reports Times of India.

  In addition, the Union Government said the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir, remains vulnerable to militant attacks sponsored by forces from across the border. Complimenting the State Police and Central Reserve Police Force for successfully eliminating two militants in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar on January 6, the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the militants were in communication with their handlers outside the country. "The incident highlights the fact that the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir, remains vulnerable to militant attacks sponsored by forces from across the border," he said in a statement. The Union Home Minister said at the same time the country''s capacity to neutralise a militant attack has also increased considerably.

• January 7: The 22-hour long operation against two militants holed up in a hotel at Lal Chowk in Srinagar ended as both the militants of the LeT were killed, taking the death toll in the first major militancy related incident of the year to four. One Policeman was killed in the initial attack on January 6 while a civilian injured in the firing succumbed to injuries early in the morning of January 7. At least 12 persons including three CRPF personnel and a photo-journalist of a Valley-based English newspaper were also injured in the operation spread over two days, official sources said. "The encounter is over. Two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba including a Pakistani have been killed," Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said. While one Pakistani terrorist was identified by security agencies through wireless intercepts as Qari, the other one was named as Usman from Sopore. The radical pro-Pakistan militant outfit JuM had claimed responsibility for the attack but the Security Forces (SFs) said this was clearly the handiwork of Pakistan-based LeT.

  An attempt by seven to eight LeT militants to infiltrate into Indian territory from Balakote sector in Mendhar tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District in the night was foiled by the troops.

  According to intelligence agencies, a 9/11-type terrorist attack using hijacked aeroplanes stares India in the face with an Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist having acquired pilot training and waiting to strike. Intelligence Bureau (IB) sources said that Shahzad Ahmed alias Pappu, one of the key accused in the September 13, 2008 Delhi bomb blasts case, learnt to fly planes in Bangalore and could now be planning to ute an airborne terror strike. A dozen other trained IM terrorists are also at large and, together with Shahzad, pose a big security threat. Shahzad underwent pilot training just before the Delhi bomb blasts and has been absconding since the Batla House encounter. The IB has raised the alert levels of an airborne terrorist attack and is trying to unravel Shahzad''s sinister plans.(Meanwhile, according to intelligence inputs, the LeT and IM, along with Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), could attempt to kidnap key political leaders, target helicopters carrying VIPs, strike public functions with explosives-laden trucks and hire or hijack aircraft or helicopters to carry out 9/11-type attacks.

  An attempt by seven to eight LeT militants to infiltrate into Indian territory from Balakote sector in Mendhar tehsil (revenue unit) of Poonch District was foiled by the troops.

• January 6-7: The 22-hour long operation against two militants holed up in a hotel at Lal Chowk in Srinagar ended as both the militants of LeT were killed, taking the death toll in the first major militancy related incident of the year to four. One Policeman was killed in the initial attack while a civilian injured in the firing succumbed to injuries. At least 12 persons including three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and a photo-journalist of a Valley-based English newspaper were also injured in the operation spread over two days, official sources said. "The encounter is over. Two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba including a Pakistani have been killed," Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said. While one Pakistani terrorist was identified by security agencies through wireless intercepts as Qari, the other one was named as Usman from Sopore. The radical pro-Pakistan militant outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen (JuM) had claimed responsibility for the attack but the Security Forces (SFs) said this was clearly the handiwork of Pakistan-based LeT. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army is reported to have set a vast portion of grass on fire on its side opposite Balakote sector in Mendhar tehsil (reenue unit) of Poonch District with a view to divert attention of SFs on this side. The fire spread into Indian territory leading to a series of mine explosions on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC). Official sources said there was no immediate threat to civilian population on Indian side as the fire was still across fencing but added that it was spreading very fast as there was a huge growth of ‘sarkanda’ and grass on either side of the LoC. There were specific inputs that fire, which spread from Pakistan Army’s posts of Kandli and Khara opposite Balakote sector, was a deliberate act of the Pakistan Army to keep LoC active for some days as there was no way to control the flames.

  Further, as many as 700 fully-trained terrorists are waiting in the wings to stage attacks in Jammu and Kashmir with their "masters" in Pakistan directing them to open "other fronts" as they did in the busy Lal Chowk area in Srinagar, reports Times of India.

• February 5: The Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD), front organisation of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), held a public meeting in Islamabad, vowing to seize Kashmir by force and threatening “rivers of blood” in India. In Lahore too, the JuD organised a public rally, led by its chief Hafiz Saeed, alleged by India to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The rally went from the JuD headquarters in Chauburji to the University Grounds, where Hafiz Saeed led the participants in Friday prayers. It proceeded to the famous Masjid-e-Shohada on Mall road, where the second tier leadership of the group made anti-India speeches. Saeed, however, did not speak at the public meeting. The meetings were held alongside other country-wide events to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, annually observed in Pakistan on February 5. “Whenever our jihad in Kashmir nears success, India becomes ready for talks,” Abdur Rehman Makki, deputy to JuD leader Hafiz Saeed, told his audience, mostly traders from the local market, students from madrassa (seminary) and JuD activists bussed in from Rawalpindi.  The JuD rally in the capital was held at Aabpara chowk in the heart of the city, a short walk from the barricaded headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). 

