Province No. 3 (NA): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2002

38 suspected insurgents were arrested countrywide, on January 1, including eight in the capital Kathamandu. Read less...

Foreign Secretaries of member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on January 1 recommended that that United Nations Resolution no. 1373, should be implemented in its totality by all countries in the South Asian region. They had also agreed to speed up the process of having in place the enabling legislation on the SAARC Convention on Terrorism. The Foreign Secretaries were meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, ahead of the SAARC Summit meeting to be held on January 4-6. The UN Resolution asked all members to suppress the financing of terror and prevent the willful provision or collecting of funds by terrorist groups or individuals. Member states were also asked not to extend any support or safe haven to terrorist groups or individuals associated with them. Read less...

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said on January 1 in Kathmandu, Nepal, that it would consider the extradition of wanted persons under the SAARC Anti-Terrorism Convention if India met with legal obligations, such as the indictment of the people demanded. "We can consider the extradition of these persons only after India fulfils all the legal requirements", he said. Under the SAARC Convention, India can invoke the right of extradition after completing the proper procedure and providing the evidence. ‘It’s a legal issue not a political one,’ Sattar said while answering a question about the list of wanted persons given by India this week to Pakistan. "Extradition is a legal concept," Sattar said, adding that there was no bilateral extradition agreement between India and Pakistan. Read less...

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, addressing a news conference prior to his departure for Kathmandu, expressed dissatisfaction with steps taken by Pakistan against terrorist outfit. He said that the recent steps taken by Pakistan against terrorist outfits were just not enough and showed that Pakistan was not willing to act in a decisive manner. The PM said Pakistan’s demand for evidence against terrorists living on its soil and wanted by India in connection with the December 13 attack on Parliament and other subversive activities was nothing but a ‘cruel joke’. ‘‘I am at a loss to understand what evidence Pakistan wants when it is a well-established fact that our neighbour is responsible for the terrorist activities in India,’’ he added. The PM said: ‘‘If Pakistan is at all sincere in curbing terrorism, it should tell us about the action taken by it and clear all doubts in our minds.’’ He opined that there was no point in a dialogue with Musharraf unless he showed willingness to end cross-border terrorism. Read less...

Three top local leaders of the Maoists of Makwanpur and Parsa districts were arrested in Hetauda on January 4. Read less...

Responding to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's gesture of friendship, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajapayee called on the former to crack down on terrorists committing mindless violence in India. The Prime Minister and the Pakistan President were speaking during the inaugural of the summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) on January 5 at Kathmandu, Nepal. Prime Minister Vajpayee also said, in his speech, that after extending the offer for friendship, "… President Musharraf must follow this the gesture by not permitting any activity in Pakistan or any territory in its control today that allows terrorists to perpetrate mindless violence in India." The Prime Minister added that Pakistan must learn a lesson from events in Afghanistan which have proved that terrorism can boomerang on its creator. He also proposed updating of the 1987 SAARC Convention on Suppresssion of the Terrorism in a contemporary framework of cooperation. Terming the Convention as ahead of its times, when it was adopted, the Prime Minister added that "Unfortunately, consequent action was not taken by some countries,". Pakistan and Bangladesh are yet to implement national laws mandated under the provisions of the convention. Other leaders of member countries too focussed their speeches on terrorism. Read less...

Six suspected rebels were arrested from Ringaon in Dhading district and some guns, explosives, and chemicals were seized. In another operation, security forces arrested 16 suspects including four from Dubichaur Gulmi, two from Birendranagar Chitwan, one each from Kapurkot of Salyan and Shivalaya of Parbat, two from Thechambu of Taplejung, one from Ratemate in Syangja, two each from Makaidada, Lamjung and Jogbuda of Dadeldhura and one from Palpa. A rifle, bombs and other explosives, combat dress and incriminating literature were seized from Kerung in Solukhumbu district. Read less...

The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit, on January 6, vowed to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and pledged to prevent the support and financing of organised terrorist activities in their countries. The seven-member group signed the 11-page declaration at the concluding ceremony of the summit, which was held in Kathmandu. The declaration says, "The heads of state and government reiterated their support to the UN Security Council Resolution 1373 and affirmed their determination to redouble efforts, collectively as well as individually, to prevent and suppress terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including by increased co-operation and full implementation of the relevant international conventions relating to terrorism to which they are parties". The declaration also called on all states to prevent the financing of terrorist acts by criminalising the collection of funds for such acts and refraining from organising, instigating, assisting or participating in terrorist acts in states or acquiescing in organised activities within its territory directed towards the commission of such acts. The leaders reaffirmed that the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations has to be comprehensive and sustained. The declaration also emphasised the need for the urgent conclusion of a comprehensive convention on combating international terrorism. Read less...

39 guns were recovered in Sundarijal, Kathmandu Valley, and four more elsewhere in the country, in continuing search and cordon operations. Read less...

Three of a family had been were injured when a pipe bomb left behind by the insurgents went-off on January 8, in Sindupalchowk district, the Defence Ministry said. Read less...

