ISI plots Valley diversion, eyes infiltration of 100-150 terrorists, threats and more OWGs

New Delhi: Security agencies are gearing up to counter a major Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-led operation in Jammu and Kashmir, amid a rise in diversionary tactics. Proxy terror groups have been circulating threat messages, asking Kashmiri Pandits not to relocate while warning migrant workers to leave Jammu and Kashmir immediately.

An intelligence assessment of the latest threats suggests that Pakistan is seeking to create a diversion. Security agencies are currently on alert against possible terror threats in the Valley, while these proxy outfits are attempting to shift their attention away from the existing security focus.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the ISI is currently desperate to do two things in the Valley.

“First, the Pakistani intelligence agency wants to expand its over-ground worker (OGW) network to ensure that terrorists have access to logistics and safe shelter. Second, Pakistan is seeking to facilitate a major infiltration attempt, to push at least 100 to 150 terrorists into the Valley over the next couple of months,” the IB official said.

Another official said that such threat letters will continue to circulate in the Valley in much higher numbers.

Recently, a head constable and two migrant workers were killed by terrorists in Kashmir. This was to serve as a warning that such threat letters should be taken seriously, the official said.

An analysis of the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir suggests that the ISI’s primary objective is to increase the number of terrorists operating in the Valley while simultaneously expanding their support network through OGWs.

Another official said that what is alarming is the precise information that these proxy outfits have about the migrant workers and Kashmiri Pandits. From their residential addresses to their phone numbers, these proxy groups have managed to gather extensive information about them, making the situation increasingly alarming.

“Groups such as the United Liberation Council and The Resistance Front, which are proxies of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, respectively, have assets within the system. Operatives of these groups could possibly be feeding them with such precise information,” the official added.

Counter-terrorism experts say that this form of warfare is dangerous. These are not random or generalised threats that these proxy groups are issuing. These warning letters have names, addresses and phone numbers, and this is what makes the threat far more worrying.

For Indian security agencies, the situation presents a difficult challenge. They cannot afford to ignore these threats. If they do, these groups could target a few individuals to send a message that their threats are genuine and should be taken seriously.

At the same time, the agencies cannot afford to lose focus on the ground situation, where an active recruitment drive for OGWs is underway. The situation is similar along the Line of Control (LoC), where terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen are waiting for opportunities to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir. However, tight security along the border is currently making such attempts difficult.

Officials said that such threats are likely to increase, with the intention of diverting a significant portion of the security agencies towards dealing with this specific challenge. This, they said, could provide the ISI with an opportunity to pursue its two-pronged strategy of expanding its OGW network and facilitating the entry of foreign terrorists into India.

Alongside these threats, attempts are also being made to disrupt religious harmony by provoking communal tensions. Such incidents could create further distractions and force security agencies to shift their focus, which would work to the advantage of the ISI, an official said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]