Indian Army admits carrying out covert ops in Pakistan.

[[Bregs]]

Harinder Baweja, Hindustan Times New Delhi, September 21, 2013
Last Updated: 00:10 IST(21/9/2013)


The military intelligence unit set up by former army chief General VK Singh was involved in sensitive covert operations in Pakistan and was even on the trail of 26/11 mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, officials associated with it have told HT.

“Our main task was to combat the rising trend of state-sponsored terrorism by the ISI and we had developed contacts across the Line of Control in a bid to infiltrate Hafiz Saeed’s inner circle,” an official who served with the controversial Technical Services Division (TSD) said.

Asked for an official response, an army spokesperson said, “The unit has been disbanded. Details of the unit, which was the subject matter of an inquiry, are only known to the Chief and a few senior officers. It is for the defence ministry now to initiate any further inquiries.”

The spook unit was set up after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks on a defence ministry directive asking for the creation of covert capability.

Army documents, perused by HT, reveal the senior-most officers signed off on the formation of this unit. File No A/106/TSD and 71018/ MI give details of approvals by the Director General Military Intelligence, vice-chief and chief of army staff.

The TSD — disbanded after allegations that it spied on defence ministry officials through off-the-air interceptors — was raised as a strategic force multiplier for preparing, planning and executing special operations “inside depth areas of countries of interest and countering enemy efforts within the country by effective covert means”.

But it then got caught in an internecine battle between army chiefs. The TSD – which reported directly to Gen VK Singh — used secret service funds to initiate a PIL against current chief General Bikram Singh. As reported by HT in October 2012, secret funds were paid to an NGO to file the PIL, in a bid to stall Bikram Singh’s appointment as chief.

However, covert ops were the unit’s essential mandate and deniability was built into it and it reads, “The proposed organization (TSD) will enable the military intelligence directorate to provide a quick response to any act of state-sponsored terrorism with a high degree of deniability.”

Its task was to carry out special missions and “cover any tracks leading to the organisation”.

Though covert operations were formally shut down by IK Gujral when he was PM in 1997, sources reveal the TSD carried out several such operations within and outside the country — such as Op Rehbar 1, 2 and 3 (in Kashmir), Op Seven Sisters (Northeast) and Op Deep Strike (Pakistan).

Controversy is dogging the unit once again after disclosures in The Indian Express that secret service funds were also used to destabilize the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP has raised questions over the timing of the disclosures. While the defence ministry has had the inquiry report since March, the revelations have come soon after Singh shared the stage with the saffron party’s PM candidate Narendra Modi last Sunday.


Source: Army spook unit carried out covert ops in Pakistan - Hindustan Times

 

[Kompromat]

This self admission of waging covert operations in Pakistan, amounts to an act of war under international law, which justifies any Pakistani strike in India as a matter of legitimate self defense. So, don't beat your chest when the peanut is handed back to you. (Not that we give a sh it)

 

[Roybot]

All hard work gone down the drain, thanks to petty politics of Congress party.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

to infiltrate his circle?

let me guess --- they wanted to replace his fountain pen with an explosive one (a la mossad)

Hafiz Saeed gives speeches out in the open; everyone knows where he lives. Maybe this brave former general of india (the one who doesnt know his date of birth) should visit this thread on PDF.

he can get one of his spooks to just take a rickshaw to Johar Town Lahore, near Anarkali Bazar.

if they see a paan shop/newspaper stand nearby and some barricades, they'll know they're close










(true story by the way)

 

[Dillinger]

Thank you for releasing sensitive information. Thank you for having revealed a covert ops, the assets cultivated by which will still be perhaps operating in some capacity or other- or will at least till they eat a bullet. I know who holds this nation's interest before their own swine-like greed.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

This amounts to an act of war, don't beat your chest when the peanut is handed back to you. (Not that we give a sh it)

maybe they should try to infiltrate the naxals WITHIN india -- considering they can kill CPRF at will, take their weapons, kidnap nuclear scientists privy to sensitive info - dump them face-down in swamps (etc.)

just a thought. .

 

[neehar]

stupid HT why do they have to make everything public including the file number..

 

[Armstrong]

Operation Deep-Strike - What the heck is that ?

 

[hkdas]

once again our covert ops in Pakistan is blown by our own politicians. i think Pakistan should stop funding ISI for intelligence, politicians and media in india will do that for them!!

 

[[Bregs]]

All hard work gone down the drain, thanks to petty politics of Congress party.

Is this too the hard work to stop a General being installed as next chief through misuse of govt. funds

The TSD – which reported directly to Gen VK Singh — used secret service funds to initiate a PIL against current chief General Bikram Singh. As reported by HT in October 2012, secret funds were paid to an NGO to file the PIL, in a bid to stall Bikram Singh’s appointment as chief

 

[Kompromat]

Operation Deep-Strike - What the heck is that ?

An act of war that resulted in Narindra Modi's 'martyrdom' , as a 'payback'.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

once again our covert ops in Pakistan is blown by our own politicians. i think Pakistan should stop funding ISI for intelligence, politicians in india will do that for them

I think we should get magnifying glasses while we're at it, since a lot of us would have trouble reading your tiny yellow font.

An act of war that resulted in Narindra Modi's 'martyerdom'.

sounds more like for him it will be Operation Deep "Orificial" Penetration

 

[GR!FF!N]

Chut!yag!r! at best...who the f@@uck reveal every secret info about its own army into a newspaper..I think IA should reinstate this TSD..they were doing whats they were supposed to do..I think MI should open a branch who will spy on the officers of IA..too much corruption inside it..if not handled properly,IA officers will have no difference with our politicians..

 

[harpoon]

Pakistan can close down their counter intelligence division for good as our politicians are your best counter intelligence agents.

 

[Kompromat]

sounds more like for him it will be Operation Deep "Orificial" Penetration

Terminate him and go radio silent - imagine what you can do with the leverage created out of a billion angry Hindus and grateful 200 million Muslims,Secularists & Christians. BJP wins the sympathy votes, gets into power - blames the congress for not providing enough security , keeps milking it for another 10 years for political mileage.

Few hundred million Hindu youth hoping to rule India as a matter of 'the right of birth' - get radicalized as a result - unleashing revenge upon their fellow citizens......Shudhifying drive picks up again, Modi becomes an avatar and is worshiped for 'dealing with the malichas with divine power' in the temples.We don't need to fight India - we need to do EXACTLY what our forefathers did -- play on its internal divisions.