Gufi
RETIRED TTA
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2014
- Messages
- 2,894
- Reaction score
- 36
- Country
- Location
South Asia remained a front line in the battle against terrorism. Although al-Qa’ida’s (AQ) core in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been seriously degraded, AQ’s global leadership continued to operate from remote locations in the region that the group has historically exploited for safe haven. AQ’s presence in the region continued to face pressure from international, Afghan, and Pakistani forces, and Pakistan’s ongoing offensive in North Waziristan Agency, launched in June 2014, further degraded the group’s freedom to operate. Pressure on AQ’s traditional safe haven has constrained the leadership’s capability to communicate effectively with affiliate groups outside of South Asia.
Afghanistan, in particular, continued to experience aggressive and coordinated attacks by the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network (HQN), and other insurgent and terrorist groups. A number of these attacks were planned and launched from safe havens in Pakistan. Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) provided security throughout most of Afghanistan as the transition to full Afghan leadership on security continued and U.S. and Coalition Forces (CF) continued to draw down during 2014. The ANSF and CF, in partnership, took aggressive action against terrorist elements in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, and in many of the eastern and northern provinces.
Pakistan continued to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks. The Pakistani military undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as TTP, but did not take action against other groups such as Lashkar e-Tayyiba, which continued to operate, train, rally, propagandize, and fundraise in Pakistan. Afghan Taliban and HQN leadership continued to find safe haven in Pakistan, and although Pakistan military operations disrupted the actions of these groups, it did not directly target them.
India remained a target of terrorist attacks, including operations launched by Maoist insurgents and domestic and transnational groups. The level of terrorist violence was substantially unchanged from 2013. Indian authorities continued to blame Pakistan for supporting terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. On September 3, AQ announced the establishment of a new branch in the Indian subcontinent. The Government of India deepened counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, highlighted by a September 30 Summit between President Obama and Prime Minister Modi where both sides pledged greater cooperation in countering terrorist networks and in information sharing. Even though only a small number of Indian nationals are believed to have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Indian government closely monitored the domestic threat it and other terrorist organizations posed.
Bangladesh made counterterrorism progress in 2014, with the government demonstrating a commitment to counter both domestic and transnational terrorist groups. No major terrorist incidents took place in 2014, and the government’s counterterrorism efforts have made it more difficult for transnational terrorists to operate in or use Bangladeshi territory.
Central Asian leaders have expressed concern about the potential terrorist threat posed by the return of foreign terrorist fighters to the region in the wake of ISIL’s growth in the Middle East and the drawdown of U.S. and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
INDIA
Overview: According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland, approximately 400 people were killed as a result of terrorist attacks in India in 2014. The number of fatalities from terrorist attacks did not change significantly from the previous year, demonstrating that India remains one of the most persistently targeted countries by insurgents and transnational and domestic terrorist groups. Included in the total number of fatalities were more than 160 deaths attributed to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) or other Maoist groups. To date, these groups have not specifically targeted U.S. or other international interests. In 2014, Indian sources continued to attribute attacks and fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir and against Indian facilities in Afghanistan, to transnational terrorist groups, such as Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), which continued to operate, train, rally, propagandize, and fundraise in Pakistan.
U.S.-India counterterrorism cooperation continued to increase in 2014. Prime Minister Modi’s government has stated that it intends to prioritize its response to terrorism as a serious national security threat. During the September 30 Summit meeting, President Obama and Prime Minister Modi pledged to enhance U.S.-India “law enforcement, security, and military information exchanges, and strengthen cooperation on extradition and mutual legal assistance.” The President and Prime Minister stressed the need for joint and concerted efforts against networks such as al-Qa’ida, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Haqqani Network, and reiterated their call to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai to justice. The Prime Minister also joined President Obama in reaffirming “deep concern over the continued threat posed by terrorism, most recently highlighted by the dangers presented by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).”
