The ISI is planning a major terrorist strike in India on 15 August, Independence Day and 12 terrorists from three different nationalities including Indian have been asked to carry out suicide attacks in public places with guns and hand grenades.
Sources in the Intelligence Bureau said that these 12 terrorists, four each from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, have gone through rigorous training at their hideout in Rajshahi district of Bangladesh.
According to officials, the Bangladesh based ultra Islamic organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which is supported by the ISI, has a very strong presence in Rajshahi and hence the terrorists were able to complete their training there. “Our intelligence is that they are likely to enter India during the 15th August celebrations and carry out suicide attacks at crowded places. We have not been able to pinpoint the places where they are likely to target,” an official who is monitoring the development said.
India and Bangladesh share a very porous border and it is very easy for someone to enter India without being detected by the security forces.
The security agencies have still not been able to verify the antecedents of the terrorists, including the four Indians who are a member of the group.
“Right now, our focus is to stop them from carrying out the attack and we have informed various intelligence agencies and state police about the plot. The same has also been shared with our counterparts in Dhaka,” the official said.
Officials said that with the security forces’ focus mainly on India’s border in Kashmir in view of the current situation, the terrorist organisations are looking at other options including Bangladesh to enter India.
“The influx of illegal migrants through the porous borders is a cause of a major security concern as it is very difficult to distinguish a migrant from a terrorist.
“We have asked our officials to exercise extra caution during the coming weeks and check and interrogate any person who appears suspicious.
“We are asking for daily inputs based on the intelligence gathered from the ground,” an official with the Home Ministry said.