ULFA in the CLutches of Pakistan's ISI: Indian PM

Pakistan can never get over their ‘destroy India” syndrome! Their ISI would join anyone to get stuff cooking. Unfortunately Indian politicians dont get it.. but here is the Indian PM finally saying things bluntly!

Outlining his concern over Pakistan’s role in fomenting terror in India, PM Manmohan Singh told a 12-party delegation from Assam that he was ready to re-start talks with Ulfa but the group would first have to shake off the ISI yoke guiding its actions.

When the delegation, led by former Assam CM Prafulla Mahanta, met PM on Tuesday to urge Centre to resume “unconditional” talks with Ulfa, it found Singh in a mood for some plain speaking.

He bluntly made the point that Ulfa was “under the grip” of ISI and that this was why the peace efforts were not going anywhere.

“The PM said Centre is ready for talks (with Ulfa) as and when they come out of the clutches of ISI,” said Mahanta after the meeting was over.

The delegation also met home minister Shivraj Patil and President A P J Abdul Kalam. But the government’s recent experience at trying to get Ulfa to smoke the peace pipe does seem to have left it with much confidence in the group’s intent.

The PM’s remarks only confirm what intelligence reports and Army units in the North-East have been saying — that Ulfa has used the ceasefire period to re-arm, re-equip and, importantly, shift cadre and camps.

The spurt in violence that followed the end of the peace talks only served to highlight the outfit’s firepower.

According to confirmed reports, Paresh Baruah, Ulfa’s self-styled chief of army staff, recently visited Pakistan to firm up a training schedule for his cadre. Following the visit, a group of about 15 was sent to Pakistan as recently as last month.

The ISI role in carrying out an attack on a train in Jalpaiguri was seen to have been executed through foot soldiers from Jama’at-ul Mujahideen of Bangladesh (JMB), in concert with Ulfa and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation.

Interestingly, Ulfa is recruiting Bangladeshi migrants. Paresh Baruah, it is learnt, is fond of foreign trips, particularly to Thailand.

The ISI is understood to have arranged trips to Pakistan via Thailand. Baruah, who figures on India’s “most wanted” list also has an Interpol Red Corner notice against him.