Islamic State may join hands with LeT to launch attacks in India: Army

Jammu: A top Army commander today said there was a “possibility” that global terror outfit Islamic State (IS) may join hands with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba to launch attacks in India.

“Yes, that (IS joining hands with LeT to launch attacks in India) can be a possibility as the motive of the terrorists is to spread their propaganda.

“They want their name and for that, they can do anything.  And if they get successful, they can take advantage of it by using any name. Yes it is a possibility,” General Officer Commanding of the 16 corps of the army Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar told reporters here today.

He was replying to a question whether IS can join hands with other terrorists outfits like LeT to launch Paris-type attacks in India.

Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar also said there are around 700 active militants in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) who.  On a question about the number of terrorist training camps active across the Line of Control in the POK, he said that from the inputs that the captured terrorist Navid has given there are around 37 active camps in that region.  

“See, there are a number of launching pads and we are all aware of it as it is in the open domain. So, therefore, I will not exactly say as to how many are there,” he said.  

The army commander said,”There are sufficient number of launching pads and if you calculate that way... take the statement which is given by terrorist captured in Udhampur attack so you can easily co-relate what he said and calculate.

“So to my mind in the entire PoK there may be about 600-700 terrorists.”He said that out of the 700 militants present in the PoK, half of them are ready and waiting for a chance to infiltrate into the Indian side.

“Out of them, half are ready to be launched so they can come in the launch pad and get launched,” he said.

The army commander said Navid had revealed that 35-37 terrorist camps were active in the PoK region.  

“35 to 37 camps are there and if in every camp there are 20-30 (terrorists), then the total figure reaches to 600-700 and out of them half are ready to be launched,” he said.  Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar said the militants were looking for ways and means to infiltrate.

“We cannot say this with certainty whether the number has increased or decreased. In my opinion, it is their job to find ways and means to infiltrate and whenever they get a chance they do it and our job is to stop them and if one of them slips in and our job is to clear them. It is an ongoing game which keeps on going,” he said.

Replying to a question about radicalisation of Kashmiri youth and their attraction towards IS ideology, he said that if any organisation wants to grow then it is bound to recruit people into its folds.

“See, right now, these are speculation and we cannot say anything about it. If any organisation wants to grow, they will definitely go for recruitment, it is their job and it is to be seen in how much area they get success. It depends on their propaganda,” he added.

He said,”I cannot say this with any degree of certainty if they are present or not. IS flags which are being raised we have seen these are scattered incidents, in Srinagar we cannot say with certainty about their influence having increased.” He said that the need of the hour was to remain alert and be ready to face any eventuality.

“Right now, we have to do detailed analysis but at the end it is our job that we have to be ready all the time. We have to remain alert. Whatever the name be, be it the IS, the LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen etc if they attack the final result would be the same. We have to guard against that final result and I want to assure you that we are always ready,” he said.  

On the question about the presence of IS in terrorist training camps in the PoK, Lt Gen Nimbhorkar said that nothing can be said with certainty about the presence of IS in PoK.

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