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閃ilitancy to escalate again from June 26'
Two Al-Qaeda groups sneak into Kashmir

SRINAGAR, June 12: Two groups of Al-Qaeda have reportedly sneaked into north Kashmir and as many as 2250 militants belonging to different outfits are active across the Valley, intelligence chief of Border Security Force (BSF) R S Bullar disclosed today.

Militant activities in the Valley too were expected to go up after June 26, he said.

This information was based on the interception of radio messages between militant groups in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and here. However, human confirmation was yet to be established, he told journalists here.

He said there was a report that both the groups were in Pulwama in south Kashmir before shifting to Bandipora and Beerwah recently.

"We conducted searches in Pulwama almost everywhere, but it was later said that they have shifted to north Kashmir. So now we have shifted our attention to that area (Bandipora and Beerwah).

He said since Al-Qaeda does not have a base in the Valley, the militants of this group were being provided everything by Pakistan based Lashker-e-Toiba here. Apart from shelter, they were being given arms and ammunition, food and clothing by Lashker, he said.

He said Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone was killed by Lashker-e-Toiba to scuttle the election process in the State. Lashker, however, has already denied the allegation and blamed the intelligence agencies for Lone痴 killing.

Mr Bullar said Mr Lone was a moderate leader who had hinted more than once that he may join the Assembly election process in the State. This was not liked by hardliners here who assassinated him, he said.

The BSF intelligence chief said according to information gathered from all sources there were about 2250 militants, half of them belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen which was active across the Valley. Others belonged to organisations such as Lashker-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al Badr and Harkat-ul-Jehad-Islami.

In reply to a question he said about 80 per cent of Hizbul activists were locals while in Lashker and Jaish about 98 per cent were foreigners and only two per cent were locals.

He said all the militant organisations operating in Kashmir valley were pro-Pakistan and were being provided arms, ammunition and finance by them.

Asked about the decrease in militant activities, Mr Bullar said militants operating in the Valley have been directed by their mentors across the border to stop their activities for the time being following international pressure on Pakistan. "However, we have intelligence inputs that they will again start their activities after June 26," he said. This was aimed at scuttling the political process in the Valley.

"Militants have put up posters in south Kashmir saying they would intensify activities from June 26. They have even advised people to complete their social engagements like marriage before that," DIG R S Bhullar told reporters at a medical camp organised by BSF.

Bhullar said the militants are lying low for the time being due to international pressure on Pakistan and subsequent orders from their leaders across the LoC.

"There has been a definite decrease in infiltration and only ten militants belonging to HM sneaked in between June 1-9," he said.