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Is Colombo the new LeT hub? - Hindustan Times
The Sri Lankan defence and intelligence agencies were alerted by reports on Thursday that said the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) member and key accused in the German Bakery blast in Pune was trained in Colombo. The Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs is waiting for a detailed report from its
diplomats in New Delhi on the alleged confessions of 29-year-old Mirza Himayat Baig arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS).
"Baig received training in terror activities in Colombo, the Asian Age newspaper quoted ATS chief, Rakesh Maria, as having said.
It was confirmed that the Sri Lankan defence attaché at the Lankan High Commission in New Delhi has got in touch with Indian defence ministry officials.
"Reports in three Indian newspapers caught our attention. We are trying to verify the information and are in touch with Indian authorities. We also hope to contact the Maharashtra ATS for more information," a Lankan diplomat told HT over phone from New Delhi.
The news was startling, another diplomat said. "But since it was coming from a senior police officer, there seems to be some validity," diplomatic sources said.
Earlier this year, a top US military official had said LeT was expanding operations to Sri Lanka.
Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command, in his testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee had said: "right now our concern is the movement of LeT the terrorist group that emanates from Pakistan that was responsible for the Mumbai attacks in India, and specifically their positioning in Bangladesh and Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka."
The diplomat said reports claiming that Sri Lanka had become a quiet and easy hub for Islamic militant activity were circulating for long but without any solid evidence; till date, theres been no arrest or any arms seizure to indicate increasing militant activity.
But it is also true that Sri Lankan military, police and intelligence were totally focused on the activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for decades till the war ended in May, 2009. If authentic, Baig's confession could begin a whole new war on militancy in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan defence and intelligence agencies were alerted by reports on Thursday that said the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) member and key accused in the German Bakery blast in Pune was trained in Colombo. The Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs is waiting for a detailed report from its
diplomats in New Delhi on the alleged confessions of 29-year-old Mirza Himayat Baig arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS).
"Baig received training in terror activities in Colombo, the Asian Age newspaper quoted ATS chief, Rakesh Maria, as having said.
It was confirmed that the Sri Lankan defence attaché at the Lankan High Commission in New Delhi has got in touch with Indian defence ministry officials.
"Reports in three Indian newspapers caught our attention. We are trying to verify the information and are in touch with Indian authorities. We also hope to contact the Maharashtra ATS for more information," a Lankan diplomat told HT over phone from New Delhi.
The news was startling, another diplomat said. "But since it was coming from a senior police officer, there seems to be some validity," diplomatic sources said.
Earlier this year, a top US military official had said LeT was expanding operations to Sri Lanka.
Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command, in his testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee had said: "right now our concern is the movement of LeT the terrorist group that emanates from Pakistan that was responsible for the Mumbai attacks in India, and specifically their positioning in Bangladesh and Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka."
The diplomat said reports claiming that Sri Lanka had become a quiet and easy hub for Islamic militant activity were circulating for long but without any solid evidence; till date, theres been no arrest or any arms seizure to indicate increasing militant activity.
But it is also true that Sri Lankan military, police and intelligence were totally focused on the activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for decades till the war ended in May, 2009. If authentic, Baig's confession could begin a whole new war on militancy in Sri Lanka.