• January 5: A US Congressional report released identified Dawood Ibrahim’s D-company as a "5,000-member criminal syndicate operating mostly in Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates," which has a "strategic alliance" with Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, and has "forged relationships with Islamists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and al Qaeda." The report, prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the research wing of Congress, is aimed at priming US lawmakers on various issues, and has no immediate policy implications. The US Department of Treasury has already designated Ibrahim as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2006 and former President Bush designated him, as well as his D-Company, as a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The report also notes that some press accounts have reported that Ibrahim’s network might have provided a boat to the 10 LeT militants who 26/11 Mumbai attack and records that the "US Government contends that D-Company has found common cause with Al Qaeda and shares its smuggling routes with that terrorist group."

• January 4-5: An anti-India jihadi rally to express Yakjehti-e-Kashmir (Solidarity with Kashmir) was organized in Muzaffarabad of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the Jama'at-ud-Da'awa (JuD), a banned frontal organization of the LeT. The meeting was expected to be attended by top jihadi leaders including Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Syed Salahuddin and JuD leader Abdul Rehman Makki. The LeT ‘chief’ Hafiz Saeed, blamed by India as one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks, is expected to address a similar rally in Islamabad, an official said. Former chief of Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Hamid Gul, an invitee to the conference, said the Pakistan Government was aware about the jihadi rally. "… If India is feeling unhappy, let them (be)," Gul said adding that the meeting was "an important human cause" and India should "face the reality in Kashmir".

• January 28: Reacting to Pakistani investigators admission of Lashkar-e-Tobia’s (LeT) role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is only one of the 26/11 masterminds, adding that there are other masterminds also. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Chidambaram said, "Lakhvi is one of the masterminds. There are others. We know their names and we think Pakistan also knows their names. If they do not bring others to trial then I would have to conclude reluctantly and regrettably that they are still dragging their feet."

  Further, Home minister Chidambaram strongly refuted Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Gilani''s claim that there was insufficient evidence on Jama’at-ud-Da’awa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed''s links to 26/11, saying that even a "station officer can begin an investigation" on the basis of the information given to Pakistan. Chidambaram said fresh information had been given to Pakistan by the US apart from what had been gleaned from LeT gunman Ajmal Kasab. "What can I do if a government closes its eyes to the evidence," he said. Despite India''s demand, no charges were pressed against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. India has also asked Pakistan to identify state actors involved in 26/11, but Pakistan has not mentioned any role of state actors in its reports.

  Meanwhile, Pakistan PM Yousaf Raza Gilani denied Indian accusations that his Government was dragging its feet on booking the prime accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying the alleged chief architect Hafiz Saeed was very much on trial and the court had to decide when to order his arrest. But Gilani also reiterated that India was not giving it enough information to act against Saeed. Gilani said Pakistan''s judiciary had to take a call on Saeed''s arrest. "We need more evidence to (take) him to task," he told CNN-IBN in his first interview to Indian media after 26/11. The Pakistan PM maintained that his country wouldn''t allow its soil to be used for terrorism. "We''ve given this assurance. We''re fighting our own war on terror (and) face Mumbai like attacks on a daily basis." Gilani pledged to share credible information with India and sought reciprocation from New Delhi to prevent Mumbai-like attacks. "We''re ready to share information with India. Let us start sharing more information and work together in the war on terror," he added. The Pakistan PM clarified his recent comments on Pakistan''s inability to prevent another Mumbai-like attack, saying it was in reaction to some of the Indian leadership''s comments. "Your leaders are saying that if there is any incident in future, there is no difference between state and non-state actors which isn''t right," he said.

• January 21: The Hyderabad Police claimed to have arrested three militants of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) outfit by foiling a robbery bid in a house in the limits of the Cantonment Police Station.

• January 14: The Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), front organisation of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has declared suicide bombings un-Islamic and said those involved in killing of Muslims were playing in the hands of the US, India and Israel. "Gun, grenade and suicide attack is no solution to any problem in Pakistan," said JuD Central Vice-President Colonel (retd) Nazir Ahmad Chaudhry while speaking at a news conference in Peshawar. "Islam does not allow attack on a Muslim, let alone suicide attack," he said.

• January 4: Bihar Police denied the media reports of Taliban and LeT terrorists infiltration into the State from Nepal side, reports Times of India. Additional Director General (ADG) (headquarters) U.S. Dutt wondered where from the media got such information. "There is no such indication from the Central intelligence agency either," he said. He said that a man was killed in Nepal side across Araria District and the killers are suspected to have entered Bihar. Apparently this led to speculations about terrorists moving in Bihar, Dutt added. As for the threat to Indian Railways, meanwhile, sources said an ADG-rank police officer in Kerala received an anonymous call recently. The caller identified himself as Bashir and said trains and railway properties would be targeted. The caller did not give any specific details about the location of the target. As a precautionary measure, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) circulated a nationwide warning to the Railway Police.

• January 1: The Police arrested an operative of the LeT outfit in Srinagar and recovered INR 200,000 hawala money from his possession. Srinagar Police arrested a LeT operative has been identified as Parvaiz Akbar Lone, resident of Kanlibagh in Baramulla District. Police freezed two of his accounts which were being used for funding militant activities, a Police spokesman said. Parvaiz had so far passed on more than INR 2 million to self styled LeT commanders Abdullah Uni and Chota Salahuddin and was also in contact with top LeT operatives. Initial investigations done by the Police revealed that some of the money was used to organize stone pelting incidents in Sopore, the spokesman said, adding that investigation had also revealed the names of few more persons, who were funding militants, and more arrests are expected in this regard.