The Indian Army has confirmed sending
additional troops to the Northern Laddakh Region after
reports that the world’s most wanted fugitive Osama
bin Laden may be hiding there.
Col. S.K. Sakhuja, Director Press Relations
of the Indian Army described reports of Osama moving to
Laddakh as “a disturbing news” and also confirmed
that the Indian forces were on a Red Alert to track him
down.
He told the South Asia Tribune in New
Delhi: “The Indian forces are on Red Alert in the
wake of the Osama reports. In fact, nobody can tell exactly
where Osama is hiding, but some intelligence reports say
that he is in the Laddakh Region. This is, indeed, disturbing
news for us.”
When asked if the Indian forces will undertake
combing operations in the region to track him down, he
said: “Our forces are on high alert, and additional
forces are being sent there. The possibility of the combing
operation cannot be ruled out, but now the time of snowfall
is nearing. Combing operations would be difficult for
the troops, but it would be equally difficult for Osama
to penetrate into our territory.”
Other officials say the border area of
Laddakh adjacent to Pakistan administered Kashmir and
Karakoram Range is being fortified after receiving confirmed
intelligence inputs from the Israeli intelligence agency
regarding possible presence of Osama in the region.
They say the Israeli intelligence agency
has cautioned India that some rogue ISI elements may be
trying to push Osama into the Indian territory. The agency
says Osama and his fighters are moving in groups of three
to four persons in the Laddakh-Karakoram region. But it
is difficult to say exactly with which group Osama is
moving. Now the FBI is likely to form two Action Groups,
one each in India and Pakistan, to track down Osama.
Indian officials have confirmed that an
official of the Israeli intelligence agency, stationed
at the Israeli Diplomatic Mission in New Delhi, met some
top officials of the Indian intelligence agency, RAW,
on Wednesday, Nov 3.
RAW, FBI and Mossad have joined hands
and are working together. They are exchanging intelligence
inputs with one another regarding Osama’s possible
presence in the Laddakh region, one official told the
South Asia Tribune.
Indian forces are focusing on areas adjacent
to Pak administered Kashmir, Karakoram and Aksai Chin.
It has also been confirmed by the Indian defense sources
that the convoy of Osama was sighted in the Karakoram
region by the Indian aircrafts monitoring the region.
Indian troops, stationed at the Siachen
glacier, have also been directed to enhance vigil over
the Karakoram Highway.
The terrain of Laddakh-Karakoram is similar
to that of Afghanistan. There are plenty of caves, caverns,
grottos, tunnels, etc in the rocky mountains of the region,
which become inaccessible when snowfall begins.
But officials caution that Osama and his
fighters are used to such hostile terrain and the extremely
inclement weather, whereas security forces have to acclimatize
before setting out on the operation.
When South Asia Tribune asked an official
of the Indian Home Ministry about the presence of Israeli
intelligence agency in India and its involvement in the
Osama hunt, he said: “We welcome inputs from intelligence
agencies of Israel and the US if they do not interfere
in our affairs. In this regard we exchange intelligence
inputs with the FBI and Mossad. The Mossad is not directly
involved in the Osama operation in India, but it is assisting
us by providing inputs gathered by its men from various
sources.”
Asked to clarify what he meant by ‘various
sources’, the official said: “Israeli intelligence
agents are covertly, in Pakistan, too, along with the
US Diplomatic Mission. They are working there in the same
way they work in India. We regularly receive intelligence
inputs from the FBI in Pakistan, but this is for the first
time that Israeli intelligence agency has directly cautioned
us through their Mission in India in the matter. We have
taken it very seriously, and we are in constant touch
with the FBI, here and in Pakistan.”
Officials say that the FBI is likely to
form an Action Group with the ISI in Pakistan to track
down Osama in the Laddakh-Karakoram region. Similarly,
in India, the FBI is trying to form an Action Group with
RAW, and specially, with the intelligence units of the
Indian Army and para-military forces. Officials say that
the help from Mossad cannot be ruled out.
Some Indian officials fear that jihadi
elements in Pakistan may also be providing logistic support
to Osama and his fighters.
