43 terror camps acive in Pak: Army chief

Mtoday news

London, Dec 10: Some terror camps in Pakistan have reinitiated operations against India which has conveyed its worries over US military aid to Pakistan finding its way to terrorists, Army Chief Deepak Kapoor has told top American official, according to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

 

 

During a meeting between US National Security Advisor James Jones and Defence Minister A K Antony in June, 2009 in Delhi, in which General Kapoor was also present, the Army Chief spoke about "several" incidents of infiltration this year, including that of 40 terrorists in March who were found possessing significant ammunition and other equipment.

Details of the classified cable of the meeting released by the whistle-blower website was published today by the Guardian newspaper. Kapoor also told Jones that India had not made any threatening move against Pakistan even after the 26/11 terrorist strikes on Mumbai.

"Pakistani military’s statements regarding the Indian threat on its eastern border are wholly without merit," Kapoor said, adding, "India did not make any move of a threatening nature toward Pakistan."

Kapoor told Jones that "there are 43 terrorist camps in Pakistan, 22 of which are located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK)." Although the Pakistanis raided some camps in the wake of 11/26, the Army Chief told Jones that some terror camps have reinitiated operations.

"Infiltration across the Line of Control cannot occur unless there is some kind of assistance and/or degree of support that is institutional in nature, Kapoor said.

"India is worried", Kapoor said, adding that "some part of the huge US military package to Pakistan will find its way to the hands of terrorists targeting India". Furthermore, if "we can catch them (the infiltrators), why can’t the Pakistani military?" Kapoor asked.

"There’s a trust deficit between the US and Pakistan but there’s also one between India and Pakistan," he stressed. The cables says that Jones asked Kapoor how the Pakistanis react when they confront them with these incidents.

Kapoor replied the Pakistanis remain in denial mode, but fortunately today India’s counter-infiltration posture is stronger than in the past. Asked about the percentage of infiltrators that get through, Kapoor estimated between 15 to 20 per cent but cited the challenge posed by India’s open border with Nepal.

He said that at least 16 terrorists this year entered India through Nepal and then traveled to Kashmir. Throughout his remarks, Kapoor stressed that infiltration bids were "acts of aggression."

Jones also queried Kapoor on prospects of upgrading Indo-Pak military talks to discuss these issues. Kapoor said that there should be a degree of confidence in Pakistan before such a dialogue can even begin.

Antony interjected that unless there is some tangible follow-up action by Pakistan against the perpetrators of the 11/26 attacks, discussions with Pakistan will be difficult. Regarding terrorist camps in Pakistan, Jones told Antony and Kapoor that the US will take up the issue with Pakistan, the cable said.

The meeting also discussed the situation in Afghanistan. Antony told Jones that India has a stake in Afghanistan, reminding him that India’s borders before partition extended to Afghanistan.

"The Indian military is concerned by the situation in Afghanistan," Antony said, and stressed that the international community’s operations there must succeed because the India cannot imagine for a moment a Taliban takeover of its "extended neighbor."