In May, four individuals from India traveled to Iraq to support ISIL. Only one of them returned to India and at year’s end was in custody. In September, four students from Hyderabad attempted to travel to Iraq to support ISIL but were detained in West Bengal and returned to their places of residence. In October, Anees Ansari was detained by Mumbai police for allegedly planning ISIL-inspired attacks on westerners and western schools in Mumbai. On December 13, Mehdi Biswas, a 24-year-old office executive from Bangalore, was arrested in connection with pro-ISIL messaging on Twitter. Biswas’ Twitter account had approximately 17,000 followers. India also remains deeply concerned about Indian nationals taken hostage by ISIL in Iraq.
Indian officials have emphasized the government takes threats posed by ISIL seriously, even though only a small number of Indians are believed to have been recruited into the organization. Given India’s large Muslim population, potential socio-religious marginalization, and active ISIL online propaganda efforts, there remains a risk of increased ISIL recruitment of Indian nationals. On December 16, India banned ISIL under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
2014 Terrorist Incidents: Representative incidents included:
Since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, India has attempted to enhance the counterterrorism capabilities of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Guard, and the National Investigation Agency. India’s efforts to counter terrorism were hampered by poor interagency coordination and information sharing, however. In addition, local police forces, led at the state level, have limited command and control capacity and suffer from poor training and equipment. India has launched initiatives to address some of these challenges, including through a Multi-Agency Centre for enhancing intelligence gathering and sharing. It also plans to implement the National Intelligence Grid, a system for linking databases in different government departments and ministries for use by intelligence agencies. The Indian government has proposed the creation of a National Counter Terrorism Centre, but state-level officials have opposed this initiative and it has not been implemented.
Indian officials participated in courses provided through the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program and through other regional capacity building programs. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security, through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Attaché office, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted training programs and exchanges with Indian law enforcement personnel.
Countering the Financing of Terrorism: India is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and two FATF-style regional bodies, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. India’s Financial Intelligence Unit is also a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. Indian officials monitor and regulate money transfers, require the collection of data for wire transfers, oblige non-profit organizations to file suspicious transaction reports, and regulate and monitor these entities to prevent misuse and terrorist financing.
In November 2012, the Government of India brought its domestic anti-money laundering/counterterrorist financing (AML/CFT) laws into alignment with international standards by passing amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The Indian government has yet to implement the legislation effectively, however, especially with regard to criminal convictions. Law enforcement agencies typically open criminal investigations reactively and seldom initiate proactive analysis and long-term investigations. While the Indian government has taken action against certain hawala financing activities, prosecutions have generally focused on non-financial businesses that conduct hawala transactions as a secondary activity. Additionally, the government has not taken adequate steps to ensure all relevant industries are complying with AML/CFT regulations. The reporting of suspicious transactions relating specifically to terrorist financing is increasing significantly, however, especially with respect to transactions not involving sanctions lists.
The degree of training and expertise in financial investigations involving transnational crime or terrorist-affiliated groups varies widely among the federal, state, and local levels and depends on the financial resources and individual policies of differing jurisdictions. U.S. investigators have had limited success in coordinating the seizure of illicit proceeds with their Indian counterparts. While intelligence and investigative information supplied by U.S. law enforcement authorities have led to numerous seizures of terrorism-related funds, a lack of follow-through on investigational leads has prevented a more comprehensive approach.
The Government of India is taking steps to increase financial inclusion through expanding access to the banking sector and issuing biometric-enabled universal identification numbers.
For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: Narcotics Control Reports.
Regional and International Cooperation: India is a founding member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and participated in GCTF and other UN forums on counterterrorism in 2014. Events related to the October 2 blasts in the Burdwan district of West Bengal cast a spotlight on India’s counterterrorism cooperation with its neighbors. The blasts resulted in counterterrorism cooperation between India and Bangladesh, including visits by Indian officials to Dhaka, travel by a Bangladeshi intelligence team to West Bengal, and parallel raids along the Indo-Bangla border. During 2014, the Indian and Bangladeshi governments continued their cooperation under their bilateral Coordinated Border Management Plan to control illegal cross-border activities and announced the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of security and border management through additional cooperation agreements. Also during 2014, India and Nepal continued cooperation along their shared border. India is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
On August 18, the Border Security Force (BSF) provided Bangladeshi counterparts a list of 66 camps located in Bangladesh used by insurgents to launch militant activities into northeast India.
Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: India’s efforts to counter radicalization and violent extremism were generally directed by state and local authorities. While there was no comprehensive national policy for countering radicalization or violent extremism, the government has implemented some initiatives to counter violent extremism such as initiatives to provide “quality and modern education” in madrassas. In addition, the government operates programs to rehabilitate and reintegrate former militants and insurgents into mainstream society. These programs target disaffected sectors of Indian society that have been sources of separatism and violent insurgency.
Indian government officials have raised concerns over the use of social media and the internet to recruit, radicalize, and foment inter-religious tensions. In particular, officials expressed concern about the ability of ISIL to recruit online, following prominent incidents in which Indians were attracted to join or support the group. On December 16, India banned ISIL under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a step that may deter public declarations of support for ISIL and facilitate prosecutions of individuals who assist the group.
PAKISTAN
Overview: Pakistan remains a critical counterterrorism partner that is plagued with numerous violent extremist groups, many of which target Pakistani government or members of other religious sects. Counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan during 2014 was mixed, and Pakistan continued to deny visas for trainers focused on law enforcement and civilian counterterrorism assistance. In 2014, Pakistan launched a military operation in North Waziristan (later expanded to Khyber Agency) aimed at eliminating terrorist safe havens. The government’s counterterrorism efforts included providing support to the military operation and countering terrorist retaliation in urban areas. Pakistan also confronted terrorist groups that attacked Pakistani civilians, law enforcement agencies, and military and paramilitary troops. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for a December 16 attack on an Army-run school in Peshawar, one of the country’s deadliest acts of terrorism, which it termed as retaliation for the North Waziristan military operation.
In 2014, terrorists used remote-controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and rickshaws; suicide bombers; targeted assassinations; rocket-propelled grenades; and other combat tactics to attack schools, markets, government institutions, mosques, and other places of worship. Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) and its alias organizations continued to operate freely in Pakistan, and there were no indications that Pakistan took significant enforcement actions against the group. Attacks by sectarian groups against minorities continued. However, the Shia commemoration of Ashura, which was a focal point of violence in 2013, passed without major attacks or rioting.
Karachi, in particular, continued to suffer from political and ethnic violence by different groups, including militant organizations, fundamentalist religious groups, and the militant wings of political parties. Some militant groups worked to assert control over political parties and criminal gangs operating in the city and surrounding areas of southern Sindh. The security situation in Karachi remained a priority concern for Pakistan’s leadership, which launched an operation against terrorists and criminals operating in the city.
In February, Pakistan promulgated a National Internal Security Plan (NISP) aimed at combating terrorism and addressing the drivers of violent extremism. By December, most of the policies laid out in the NISP had not been implemented. For example, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), which was to be the centerpiece of the plan focused on coordinating counterterrorism efforts across the government, remained ineffectual due to lack of a budget and bureaucratic disputes over personnel and chain of command. After the Peshawar school attack, the government formed a committee of political party, military, and intelligence representatives to produce a national plan of action against terrorism.
2014 Terrorist Incidents: Representative terrorist attacks in Pakistan included:
Pakistan promulgated new legislation in 2014 that supported the investigation and prosecution of terrorism offenses. The PPA augmented the ATA and established a federally empowered infrastructure with special federal courts, prosecutors, police stations, and investigation teams for the enforcement of 20 specially delineated categories of offenses. The 2014 amendments to the ATA placed additional limitations on the use of lethal force, and attempted to increase the efficiency of terrorism courts and improve court security.
