We Will Conduct Credible Investigation: Pak

Days after it rubbished the evidence implicating the involvement of ‘elements’ holed up inside its territories in the Mumbai terror attacks, the Pakistani establishment on Tuesday said it has decided to conduct a "credible investigation" to "professionally analyse" the information.

New Delhi had on Monday pinned Islamabad to the wall by summoning Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and handing over to him “material” proving Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani discussed the regional situation during a meeting on Tuesday and decided "to carry out a credible investigation of the evidence provided by India," said - The News – a leading Pak daily.

They also agreed that Pakistan should extend "complete cooperation to India in the investigations".

Zardari and Gilani however said that anyone found guilty of involvement would be tried in accordance with Pakistani law and “no one will be handed over to India."

Information Minister Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said Pakistan should be provided access to the scene of crime so that it could push forward its own probe into the Mumbai attacks.

India and Pakistan on Tuesday once again traded angry words after India insinuated that Pakistan's official agencies may have been involved in the Mumbai terror strikes.

Hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that some official agencies had backed the attacks, Pakistan issued a strongly worded statement to refute the charges.

Media reports quoted sources as saying that Zardari and Gilani had rejected Singh's comments.

On Monday, India handed over a dossier on its probe into the Mumbai attacks to Pakistan, asking it to take action and calling on the international community to rightly assess the threat posed to the world by Pakistan’s refusal to fulfill its obligations.

Mendhar Militants JeM Operatives: Army

Some six days into a massive exchange of fire between militants and security forces in the Bhati Dhar jungles of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir a senior Army official on Wednesday said that the militants are suspected to be operatives of Pakistan’s notorious terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Refusing to specify the time frame required to ‘take out’ the militants, Brigadier General Staff Brig Gurdeep Singh while speaking to the media in Mendhar said: "The holed up militants, who have been exchanging fire with the security forces for the last one week, seem to be from JeM based on the intercepts that we have got."

Unlike operation 'Sarp Nash' in 2003 during which security forces had come across bunkers built by militants, Brig Singh said in the current operation, there were no such reports of bunkers being set up by the ultras in the forest area.

The militants were using natural caves with rocks around them as hideouts in the region, he said.

Replying to questions on the operation that began on January 1, he said, "it is not possible to specify as of now how long the operation will last."

The officer said the undulating forest terrain in the region and the weather were acting as major constraints for the army in flushing out the militants.

"We are carrying out a deliberate operation to wear out the terrorists and to ensure that the casualties among our own forces are avoided. That's why we are taking time to eliminate the terrorists holed up here," Singh added.

Strongly denying reports that there were 1,500 troops deployed in the operation, the Brigadier said that there were just about 350 men on the ground as of now battling the terrorists.

Left Conclave to Attack Right, Center

Months after hushed whispers of a robust third front started doing the rounds, the three-day meeting of the Central Committee of the CPM, which begins in Kochi on Thursday, is almost certain to present first indications of the poll strategy of the Anti Congress-Anti BJP formation, apart from discussing issues of national and international prominence.

A politburo meeting scheduled to be held prior to the Central Committee is expected to finalise the agenda for the deliberations and preparations for Lok Sabha elections is sure to top the agenda.

Following a debate on the formation of the Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA alternative, the CC will approve and seal the party’s regional alliances in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The party will enter into electoral alliance with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, Janata Dal(Secular) in Karnataka and TDP and TRS in Andhra Pradesh.

Though CPM general secretary Prakash Karat held formal discussions with these parties and finalised strategies, a final confirmation will be given by the Central Committee during this meeting.

The party will seriously debate on the nature of alliance it will enter into with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh and the question on whether that alliance could be extended to other states.

A section of the party is keen to contest elections in UP in sync with the BSP while some leaders are of the opinion that the party should ally with Mayawati after the polls, as a pre-poll alliance may prompt Mayawati to seek seats in lieu in states like Kerala and West Bengal.

Issuing a strong condemnation of the UPA Government’s stand on the Gaza invasion and Israel’s merciless killing of Palestine citizens, the party will seek to mobilise minority support against the Congress-led alliance.

The CPM is also likely to condemn the Muslim League for its hypocritical stand on various minority issues.

The party may launch a campaign to lampoon the Union Government for approaching the US with complaints against Pakistan.

Other prominent issues to be discussed will include the hike in petro prices and the Malegaon blasts.

Mumbai Cops Net Pune Medic for Terror Links

The Mumbai police Crime Branch have arrested, Dr. Anwar Ali Bagwan, a medical practitioner, for alleged links to the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ which hit headlines as investigators probing a spate of serial blasts zeroed in on the indigenous terror outfit. A MCOCA Court in Mumbai has remanded Bagwan to police custody till January 16.

The accused was traced to Hyderabad and called to Mumbai for questioning where he was arrested by the Crime Branch sleuths.

Married and with a son, Bagwan hails from Rahuri in Ahmednagar district and is an alumni of Pune’s prestigious BJ Medical College.

He is alleged to have helped secure two rented flats for IM members in Kondwa area of Pune besides training IM operatives to administer anesthesia.

The two rented flats were situated at Kamaldeep Park and Ashoka Mews, Bagwan is the 21st accused to be arrested by the Mumbai cops in connection with a string og bombings across the country that started in 2005.

Sources quoted in media reports say Bagwan came in contact with Asif Bashiruddin Sheikh, an IM member and a close associate of Riyaz Bhatkal, one of the founders of the IM, a breakaway faction of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Bagwan allegedly underwent training at Bhatkal in Karnataka. The medic is reported to have maintained close links with alleged IM operatives Mohammed Mansoor Asgar Peerbuoy and taught him how to use syringes.

Peerbuoy has since agreed to turn approver in the case.

The IM was planning to carry out some kidnappings to fund terror ops, say sources while adding that the outfit planned to kidnap a jeweller and a builder.

Bagwan’s name first cropped up during the interrogation of Peerbhoy alias Munawwar alias Mannu.

"He was aware of the blasts conspiracy as well as the plan for kidnappings," the sources added.

Chavan Seeks Coastal Security

With terror perpetrators repeatedly targeting its best known city, Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has sought the constitution of a Central Coastal Security Authority. The demand was put forth by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan at the CMs conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Incidentally, the government has already unveiled plans for a thorough revamp of coastal security apparatus and is promising to pull out all the stops to strengthen the Coast Guard after terror perpetrators involved in the 26/11 attack on Mumbai were found to have used the sea-route to reach the city.

"Instead of demarcating the responsibilities between the state police, Navy, Coast Guards on-shore and off-shore for keeping vigil on big-Small boats on the Coast and in the sea, a Central Coastal Security Act should be enacted to handle all under one roof," said Chavan.

In order to strengthen and keep a better vigil on the coastal security, the state has taken a decision to purchase speed-boats at a cost of Rs 49 crores.

"18 boats would be hired on immediate basis," he said.

Chavan elaborated spoke about various measures taken by the state government to thwart terror attacks.

"There is State Intelligence Department (SID), a state nodal agency gathering intelligence for the state headquartered in Mumbai, it has a unit in each district. For Mumbai, it has 12 zonal units and one unit at airport to facilitate collection of information.”

These intelligence units have operational coordination with various Central Agencies, informed Chavan.