Intelligence Bureau warns Maharashtra, Goa of terror operatives

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has warned authorities in Maharashtra and Goa of heightened activities and movements of suspected terror operatives in the respective states.

The movements that are being tracked by the central intelligence agencies indicate that terror suspects, or those who are on the radar, are sneaking into Nepal from Maharashtra. And, the route that they are taking is through Goa and Uttar Pradesh (UP).

This advisory was issued a few days before the huge seizure of explosives from a car in Ambala last week. However, after the seizures the alert has been issued once again.

The reason the advisory assumes significance, said a central intelligence officer on condition of anonymity, is because the seized explosives are believed to have been the handiwork of the Nepal unit of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT).

The officer said that the same issue was also discussed at the conference of the directors general of police in Delhi last month. “Confidential information available with the intelligence agencies indicates that there has been an increase in activities by terror suspects in Maharashtra and Goa. Also, with the ongoing festive season in Maharashtra, and the upcoming tourist season in Goa there is growing concern regarding the findings of the intelligence agencies,” the officer said.

According to the IB, terror suspects are travelling from Maharashtra to Goa, from Goa to UP, and are sneaking into Nepal from there. “Most of these suspects are known to belong to the Indian Mujahideen (IM),” the officer said.

According to the information provided by the research and analysis wing (R&AW), members of the IM are frequently travelling into Nepal where the LeT has set up a unit.

“Since the Bangladesh unit of the IM, which is headed by Amir Raza, has been exposed, the operatives are being asked to enter Nepal, and from there are being taken either to Bangladesh or Pakistan,” said another senior official from Delhi.

“In the past few months, the Nepal unit of LeT has become active, and is increasing its terror activities in India with the help of sleeping units of militants in Punjab and members of the IM,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in all parts of Maharashtra and Mumbai, following the alerts and the explosives seizure in Ambala.