Pakistan’s law enforcement and national security structure needs improvement. Although the various security agencies attempt to detect, deter, and respond to terrorist incidents, the government’s institutional framework is not conducive to interagency cooperation and coordination. There is only sporadic interagency information sharing, no comprehensive integrated database capability, and specialized law enforcement units lack the technical equipment and training needed to implement the enhanced investigative powers provided in the 2012 Fair Trial Act. Prosecutors have a limited or inadequate role during the investigation phases of terrorism cases. Jurisdictional divisions among and between military and civilian security agencies continued to hamper effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases. Intimidation by terrorists against witnesses, police, victims, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges contributed both to the slow progress of cases in Anti-Terrorism Courts, and a high acquittal rate.
Pakistan continued to work toward structural reforms on counterterrorism designed to centralize coordination and information sharing. Due to constitutional requirements on the devolution of law and order responsibilities to provincial levels, counterterrorism command and control at the national level had been ad hoc and limited until the 2012-2014 legislative changes to empower federal entities. NACTA has been incorporated into the Ministry of Interior and remains in the process of establishing its mission, staffing, and responsibilities. The Intelligence Bureau has nationwide jurisdiction as a civilian agency, is fully empowered under the PPA to coordinate with provincial and territorial counterterrorism units, and is taking more of an active role in counterterrorism. The Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate has broad intelligence powers and fulfills a de facto border security role along with tribal militias, provincial police, and the Frontier Corps. The Ministry of Interior has over 20 law enforcement-related entities under its control.
Pakistan is implementing biometric collection in national databases and screening at border land crossings with the International Border Management Security system. The National Automated Database Registration Authority maintains a national biometric database of citizens, residents, and overseas Pakistanis, and is continually subject to upgrades. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s customs and tax authority, continues to maintain currency-detection units at 12 international airports to counter bulk cash smuggling. The FBR has improved information-sharing protocols on arrests and seizures to overcome bureaucratic hurdles. Information on arrests and seizures is now sent to a central intelligence and investigations directorate, which then disseminates the information throughout the country so customs agents have current information on trends, patterns, methods of operation, entities, and individuals. Pakistan collects advance passenger name records on commercial flights. In November, Pakistan Customs launched the End Use Verification (EUV) project, which will facilitate the entry of dual-use chemicals for legitimate purposes, while also investigating and preventing the entry of chemicals intended for use in IEDs. The EUV project consists of 80 Pakistani teams that will conduct countrywide verification checks.
The military conducted significant counterterrorism operations in North Waziristan and Khyber agencies in the tribal areas, and civilian forces conducted operations in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. In Karachi, security forces continued an operation against organized crime and terrorist groups. Security forces intercepted large stockpiles of weapons and explosives, and discovered bomb-making facilities and sophisticated telecommunication networks. Pakistan continued to arrest terrorists and initiate prosecutions throughout 2014. However, the enhanced tools provided by the Fair Trial Act of 2012 and the NACTA law are still in the process of being implemented by the government. These laws are designed to equip intelligence agencies, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors with the necessary legal tools to detect, disrupt, and dismantle terrorist activities and organizations. If fully activated, NACTA could facilitate increased coordination and collection of counterterrorism intelligence among security agencies and provincial police, and provide a vehicle for national policy and strategy formulation for all aspects of counterterrorism.
Anti-Terrorism Courts have limited procedures for the admission of foreign evidence. The trial of seven suspects accused in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack was ongoing at year’s end, with prosecution witnesses recording statements before the court. Security concerns and procedural issues resulted in a slow pace of trial proceedings. On December 18, the court granted bail to the lead defendant, alleged Mumbai attack planner and LeT operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. On December 19, the government detained Lakhvi for at least four months under the Maintenance of Public Order Act.
Pakistan’s cooperation with the United States on information sharing and law enforcement continues, but needs improvement with respect to kidnapped U.S. citizens. Law enforcement cooperation continued with respect to terrorist attacks and plots against U.S. personnel, and the Embassy and Consulates General in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. Pakistani law-enforcement officials have pledged to assist in the apprehension of U.S. citizen fugitives in Pakistan. Practical implementation of this pledge has been lacking, however.
