Pakistan, Bangladesh Involved in North East Terrorism: Stratfor

[Contrarian]

Pakistan, Bangladesh Involved in North East Terrorism: Stratfor
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India Defence Premium
Dated 23/4/2007
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Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence is working with Bangladesh's intelligence agencies to facilitate cooperation between north-east militant groups like United Liberation Front of Asom and other jihadi outfits in South Asian regions, besides Tamil rebels in Lanka, US intelligence service Startfor has said.

In its latest forecast titled 'India: The Islamisation of the Northeast', it observes that there is a growing Islamisation in the region -- spurred by ISI, and instability in neighbouring Bangladesh which is giving foreign powers (China and Pakistan) a gamut of exploitable secessionist movements to use to prevent India from emerging as a major global player.

Stratfor says there exists a strong nexus between ISI and Bangladesh's intelligence agencies. There are growing indications, says the report, that these two agencies are working clandestinely in Bangladesh to bring all the north-east-based insurgent outfits and jihadi elements under one umbrella.

"The ISI has facilitated cooperation between ULFA and other north-eastern militant outfits; with the LTTE in Sri Lanka, Islamist militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Islamist groups in Bangladesh and a growing number of Al Qaeda-linked jihadi groups operating in the region," it adds.

"ULFA's growing links with Bangladeshi Islamists and jihadi elements in the area are increasingly coming to light," the report claims. The April 9 attack timed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Assam marked the group's first-ever suicide bombing, a tactic that was pioneered by the Tigers and has been frequently employed by Islamist militants.

ULFA's adoption of suicide bombing, Stratfor says, looks to be the result of the group's increased Islamisation caused by collusion with Islamist outfits in the region.

The bomber in the April 9 suicide attack was Ainul Ali, a Muslim. Citing Indian security sources, the report says ULFA did not have many Muslim cadres in its fold in the past, but the increasing flow of Bangladeshi refugees across the border has given the group more -- and more capable -- members willing to sacrifice their lives for the group's cause with nudging from the ISI, Pakistan's premier intelligence agency.

Political conditions in Bangladesh, observes the report, appear to be indirectly contributing to the empowerment of Islamists there.

Using the Pakistani military regime as an example, Bangladeshi Army chief Lt Gen Moeen U Ahmed is reasserting the army's role in Bangladeshi politics -- which have long suffered from a bitter political feud between Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Begum Khaleda Zia, it said.

With both party leaders driven into exile, a political vacuum has started to take root in the country, and Bangladesh's Islamist parties are anxiously waiting to fill it, the report adds.

As a result, it forecasts, New Delhi is facing a "bleak situation" in which the ISI's manoeuvres and Bangladesh's political troubles are sure to further constrain India's ability to dig itself out of the militant trap Pakistan has set for India with the help of Bangladesh.

It quoted one informed Bangladesh observer as saying there does exist meaningful cooperation between ISI and Bangladesh's intelligence agencies in their combined fight against terrorism, at the nudging of the West, but their joint efforts to trap India may just be a collateral strategic gain.
http://www.india-defence.com/reports/3071

 

[BanglaBhoot]

This is just another spin off analysis from Jaideep Saikia's thesis 'Terror Sans Frontiers: Islamic Militancy in North East India' which was sponsored by RAW and now seems to have seeped into western thinking. I completely destroyed Saikia's thesis 3 years ago but RAW's propaganda machine is very well coordinated and financed and difficulet to defeat.

 

[Keysersoze]

This is just another spin off analysis from Jaideep Saikia's thesis 'Terror Sans Frontiers: Islamic Militancy in North East India' which was sponsored by RAW and now seems to have seeped into western thinking. I completely destroyed Saikia's thesis 3 years ago but RAW's propaganda machine is very well coordinated and financed and difficulet to defeat.

Where did you destroy the thesis?

