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Photographic evidence of terror camps reopening: Army

Josy Joseph in New Delhi | September 17, 2003 21:29 IST

The Indian Army on Wednesday claimed it had photographic evidence of terrorist camps reopening in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, even as intelligence inputs showed a sharp rise in infiltration into India this year.

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Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Shantanu Choudhury told reporters in New Delhi that Pakistani claims that it has shut terrorist training camps is just a facade.

When his attention was drawn to Pakistan President Pervez Musharaf's claim that his country is doing everything to stop infiltration, General Choudhury said: "He may say this, but the Indian Army does not agree."

He said there has been no fall in terrorist infiltration from across the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

A recent assessment of central intelligence agencies supports General Choudhury's statements. From June to August this year infiltration more than doubled compared to the same period last year, intelligence inputs say.

General Choudhury said the number of "infiltration attempts we have foiled and the army's own assessment show that the situation this year matches that of last year."

The vice-chief, however, countered the claims of several other officers, including the army's man in-charge of information warfare, Major General D H Summanwar, that there has been a sudden increase in terrorist violence in Kashmir after Jaish-e-Mohammed operational chief Ghazi Baba's elimination in an encounter.

General Choudhury said there is no sudden spurt in violence in Kashmir. "The level of violence has not increased" over the past few months, he said.

Intelligence agencies inputs show there has been a sudden spurt in infiltration though from across the border. "Such sudden increase is not possible without the camps and other facilities reopening," an intelligence officer said.

According to statistics compiled by intelligence agencies, in August this year there were 310 incidents of infiltration compared to 205 same month last year.

In July there were 236 incidents compared to just 99 in July 2002. And in June this year there were 189 incidents compared to just 32 same month last year.

"Compared to last year there is a drastic jump," sources said. But they hastened to add that last year there was much more pressure on Pakistan to clamp down on infiltration.

 


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