The Hindu : Terror strikes part of a bigger game plan: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 15, 2003

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Terror strikes part of a bigger game plan: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 14. The upsurge in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and the busting of militant modules in Mumbai led the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to state today that these appeared to be part of a bigger game plan of militants.

Mr. Advani, who was briefed by the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, here this evening, told presspersons at his residence that the Mumbai police had busted several modules of militants in the city recently and that the State Government and the Centre were working in close coordination to counter terror.

Mr. Bhujbal, who arrived here late this evening, was closeted with the Deputy Prime Minister for over an hour at Mr. Advani's Prithviraj Road official residence.

The Mumbai Police Commissioner, Ranjit Singh Sharma, and the Union Home Secretary, N. Gopalaswami, were also present.

Mr. Advani said Mr. Sharma would hold discussions tomorrow with Home Ministry officials.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of the Mumbai police action, which led to the killing of the `mastermind' behind the August 25 twin blasts and recovery of explosives.

Earlier, talking at the sidelines of an awards ceremony, Mr. Advani said the militant attacks appear to be part of a bigger game plan, which needed to be countered.

Asked whether the killing of renegade militant, Kuka Parrey, who spearheaded the counter-insurgency movement in Jammu and Kashmir, was aimed at derailing the peace process, he said, "this has been going on".

Mr. Advani said the recent acts of violence showed that the active support for terrorism from across the border was still continuing and reiterated that India would effectively fight the menace.

"Terrorism has been going on and we have to combat it," he said, to a question on whether the recent attacks in Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir were aimed at derailing the Indo-Pak. peace process.

Even though the Centre has been regularly in touch with the Maharashtra Government with regard to activities of militants, Mr. Bhujbal preferred to fly down here this evening to inform Mr. Advani on the progress made and share the information the city police had on the issue.

Mr. Bhujbal said the State Government was getting complete cooperation from the Centre in dealing with terrorism. However, he said, while the State police was doing its best in busting various modules, it would not be proper to claim that all such modules in India, leave alone Maharashtra, had been neutralised.