 

[BanglaBhoot]

The following is the verbatim response I made to Jaideep Saikia and Taj Hashmi that appeared on several Bangladeshi forums on the internet and may still be found in the NFB archives, Sonar Bangladesh website and on the Bangladesh Strategic and Development Forum (BSDF) web page -


Response by M.B.I. Munshi on Jaideep Saikia’s comments

REF: Politics over Dead Bodies - An Analysis from Taj Hashmi

Dear Mr. Saikia,

I am a little disappointed at the quality of Indian scholarship that appears to be taken for a high level of erudition, knowledge and learning in international circles but is nothing more than a composite of opinions and beliefs lacking credibility and verifiability. In several places in your Occasional Paper you refer to reports, sources, documents, disclosures, interrogations, observers, confessions and interviews without specifying how you came upon these items of information and the form or type of cooperation that was necessary to acquire or procure any of this intelligence. Looking through the endnotes (i.e. the notes provided at the end of each chapter) does not reveal the manner or means by which you obtained such information.

I can only surmise that you were assisted by India’s RAW in the reports compilation and possibly its conclusions. I am sure that such an accusation could tarnish the reputation of an ‘independent analyst writer’ (I am not sure exactly what this designation means but it is your choice of words) and lead to a libel action but I believe I am on strong legal grounds and justified in my suspicions. The following are the most egregious example of what I have so far been referring to:

1. Chapter 2 – (‘Swadin Asom or Brihot Bangladesh’) on the top of page 6 (1st paragraph) you state, ‘Intelligence reports made available to this author.’ You do not specify how it was made available to you or by whom.

2. Chapter 2 – On page 7 (near the bottom) you state, ‘... intelligence reports have suggested that ...’ You do not specify what intelligence reports and how you came by them.

3. Chapter 2 – On page 8 (paragraph 3) you state, ‘Recent Indian intelligence reports ...’ You do not specify what intelligence reports and how you came by them.

4. Chapter 3 – (‘Events in the Neighborhood’) on page 10 (paragraph 2) you state, ‘An extensive search during the author’s research at the university of Illinois has unearthed a list of such places along with the number of cadres. These have been made available to the author by a reliable source.’ This statement requires explanation as I do not see why a reliable source should provide you with this information when it is already available at the University of Illinois. In other words, I have to infer from the context of your speech that the materials were not discovered during your research at the University of Illinois but through an external source unrelated to the university. In more comprehensible language this implies to me that during your research someone approached you and passed on this intelligence to you.

5. Chapter 4 – (‘In the name of Islam’) on page 3 (paragraph 9) you make the following comment, ‘Quoting a senior Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) source – the premiere Indian external intelligence agency – Bhaumik goes on to say that the late P.N. Banerji, the then Chief of RAW’s Eastern Division, in a briefing to RAW field officers at Calcutta in August 1971 had insisted that apprehension of the North East being cut off was primarily the reason for the Indian interest in sustaining the Bengali liberation effort in 1971.’ You seem to have quoted this with some appreciation and approval but have not disclosed the identity of the senior RAW source that Bhaumik mentions. Elsewhere in your report you have no qualms in disclosing the names and identities of alleged ISI and DGFI agents. Why have you adopted this discriminatory and biased attitude? Your report is meant to be an impartial scholarly effort so why accord the protection of anonymity to RAW agents but not to others unless they were your source of information and guide in this project.

These are only a few of the glaring discrepancies in your Occasional Paper. I am more concerned as to why the University of Illinois allowed itself to be duped into publishing and putting its name to such a highly suspect and prejudicial document. I would hope that expatriate Bangladeshis living in the United States would lodge a formal complaint to the University of Illinois and request an explanation for their inability to maintain intellectual and scholarly standards. It appears your only defence to my allegation is that,

“The paper was written sitting in an American University.I [sic] don't know how or why Dr. Munshi dreamt up the [sic] RAW. I can only attribute his doing so to a sinister design which is slowly becoming clear to me, since his first article "Politics Over Dedad [sic] Bodies" appeared in this website.”

