Kashmiri militants shout slogans during a public meeting to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Around a dozen Kashmiri militant groups gathered publicly to urge Pakistan to lift bans against the Islamist organisation India blames for the Mumbai attacks and its political arm. "We appeal on the government of Pakistan to lift the ban against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) because no Kashmiri jihadi organisation was involved in the Mumbai attacks," Syed Salahuddin, head of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen, told the gathering of around 1,000 people.
"There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," Singh told a summit on internal security attended by the chief ministers from India's states.
"After the Mumbai attacks, we have put in place additional measures. There is need for continued utmost vigilance," added Singh, who also pointed to the threat posed by left-wing militants in the east of the country.
India has boosted its security to prevent assaults after the attacks in the country's financial capital Mumbai in November, in which gunmen killed 166 people.
"All states need to actively share intelligence information to avert any terror attack," he said.
India's intelligence-gathering techniques were severely criticised after their collective failure to thwart the bloody Mumbai attacks.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training cross-border militants in Muslim-majority Kashmir -- a charge Islamabad vehemently denies.
Singh said cross-border terrorism remained a "most pervasive" threat.
The two nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and came dangerously close to a fourth following an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 by militants New Delhi said came from Pakistan.
Singh said militants were operating far beyond the confines of the insurgency-hit northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"There has been a surge in infiltration this year, which is disturbing," he said.
On Saturday's 62nd anniversary of India's independence from British rule, the prime minister had stated in his speech that the government was working to eradicate violent extremism from the country's soil.
India's Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told the summit that the country had faced no terror strike after the Mumbai attacks but "it does not mean that the threat of terror has vanished or receded".
In the wake of the comments, Pakistan assured India of its "fullest cooperation" in preventing fresh acts of terror.
India's deputy high commissioner was called to Pakistan's foreign ministry and told Singh's remarks "warrant serious and prompt attention", the ministry said in a statement.
"In all sincerity, we would request India to share information that they have and for our part we stand ready to cooperate fully in pre-empting any act of terror," the Pakistan statement added.
The prime minister also said India faced another serious challenge from left-wing extremism, namely Maoists who have inflicted heavy casualties on security forces.
India's Maoists, also known as the Naxals, say they are fighting for the rights of neglected tribal people and landless farmers.
They are now active in more than half of the country's 29 states -- particularly in the east, the poorest part of India.
Estimates of their numbers nationwide range between 10,000 and 20,000, but little is known about their shadowy leadership.
To deal with the Maoist crisis, Chidambaram announced a multi-pronged strategy at the summit.
"We will talk, we will act, we will restore order and we will undertake developmental activities in Naxal-hit areas," he said.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
DTN News: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Says Pakistan Militants Planning Fresh Attacks
DTN News: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Says Pakistan Militants Planning Fresh Attacks
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - August 18, 2009: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday that militants in Pakistan were plotting new attacks on India as he urged security forces to stay on high alert. Kashmiri militants shout slogans during a public meeting to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Around a dozen Kashmiri militant groups gathered publicly to urge Pakistan to lift bans against the Islamist organisation India blames for the Mumbai attacks and its political arm. "We appeal on the government of Pakistan to lift the ban against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) because no Kashmiri jihadi organisation was involved in the Mumbai attacks," Syed Salahuddin, head of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen, told the gathering of around 1,000 people.
"There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," Singh told a summit on internal security attended by the chief ministers from India's states.
"After the Mumbai attacks, we have put in place additional measures. There is need for continued utmost vigilance," added Singh, who also pointed to the threat posed by left-wing militants in the east of the country.
India has boosted its security to prevent assaults after the attacks in the country's financial capital Mumbai in November, in which gunmen killed 166 people.
"All states need to actively share intelligence information to avert any terror attack," he said.
India's intelligence-gathering techniques were severely criticised after their collective failure to thwart the bloody Mumbai attacks.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training cross-border militants in Muslim-majority Kashmir -- a charge Islamabad vehemently denies.
Singh said cross-border terrorism remained a "most pervasive" threat.
The two nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and came dangerously close to a fourth following an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 by militants New Delhi said came from Pakistan.
