NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba had made elaborate plans in June last year to assassinate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, according to one of the American diplomatic cables made public by whistleblower website WikiLeaks.
The cable identifies a Pakistani Lashkar member, Shafiq, as the mastermind of the plot that was to be executed by a module led by an Indian Lashkar operative, Hussein.
The hit job was to be carried out by one Sameer, an India-based Lashkar terrorist.
The timing of the plot is significant. It was hatched seven months after Lashkar's attack on Mumbai in November 2008. The cable underlines that the pressure on Pakistan post-26/11 did not deter Lashkar from planning fresh terror attacks.
Modi has been on the hit list of jihadi terror groups who have cited the Gujarat riots during his tenure to find recruits and to radicalise sections of Indian Muslims.
The module, possibly led by Hussein in India, was tasked with two other jobs -- including establishment of a training camp and an "unspecified work" involving a car. Details were, however, not mentioned in the leaked US embassy cable which claimed to derive these information from "multiple sources".
The leaked cable, part of the `Diplomatic Security Daily' sent to Washington from different US missions, was despatched on June 19 last year. "LeT member Shafiq Khafa, possibly preparing for operation, and Hussein -- an India-based Lashkar-e-Taiba member -- continued operational planning on three tasks in early June. The tasks were associated with a possible operation against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, the establishment of a training camp and unspecified work involving a car. Hussein would coordinate his activities with an India-based colleague identified as Sameer," the cable said.
The cable on the plot against Modi is part of the category called "key concerns" of the US embassy messages. Another leaked cable on India has mentioned about hindrance posed by disagreements within various agencies over Indian cyber security programmes.
It says, "The government of India continues efforts to advance its computer security programmes -- particularly in the light of increased concerns over Chinese computer network exploitation efforts -- but the progress is hampered by significant disagreements within its departments."
Referring to key Indian organisations like department of telecommunication (DoT) and Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), which are involved in developing and implementing security policies, the US cable said, "Although the Indian Army is primarily responsible for the security of military networks, Indian officials acknowledge Army representatives have been largely left out of the discussion."
It also mentioned that some other key organisations like National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and Defence Intelligence Agency have reportedly failed to offer significant contributions.
The leaked cable also referred to the concerns expressed by private security companies. It said, "Private security companies are concerned that the lack of input from the private sector may lead to unfair regulations regarding telecommunications monitoring."
vishwa.mohan@timesgroup.com
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