Besides, the Army bomb disposal squad, on January 9, defused a bomb opposite a school near Kathmandu, reports said Read less...

Also in the same district, the Army arrested two insurgents. In another encounter two more insurgents sustained wounds and later died while being moved to a hospital, in Pokhara, in Kaski district, also on the same day. Read less...

The Defence Ministry said on January 11 that a Maoist insurgent was killed in an encounter with the Army in Ramechap district, on January 10 night. Read less...

In continuing search operations, 10 guns, including seven from Myagdhibazzar were recovered, the Defence Ministry said. Besides, two Maoist insurgents were arrested in Chitlang, Makwanpur district, on January 11. Some bombs and two country-made pistols were also recovered from their possession. Read less...

Another insurgent injured in an encounter in Sindhupalchowk has been rushed by air to the Birendra Military Hospital in Kathmandu, on January 12, reports said. Read less...

Another report said the insurgents, on January 13, killed a student activist of the ruling Nepali Congress and seriously injured another in Jiri. Read less...

A Defence Ministry release on January 15 said that 27 suspected Maoists have been arrested from Kavrepalanchok, Salyan, Mahottari, Jhapa and Syangja districts. Read less...

Besides, the release added that several Maoist rebels surrendered including sixteen in Morang, seven in Nuwakot, 15 in Udyapur and 17 in Lamjung district. Read less...

A Defence Ministry statement on January 18 said that security forces during operations conducted at Butwal, Dhading, Kalitar and Bhuktar on January 17 arrested nine Maoist insurgents. Read less...

A Home Ministry statement on January 18 said that approximately 91 Maoists had surrendered to authorities on January 17 at Sunsari, Morang, Myagdi, Gulmi, Salyan, Kavrepalanchok, Dhankutta and Tanahun districts. Read less...

Speaking at a press conference in Kathmandu on January 18, visiting US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said that there is no room for the use of violence to create political change in a democracy. Earlier, the State Secretary had a meeting with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who briefed him on the current state of events in Nepal and the government’s campaign against Maoist rebels. Read less...

11 suspected rebels were arrested and some weapons seized from their possession during a search operation at Hattikhal in Bardiya district. Three more rebels were arrested from Shaligram in Parbat district. A Defence Ministry release on January 19 said that security forces arrested 40 suspects from different parts of the country. Giving the break-up, the release said that 18 were arrested from Salyan, six from Rukum, three from Kushma, Parbat, four from Goganpani in Dhading district, two from Bagbazar in Kathmandu, and one each from Pawannagar in Dang district and Subarnakhal in Arghakhanchi, Shaligram in Parbat, Abukhaireni in Gorkha district, Tarahara in Sunsari, Gurdum in Dhankuta district and Tansen in Palpa district. Read less...

In another incident, according to delayed reports, four security force personnel and a Maoist were injured in an ambush by the insurgents on January 19 at Jure in Sindhupalchowk. Read less...

Four RNA soldiers and an arrested Maoist insurgent sustained injuries when an army vehicle came under a landmine explosion planted by the Maoists at the Jure area of Sindhupalchowk district according to a Defence Ministry press statement Read less...

Security forces on January 20 also arrested three persons including a leader of the underground Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary), for taking out a rally in Dhobighat, Lalitpur. Read less...

Giving details of surrenders by Maoists, a Home Ministry statement on January 22 said that 24 Maoists had surrendered in Arghakhanchi, 19 in Myagdi, seven in Nuwakot, six in Sindhupalchok, four in Kapilvastu, three in Lalitpur, and one each in Makwanpur and Salyan. Read less...

In Kathmandu, Maoists set afire three government vehicles parked at the Chamelia Hydropower Project in Thapagaon. In a separate attack in the city, Maoists hurled a petrol bomb at a government vehicle in Sanepa. There were no casualties in this attack. Read less...

India is prepared to help Nepal by all possible means in its fight against the Maoist insurgents, the Indian Ambassador to Nepal said on January 23 in Kathmandu. "We have been helping Nepal in all possible ways. Whatever help Nepal asks us for we are prepared to extend it to control Maoist terrorism," I P Singh told reporters in Kathmandu. However, he ruled out the Indian army entering Nepal to help crush the insurgency. "No Indian army would come to Nepal to quell the Maoist terrorists…I can assure you that the Indian army will not leave their own country," he added. Read less...

The Army also defused a banner bomb in Thimi on January 24. Read less...

The body of an activist of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) was recovered from Koteshwar on January 29. He had been abducted by rebels from Durgasthan in Baitadi district on January 27. Read less...

On January 29, a police officer was attacked and injured by Maoist insurgents in Kathmandu. In another incident, rebels hurled a bomb at a local factory in Chitwan. There was no casualties. Read less...

Security forces seized bombs, guns and other equipment during search operations at Taplegunj in Kathmandu. The statement added that 13 Maoists and suspects were arrested on January 29 for questioning, including three in Lalitpur. Read less...

A Defence Ministry statement on January 30 said that that a bomb disposal unit deactivated explosives placed at a house in Thankot before it was about go off. Read less...