Jammu, August 30: Even as the Assam Rifles has negated the story that the 15 Arakans arrested from Moreh may be linked to the Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organisations, a youth from Manipur, who was earlier designated to be inducted in the Al Qaeda but was subsequently admitted into the Lashkar-E Toiba has been arrested in Jammu.

Here is a news item published in an English daily paper at Jammu today (August 30) : North East youths' involvement in Al-Qaeda has surfaced with the apprehension of a Manipur youth, who was operating as a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) cadre in Kashmir as well as upper reaches of Udhampur and Doda districts.

Mohd Sadeeq son of Amuddin, a resident of Poibal (Phoudel ?), Manipur has become the first militant from North East to be arrested in Jammu region, most probably in the entire State, during the 18 year long militancy.

As reported, the militant was nabbed along with an AK Rifle and grenades.

Mohd Sadeeq, who had been given the code name of Abu Waqar by LeT top brass, had crossed over to Bangladesh from Silchar, Assam early last year after being lured into militancy by local agents.

He was given arms training at Chittagong in Bangaladesh where, according to him, officials of ISI and Bangladesh Intelligence agencies used to come jointly to monitor training and pick up hardcore militants, who underwent rigorous training, for Al �Qaeda outfit. Sadeeq was initially picked-up for Al-Qaeda outfit but was later told that he had to be pushed to Jammu and Kashmir immediately along with a group of 10 to 15 militants as the LeT was facing shortage of cadre.

He disclosed that he along with 10 to 15 other militants was shifted from Chittagong to Karachi through sea route.

From Karachi, he was shifted to Muzafarrabad from where he infiltrated into Kupwara district of Kashmir valley along with his group.

He operated in Kupwara district and was instrumental in attacks on security Forces and planting IEDs.

About three months back, he shifted to upper reaches of Udhampur as a part of three to four militants of LeT outfit and was operating there since then.

Mohd Sadeeq has also disclosed that a number of youths from Manipur have been activated in militancy by local agents of the ISI by exploiting their poor economic condition.

According to him, a number of youths from North East were undergoing training in militancy in training camps of Bangadesh with full backing of Pakistan and Bangladesh intelligence agencies.

PTI reports from Jammu :
A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant of North Eastern origin, who allegedly attended training camps with Al-Qaeda operatives in Bangladesh, was arrested from Dudu-Basantgarh belt of Kathua district.

He is the first Bangladesh-trained militant from the North East to be arrested in the State, top police officials said today.

"Mohd Sadeeq, a resident of Foibal (Phoudel ?) in Manipur, was arrested in Dudu-Basantgarh belt of Kathua district last week," Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khuda said.

Sadeeq, who was initially assumed to be a Pakistani militant, also suspected of operating in upper reaches of Kathua, Udhampur and Doda, the official said.

"As per the investigations, he was found to be an LeT militant and not an al-Qaeda militant," he said.

The arrest has reaffirmed the suspicion of presence of militant training camps in Bangladesh, and al-Qaeda operatives receiving training there, he said.

"Furthur interrogations are on to know more details about the terror links in Bangladesh", he added.

Meanwhile, intelligence sources said Sadeeq was initially picked up for al-Qaeda outfit, but was later told to go to Jammu and Kashmir along with a group of 10 to 15 militants, as the LeT was facing a shortage of cadre there.

However the State Government is yet to receive an official report about the arrest from the Jammu police.

When contacted by The Sangai Express, a high ranking Government officer said that the State Government has not received any report on the arrest.

The State police too has not received any report in connection with the arrest of the LeT operative.

Significantly two LeT operatives, from Manipur were among three cadres of the outfit arrested at Delhi some time back.

The progress of the case is not yet known date and the two are yet to be handed over to the State Government.

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