M A I N   N E W S

Punjab terrorism finds Malaysian address
Police finds adequate evidence of arms smuggling
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) PS Gill today wrote to the Home Ministry informing it that terrorists wanted in Punjab had set up base in Malaysia and were not only sending arms and explosives to Punjab from there, but also men to carry out terror strikes.

The letter follows reports that the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) has set up a base in Malaysia.

According to sources, the Punjab Police claims that it has adequate proof that KLF terrorists, including Harminder Singh “Mintu”, earlier operating from Goa, and Harmeet Singh of Cheatta (Amritsar), have created a base outside Kuala Lumpur.

It feels the illegal immigrants in Malaysia, particularly from Punjab, were KLF’s target recruits. Around 40,000 Asians, a large number of whom are from Punjab, have “disappeared” in Malaysia taking advantage of ineffective immigration control norms in that country.

Though the Malaysian government has recently decided not to give visa on arrival to Indians, the Punjab Police feels there is need to share information on radicals from Punjab who have done the disappearing act in Malaysia.

According to Punjab Police sources, the terrorists who killed Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (RSS) head Rulda Singh in July last year and were recently arrested in the UK, had fled to Malaysia after the killing. Pargat Singh, KLF terrorist who was arrested in July from Patiala on the charges of planting bombs outside the Indian Oil Corporation’s bottling plant at Nabha and at the Indian Air Force station at Halwara, also fled to Malaysia after planting the bombs.

In April this year, the Punjab Police seized Rs 40 lakh “hawala” money that had been routed to Punjab from Malaysia to purchase arms and explosives for terror activities.

Malaysia, according to the state police, has also become a favourite conduit point from where radicals board flights to enter India through Nepal and even directly to south Indian cities.

Centre also worried

New Delhi, August 17
The government today said the Sikh militant groups abroad were trying to revive militancy in Punjab.

“Available reports suggest that Sikh militant groups, especially those based abroad, are continuing their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken informed the Lok Sabha.

“A close watch is being maintained on the activities of various groups known to have been engaged in trying to foment terrorist activities in Punjab,” he said in a written reply.

The minister said, “The government has adopted an integrated approach to counter such attempts. These include sustained vigilance along the borders, strengthening of mechanisms for intelligence gathering and sharing, modernisation and upgrading of the police and security forces with advanced and sophisticated weapons.” — PTI