Terrorism Times

Lahore (IANS): Four suspects were arrested here Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team that left six policemen dead and six players and their assistant coach injured, a media report said.

The Geo TV reported that police in Model Town have arrested four suspects after the attack. "Arms have been recovered from two of them," the report said.

The police also seized an explosive-laden jacket and weapons from a rickshaw.

Six policemen were killed and at least six Sri Lankan cricketers injured Tuesday when heavily armed gunmen attacked the team cavalcade when it was on its way to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore. The cricketers were later evacuated by an army helicopter as Sri Lanka cancelled its Pakistan tour.

Salman Taseer, governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, said the attack in the heart of Lahore was the handiwork of the same terrorists who struck in Mumbai in November last year.

"It was a planned terrorist act on the pattern of the attack on Mumbai. I believe the same terrorists are involved in both the incidents," Taseer told reporters.

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Seeking doubling of Central force deployment in extremist-infested areas of the state, Orissa government has described the naxalite problem to be "much bigger" than cross border terrorism.

This view was expressed at a two-day consultation meeting of the Commission on Centre State Relationship (CCSR) that ended here on Wednesday.

As the problem was serious, it was unjustified to leave the responsibility of tackling the menace on the state government alone, Orissa's Panchayati Raj minister Raghuath Mohanty said while presenting the state's case favouring a two-fold increase in deployment of Central forces in Maoist-hit areas.

"In many ways, naxal problem is much bigger than cross border terrorism...Therefore, the nation should tackle it with the same degree of seriousness as in case of terrorism," he said

"It was shocking to find that the Centre reduced the funds meant for modernisation of police in Orissa," the minister said, claiming that the amount had come down to Rs 35 crore from previous year's allocation of Rs 60 crore.

This apart, the state government said it has become difficult to arrange executing agencies and contractors to implement road connectivity works in naxalite-prone districts.

The naxalites try to ensure that no connectivity programme was implemented in tribal areas which have turned into havens for the out-lawed outfits.

"Executing agencies and contractors are unwilling to work in naxal-infested districts", he said adding efforts to provide road connectivity to all such areas had failed.

Islamabad (IANS): Jihadi organisations in Pakistan, including the Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), are reassessing their Kashmir policy in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, a media report said Thursday.

"As a result of mounting global pressure on Pakistan following the Mumbai assaults and the subsequent action against various Jihadi groups in the country, senior leaders of the outfits are now pondering a new, friendly policy on Kashmir," The News quoted a knowledgeable source as saying.

India has blamed the LeT for the Nov 26-29 Mumbai mayhem that claimed the lives of over 170 people, including 26 foreigners, and injured over 300. The LeT had created a stir last week when it offered to end its armed struggle in Indian administered Kashmir if Islamabad and New Delhi resolved their dispute over the state.

When The News tried to approach MJC chief Syed Salahuddin, his spokesman Ehsan Elahi said that in the emerging situation they wanted the Kashmir dispute to be settled amicably.

"It is our desire that this problem is resolved through dialogue," Elahi said, adding: "Neither is militancy an easy affair nor are we happy with it. We want peace but it does not mean that we are renouncing our stance or showing a weakness. If there is such an impression in any quarter, it is completely wrong."

Elahi also complained that the current Pakistani government, unlike past administrations, was not supporting the LeT.

"We adjust our policies in line with changes in the situation," he explained.