Delays in obtaining Pakistani visas for training personnel have been an obstacle to counterterrorism assistance for security forces and prosecutors, including assistance planned through the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance program, most of which was redirected to other regional partners.
Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Pakistan is an active member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with FATF and the APG in 2010 to address its strategic anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies. In June, Pakistan approved and enacted amendments to the ATA to rectify deficiencies identified by the FATF in its authority for freezing terrorist assets in accordance with international standards and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1373. Since then, the government has had the ability to freeze and confiscate terrorist assets. However, Pakistan had not yet implemented that legislation at year’s end.
UN-designated terrorist organizations continued to skirt sanctions by reconstituting themselves under different names, often with little effort to hide their connections to previously banned groups, and the government does not prosecute CFT cases. Although Pakistan added some named groups to its proscribed organizations list, implementation of UNSCRs 1267 and 1988 remained weak. Pakistan issued a UNSC Enforcement Order in 2012 setting out a range of sanctions for non-compliance in the implementation of UNSCR 1267, but has not used this authority. The FATF has determined that Pakistan needs to increase the administrative monetary penalty available or legislate for additional criminal sanctions.
For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: Narcotics Control Reports.
Regional and International Cooperation: Pakistan participated in counterterrorism efforts in both regional and international forums. As a member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), Pakistan attended GCTF meetings and supported GCTF initiatives. Pakistan is a partner in the UK’s Counterterrorism Prosecution Reform Initiative, and provincial governments contributed to related rule-of-law programs in Malakand and Punjab. Pakistan participated in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation meetings on counterterrorism; is a member of Interpol; and participated in multilateral groups where counterterrorism cooperation was discussed, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (as an observer) and the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. Pakistan participated in UNSC meetings on sanctions and counterterrorism, and in a UN Counterterrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate regional workshop for South Asian judges, prosecutors, and investigators in the Maldives in November.
Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United States held high-level meetings to discuss regional security, including efforts to counter extremism and violence in the border region, and reconciliation efforts. Pakistan also held bilateral and multilateral meetings on security cooperation and counterterrorism with other countries, including Afghanistan, China, Germany, India, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.
Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations employed strategic communications strategies to counter radicalism and build support for counterterrorism initiatives. However, overall policy coordination had yet to be implemented under NACTA. Integration of reformed militants into society remains a major priority for the government; to that end, the military joined civil-society leaders to operate the Sabaoon Rehabilitation Center, a de-radicalization program that attempts to rehabilitate youth exposed to militancy through education and counseling.
@Akheilos@al-Hasani@Chinese-Dragon@Nihonjin1051@Hakan@RescueRanger@levina@Slav Defence@Armstrong@XenoEnsi-14@Sinan@SvenSvensonov@Yizhi@Horus@Zarvan@Hyperion@Salman Arif@Developereo@syedali73@opruh@xenon54@Fattyacids@jaibi@Oscar@Pakistani shaheens@rockstar08@Jungibaaz@BDforever@waz@DRaisinHerald @waz @WAJsal @syedali73 @TankMan @Atanz @Irfan Baloch
Donatello, AUSTERLITZ, krash, ghazi52,
Now comparing it to the blasting Indian journalists used this seems quite mellow and after the low in relationships seems quite okay. Comments, mature and no trolling. Took me a lot of Google time to find these, since ISIS is the only thing the American media is really looking at or caring about.
Afghanistan, in particular, continued to experience aggressive and coordinated attacks by the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network (HQN), and other insurgent and terrorist groups. A number of these attacks were planned and launched from safe havens in Pakistan. Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) provided security throughout most of Afghanistan as the transition to full Afghan leadership on security continued and U.S. and Coalition Forces (CF) continued to draw down during 2014. The ANSF and CF, in partnership, took aggressive action against terrorist elements in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, and in many of the eastern and northern provinces.
