There is no doubt that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba is the deadliest outfit around in the world today. A recent write up in the Pro Publica states that there are nearly 300000 trainees in this group and most of them had joined at the age of 17.
While this is a growing worry for the entire world, for India the problem remains specific as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba since the year 2011 has gone on a recruiting spree and what is worse all these persons are of Indian origin.
The National Investigating Agency which is probing the 26/11 case had subject Abu Jundal, to a very thorough investigation and during the same a lot of startling facts came to light. According to Jundal, the Lashkar has over the past 2 years recruited nearly 10000 youth of Indian origin. Many linger on in India while several have been sent to various countries to obtain training.
Jundal tells his investigators that the primary focus for the Lashkar is to create several home grown outfits in India. While they saw massive success in the 26/11 attack, the blame went back to Pakistan after the capture of Ajmal Kasab. The Lashkar did everything possible to conceal the Pakistan identity and wanted to make it look as though the Fidayeens were Indians.
According to Jundal all major attacks which would be planned against India in the near future would comprise only Indians. The Lashkar in Pakistan would only provide moral and financial support. Attacks would be planned within India and there would be a full fledged command centre too.
Jundal says that the decision to commence a full fledged Indian recruitment spree commenced in the year 2010 itself. However the same was put on hold as there was too much scrutiny. It was then decided that a part of the Lashkar command from Pakistan would move into Saudi Arabia and commence the process from there. Jundal was one of the persons who was moved to Saudi Arabia for this purpose. At Saudi there was a full fledged coordination between the Indian Mujahideen and the Lashkar. There were no attacks that were planned, but the only intention was to recruit as many Indians as possible and train them.
Jundal further reveals that the entire operational details for this recruitment spree was overseen by none other than Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi who is in jail. Jundal’s statements to the NIA make it clear that Lakhvi continues to hold fort and he being in jail has not made any difference to the operations of the Lashkar. There are a set of persons who have access to Lakhvi and no operation of the Lashkar goes through without informing him. It was he who suggested that such an operation be undertaken. Morevoer he had also said that we need to look for Indian youth everywhere and Saudi Arabia would be the best possible base. Lakhvi was also particular that educated youth are taken into the fray and hence we were told to look at Social networking sites as well, Jundal also told the NIA.
Leave a reply