If this is the best you can come up with then I have little to worry about. However, after reading your response to me (and other writers) on NFB I am somewhat taken aback at the poor quality of your English. I do not mean this to insult you but it raises further questions on the final authorship of the report. If you could conclusively satisfy me on all the above objections to your Occasional Paper I would be more than happy to make an apology and lend credibility to your self assigned designation as a ‘independent analyst writer’.

 

[genmirajborgza786]

The following is the verbatim response I made to Jaideep Saikia and Taj Hashmi that appeared on several Bangladeshi forums on the internet and may still be found in the NFB archives, Sonar Bangladesh website and on the Bangladesh Strategic and Development Forum (BSDF) web page -


Response by M.B.I. Munshi on Jaideep Saikia’s comments

REF: Politics over Dead Bodies - An Analysis from Taj Hashmi

Dear Mr. Saikia,

I am a little disappointed at the quality of Indian scholarship that appears to be taken for a high level of erudition, knowledge and learning in international circles but is nothing more than a composite of opinions and beliefs lacking credibility and verifiability. In several places in your Occasional Paper you refer to reports, sources, documents, disclosures, interrogations, observers, confessions and interviews without specifying how you came upon these items of information and the form or type of cooperation that was necessary to acquire or procure any of this intelligence. Looking through the endnotes (i.e. the notes provided at the end of each chapter) does not reveal the manner or means by which you obtained such information.

I can only surmise that you were assisted by India’s RAW in the reports compilation and possibly its conclusions. I am sure that such an accusation could tarnish the reputation of an ‘independent analyst writer’ (I am not sure exactly what this designation means but it is your choice of words) and lead to a libel action but I believe I am on strong legal grounds and justified in my suspicions. The following are the most egregious example of what I have so far been referring to:

1. Chapter 2 – (‘Swadin Asom or Brihot Bangladesh’) on the top of page 6 (1st paragraph) you state, ‘Intelligence reports made available to this author.’ You do not specify how it was made available to you or by whom.

2. Chapter 2 – On page 7 (near the bottom) you state, ‘... intelligence reports have suggested that ...’ You do not specify what intelligence reports and how you came by them.

3. Chapter 2 – On page 8 (paragraph 3) you state, ‘Recent Indian intelligence reports ...’ You do not specify what intelligence reports and how you came by them.

4. Chapter 3 – (‘Events in the Neighborhood’) on page 10 (paragraph 2) you state, ‘An extensive search during the author’s research at the university of Illinois has unearthed a list of such places along with the number of cadres. These have been made available to the author by a reliable source.’ This statement requires explanation as I do not see why a reliable source should provide you with this information when it is already available at the University of Illinois. In other words, I have to infer from the context of your speech that the materials were not discovered during your research at the University of Illinois but through an external source unrelated to the university. In more comprehensible language this implies to me that during your research someone approached you and passed on this intelligence to you.

5. Chapter 4 – (‘In the name of Islam’) on page 3 (paragraph 9) you make the following comment, ‘Quoting a senior Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) source – the premiere Indian external intelligence agency – Bhaumik goes on to say that the late P.N. Banerji, the then Chief of RAW’s Eastern Division, in a briefing to RAW field officers at Calcutta in August 1971 had insisted that apprehension of the North East being cut off was primarily the reason for the Indian interest in sustaining the Bengali liberation effort in 1971.’ You seem to have quoted this with some appreciation and approval but have not disclosed the identity of the senior RAW source that Bhaumik mentions. Elsewhere in your report you have no qualms in disclosing the names and identities of alleged ISI and DGFI agents. Why have you adopted this discriminatory and biased attitude? Your report is meant to be an impartial scholarly effort so why accord the protection of anonymity to RAW agents but not to others unless they were your source of information and guide in this project.

These are only a few of the glaring discrepancies in your Occasional Paper. I am more concerned as to why the University of Illinois allowed itself to be duped into publishing and putting its name to such a highly suspect and prejudicial document. I would hope that expatriate Bangladeshis living in the United States would lodge a formal complaint to the University of Illinois and request an explanation for their inability to maintain intellectual and scholarly standards. It appears your only defence to my allegation is that,

“The paper was written sitting in an American University.I [sic] don't know how or why Dr. Munshi dreamt up the [sic] RAW. I can only attribute his doing so to a sinister design which is slowly becoming clear to me, since his first article "Politics Over Dedad [sic] Bodies" appeared in this website.”

