Jaish-e-Mohammad has joined the league of top terror groups like LeT and al-Qaida
With the audacious the Uri strike, the Jaish-e-Mohammad has joined the league of top terror groups like LeT and al-Qaida, especially as the attack followed the one on the Pathankot airbase on January 2.
JeM has been constantly upping its ante inside the valley after 2012 under the banner of ‘Afzal Guru Squad.’ Maulana Masood Azhar floated JeM in 2000 after securing his freedom from Indian jail in exchange for the passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines flight, IC-814 ( Kathmandu – New Delhi), to Kandahar (1999). The hijack was staged by his brother Abdul Rauf
First Pathankot and now Uri show that JeM is the new darling of ISI, the Pakistan intelligence agency which is executing the proxy war for GHQ Shura. Masood outfit is also credited with the attack on an Army camp in Kupwara’s Tangdar area in November last year.
The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is Pakistan’s big daddy of Islamist jihad and India-Afghanistan centric proxy war. After Mumbai’s 26/11 mayhem, it came under international scrutiny and has faced sanctions. It has changed its colours multiple times. These days it appears more focused on Middle East and less on India. Many of its militants who had infiltrated into India recently were either killed or arrested.
The most recent case was that of 22-year-old Bahadur Ali, a resident of Lahore who was caught along the border. Another case in point is that of Naved Ali, arrested from Udhampur last year after he attacked a BSF convoy. With largest presence in the valley, LeT has mostly confined itself to target convoy of security forces instead of attacking their bases, say security agencies.
Counter-intelligence operatives on the condition of anonymity told Economic Times that Lashkar has been on the radar always and after the 26/11 attacks, we have heightened our vigil on the group as unlike Jaish, Lashkar targeted cities. JeM’s action was confined to the valley”.
RED CORNER NOTICES
In the wake of Pathankot air base attack, India has built a strong case for proscribing Maulana Masood Azhar as terrorist at the UN but the move was vetoed by China.
The Interpol issued red corner notice against Masood three months ago in May 2016. Also included in the Interpol alert were the Maulana’s brother Abdul Rauf and Kashif Jan and Shahid Latif, two handlers of JeM Pathankot attackers.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India has sought these red corner notices.
This is the second Interpol notice for the Masood brothers.
Interpol red corner notice was issued for the first time against Masood Azhar after the terrorist attack on Indian Parliament. His brother Rauf got it in connection with the IC-814 hijacking case of 1999.