Pakistan continued to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks. The Pakistani military undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as TTP, but did not take action against other groups such as Lashkar e-Tayyiba, which continued to operate, train, rally, propagandize, and fundraise in Pakistan. Afghan Taliban and HQN leadership continued to find safe haven in Pakistan, and although Pakistan military operations disrupted the actions of these groups, it did not directly target them.
India remained a target of terrorist attacks, including operations launched by Maoist insurgents and domestic and transnational groups. The level of terrorist violence was substantially unchanged from 2013. Indian authorities continued to blame Pakistan for supporting terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. On September 3, AQ announced the establishment of a new branch in the Indian subcontinent. The Government of India deepened counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, highlighted by a September 30 Summit between President Obama and Prime Minister Modi where both sides pledged greater cooperation in countering terrorist networks and in information sharing. Even though only a small number of Indian nationals are believed to have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Indian government closely monitored the domestic threat it and other terrorist organizations posed.
Bangladesh made counterterrorism progress in 2014, with the government demonstrating a commitment to counter both domestic and transnational terrorist groups. No major terrorist incidents took place in 2014, and the government’s counterterrorism efforts have made it more difficult for transnational terrorists to operate in or use Bangladeshi territory.
Central Asian leaders have expressed concern about the potential terrorist threat posed by the return of foreign terrorist fighters to the region in the wake of ISIL’s growth in the Middle East and the drawdown of U.S. and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
INDIA
Overview: According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland, approximately 400 people were killed as a result of terrorist attacks in India in 2014. The number of fatalities from terrorist attacks did not change significantly from the previous year, demonstrating that India remains one of the most persistently targeted countries by insurgents and transnational and domestic terrorist groups. Included in the total number of fatalities were more than 160 deaths attributed to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) or other Maoist groups. To date, these groups have not specifically targeted U.S. or other international interests. In 2014, Indian sources continued to attribute attacks and fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir and against Indian facilities in Afghanistan, to transnational terrorist groups, such as Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), which continued to operate, train, rally, propagandize, and fundraise in Pakistan.
U.S.-India counterterrorism cooperation continued to increase in 2014. Prime Minister Modi’s government has stated that it intends to prioritize its response to terrorism as a serious national security threat. During the September 30 Summit meeting, President Obama and Prime Minister Modi pledged to enhance U.S.-India “law enforcement, security, and military information exchanges, and strengthen cooperation on extradition and mutual legal assistance.” The President and Prime Minister stressed the need for joint and concerted efforts against networks such as al-Qa’ida, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Haqqani Network, and reiterated their call to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai to justice. The Prime Minister also joined President Obama in reaffirming “deep concern over the continued threat posed by terrorism, most recently highlighted by the dangers presented by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).”
In May, four individuals from India traveled to Iraq to support ISIL. Only one of them returned to India and at year’s end was in custody. In September, four students from Hyderabad attempted to travel to Iraq to support ISIL but were detained in West Bengal and returned to their places of residence. In October, Anees Ansari was detained by Mumbai police for allegedly planning ISIL-inspired attacks on westerners and western schools in Mumbai. On December 13, Mehdi Biswas, a 24-year-old office executive from Bangalore, was arrested in connection with pro-ISIL messaging on Twitter. Biswas’ Twitter account had approximately 17,000 followers. India also remains deeply concerned about Indian nationals taken hostage by ISIL in Iraq.
Indian officials have emphasized the government takes threats posed by ISIL seriously, even though only a small number of Indians are believed to have been recruited into the organization. Given India’s large Muslim population, potential socio-religious marginalization, and active ISIL online propaganda efforts, there remains a risk of increased ISIL recruitment of Indian nationals. On December 16, India banned ISIL under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
2014 Terrorist Incidents: Representative incidents included:
- On April 12, two bombs planted by suspected Maoist rebels killed approximately 12 people in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh while voting was underway in India’s general election. The first blast targeted a bus carrying election officials in Bijapur district, killing at least seven. The second attack, which took place half-an-hour later, killed five police officers in an ambulance in the Bastar district.