Singh said militants were operating far beyond the confines of the insurgency-hit northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"There has been a surge in infiltration this year, which is disturbing," he said.
On Saturday's 62nd anniversary of India's independence from British rule, the prime minister had stated in his speech that the government was working to eradicate violent extremism from the country's soil.
India's Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told the summit that the country had faced no terror strike after the Mumbai attacks but "it does not mean that the threat of terror has vanished or receded".
In the wake of the comments, Pakistan assured India of its "fullest cooperation" in preventing fresh acts of terror.
India's deputy high commissioner was called to Pakistan's foreign ministry and told Singh's remarks "warrant serious and prompt attention", the ministry said in a statement.
"In all sincerity, we would request India to share information that they have and for our part we stand ready to cooperate fully in pre-empting any act of terror," the Pakistan statement added.
The prime minister also said India faced another serious challenge from left-wing extremism, namely Maoists who have inflicted heavy casualties on security forces.
India's Maoists, also known as the Naxals, say they are fighting for the rights of neglected tribal people and landless farmers.
They are now active in more than half of the country's 29 states -- particularly in the east, the poorest part of India.
Estimates of their numbers nationwide range between 10,000 and 20,000, but little is known about their shadowy leadership.
To deal with the Maoist crisis, Chidambaram announced a multi-pronged strategy at the summit.
"We will talk, we will act, we will restore order and we will undertake developmental activities in Naxal-hit areas," he said.
Kashmiri militants shout slogans during a public meeting to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Around a dozen Kashmiri militant groups gathered publicly to urge Pakistan to lift bans against the Islamist organisation India blames for the Mumbai attacks and its political arm. "We appeal on the government of Pakistan to lift the ban against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) because no Kashmiri jihadi organisation was involved in the Mumbai attacks," Syed Salahuddin, head of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen, told the gathering of around 1,000 people.
"There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," Singh told a summit on internal security attended by the chief ministers from India's states.
"After the Mumbai attacks, we have put in place additional measures. There is need for continued utmost vigilance," added Singh, who also pointed to the threat posed by left-wing militants in the east of the country.
India has boosted its security to prevent assaults after the attacks in the country's financial capital Mumbai in November, in which gunmen killed 166 people.
"All states need to actively share intelligence information to avert any terror attack," he said.
India's intelligence-gathering techniques were severely criticised after their collective failure to thwart the bloody Mumbai attacks.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training cross-border militants in Muslim-majority Kashmir -- a charge Islamabad vehemently denies.
Singh said cross-border terrorism remained a "most pervasive" threat.
The two nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and came dangerously close to a fourth following an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 by militants New Delhi said came from Pakistan.
Singh said militants were operating far beyond the confines of the insurgency-hit northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"There has been a surge in infiltration this year, which is disturbing," he said.
On Saturday's 62nd anniversary of India's independence from British rule, the prime minister had stated in his speech that the government was working to eradicate violent extremism from the country's soil.
India's Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told the summit that the country had faced no terror strike after the Mumbai attacks but "it does not mean that the threat of terror has vanished or receded".
In the wake of the comments, Pakistan assured India of its "fullest cooperation" in preventing fresh acts of terror.
India's deputy high commissioner was called to Pakistan's foreign ministry and told Singh's remarks "warrant serious and prompt attention", the ministry said in a statement.
"In all sincerity, we would request India to share information that they have and for our part we stand ready to cooperate fully in pre-empting any act of terror," the Pakistan statement added.
The prime minister also said India faced another serious challenge from left-wing extremism, namely Maoists who have inflicted heavy casualties on security forces.
India's Maoists, also known as the Naxals, say they are fighting for the rights of neglected tribal people and landless farmers.
They are now active in more than half of the country's 29 states -- particularly in the east, the poorest part of India.
Estimates of their numbers nationwide range between 10,000 and 20,000, but little is known about their shadowy leadership.
To deal with the Maoist crisis, Chidambaram announced a multi-pronged strategy at the summit.
"We will talk, we will act, we will restore order and we will undertake developmental activities in Naxal-hit areas," he said.
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