If this is the best you can come up with then I have little to worry about. However, after reading your response to me (and other writers) on NFB I am somewhat taken aback at the poor quality of your English. I do not mean this to insult you but it raises further questions on the final authorship of the report. If you could conclusively satisfy me on all the above objections to your Occasional Paper I would be more than happy to make an apology and lend credibility to your self assigned designation as a ‘independent analyst writer’.

good observation no doubt

 

[joey]

Munshi babu recently one bangladeshi in the bilines of Saarc summit admited of terror camps in Bangladesh but promised to uproot them and we have promised them investments, like say Tata will invest 3 bn dollars.

also I have heard there is some secret US intervention in Bdesh? how true is this?

 

[joey]

how say this that Pakistan is involved in terrorism is the terrorist himself...all is done in Balochistan, the weapons are provided by you dearrrr indians terroristsssss.....hummm

business as usual, We follow the suit and not start. :army:

 

[MirBadshah]

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/3071

India-defence website is being run by Indian Defence Forum team and Su 47, Gutam are the moderators and writer of the website (both are members of this forum as well)

There is a tendecy in Indian members and governemt to blame all unrest indise India on someone else, and tell people that everything is fine internally its just ISI, China and BD who is making this all mess.

Goodluck with this approach untill things get out of your hands.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i think that is a tendency that lies in pakistan too. but i think india has a much more chronic case of this particular syndrom.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Munshi babu recently one bangladeshi in the bilines of Saarc summit admited of terror camps in Bangladesh but promised to uproot them and we have promised them investments, like say Tata will invest 3 bn dollars. also I have heard there is some secret US intervention in Bdesh? how true is this?

The Bangladeshi in question admitted no such thing but said that he would look into the allegations and Tata may promise but it is not that we are begging Tata to come here there are other billion dollar worth of investments in the pipeline.

About secret US intervention your guess is as good as mine. What difference would it make to India?

 

[MirBadshah]

So, you mean that unrest, riots, desperation, seperatists and NAXAL movements in India are not because of social, economic and explitation problems but fault of BD, China and Pakistan?

 

[Bull]

India accussed Pakistan was behind Kashmir . Mushraff publicly has said he will try to control the groups operating from Pakistan. So that vindicates our stand in case of Kashmir terrorism and Pakistan.

India said ULFA were operating from bases in Bhutan, bhutan agreed and a jt operation was launched to flush them out.

India said NE militants were operating from bases in Myanmar, myanmar accpeted and a jt operation was launched to flush them out.

Off late we have said B'desh is being used by ISI and terrorists and now they have admitted to the existance of terror camps.

So till date whatever we have said has been true and accepted.

The reason why India is having so many insurgencies is basically bcoz we are surrounded by politically unstable countries.

 

[MirBadshah]

That is good that you turned to be true whenever you accused any of your neighbour!

By the way is there any internal problem in India as well or your neighbours are responsible for all these seperatist movements, religious killing, NAXAL, I have poset an article here from IDF which says India have 120 seperatist movements, though all not active, but this number is more then the number of seperatist movements around the world.

Is this all because of your neighbours or there is something going in inside?

 

[EagleEyes]

You guys please. No immature talks.

Please read the rules, we have a DIFFERENT rules.

Thanks.

 

[Bull]

That is good that you turned to be true whenever you accused any of your neighbour!

By the way is there any internal problem in India as well or your neighbours are responsible for all these seperatist movements, religious killing, NAXAL, I have poset an article here from IDF which says India have 120 seperatist movements, though all not active, but this number is more then the number of seperatist movements around the world.

Is this all because of your neighbours or there is something going in inside?

Well if i can spend a few dollars and set up a website i can form my own seperatist movement. Thats all it takes.

All of the speratist movements are region wise, bordering harsh terrains.