- On May 11, Maoist insurgents killed seven police commandos and injured two others in a landmine blast in the Gadricholi district of Chhattisgarh state.
- On May 26, LeT carried out an attack against the Indian Consulate in Herat, Afghanistan. Security forces killed the attackers.
- On October 2, an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion killed two men, alleged to be terrorist conspirators in the process of handling the device, in the town of Burdwan in West Bengal, about 70 miles northwest of Kolkata. Subsequent investigations by the Indian and Bangladeshi governments alleged the involvement in the blast of an interstate terrorist network believed to have been run by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Police arrested two females and a male from the blast site who were found destroying evidence, and seized IED components and violent extremist literature.
- On November 27, 10 people were killed when terrorists wearing army uniforms attacked an Indian army base in Kashmir.
- On December 28, an IED exploded outside a busy restaurant in Bangalore on Sunday night, killing one woman and injuring one other in the central business district of Bengaluru.
Since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, India has attempted to enhance the counterterrorism capabilities of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Guard, and the National Investigation Agency. India’s efforts to counter terrorism were hampered by poor interagency coordination and information sharing, however. In addition, local police forces, led at the state level, have limited command and control capacity and suffer from poor training and equipment. India has launched initiatives to address some of these challenges, including through a Multi-Agency Centre for enhancing intelligence gathering and sharing. It also plans to implement the National Intelligence Grid, a system for linking databases in different government departments and ministries for use by intelligence agencies. The Indian government has proposed the creation of a National Counter Terrorism Centre, but state-level officials have opposed this initiative and it has not been implemented.
Indian officials participated in courses provided through the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program and through other regional capacity building programs. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security, through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Attaché office, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted training programs and exchanges with Indian law enforcement personnel.
Countering the Financing of Terrorism: India is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and two FATF-style regional bodies, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. India’s Financial Intelligence Unit is also a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. Indian officials monitor and regulate money transfers, require the collection of data for wire transfers, oblige non-profit organizations to file suspicious transaction reports, and regulate and monitor these entities to prevent misuse and terrorist financing.
In November 2012, the Government of India brought its domestic anti-money laundering/counterterrorist financing (AML/CFT) laws into alignment with international standards by passing amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The Indian government has yet to implement the legislation effectively, however, especially with regard to criminal convictions. Law enforcement agencies typically open criminal investigations reactively and seldom initiate proactive analysis and long-term investigations. While the Indian government has taken action against certain hawala financing activities, prosecutions have generally focused on non-financial businesses that conduct hawala transactions as a secondary activity. Additionally, the government has not taken adequate steps to ensure all relevant industries are complying with AML/CFT regulations. The reporting of suspicious transactions relating specifically to terrorist financing is increasing significantly, however, especially with respect to transactions not involving sanctions lists.
The degree of training and expertise in financial investigations involving transnational crime or terrorist-affiliated groups varies widely among the federal, state, and local levels and depends on the financial resources and individual policies of differing jurisdictions. U.S. investigators have had limited success in coordinating the seizure of illicit proceeds with their Indian counterparts. While intelligence and investigative information supplied by U.S. law enforcement authorities have led to numerous seizures of terrorism-related funds, a lack of follow-through on investigational leads has prevented a more comprehensive approach.
The Government of India is taking steps to increase financial inclusion through expanding access to the banking sector and issuing biometric-enabled universal identification numbers.
For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: Narcotics Control Reports.
Regional and International Cooperation: India is a founding member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and participated in GCTF and other UN forums on counterterrorism in 2014. Events related to the October 2 blasts in the Burdwan district of West Bengal cast a spotlight on India’s counterterrorism cooperation with its neighbors. The blasts resulted in counterterrorism cooperation between India and Bangladesh, including visits by Indian officials to Dhaka, travel by a Bangladeshi intelligence team to West Bengal, and parallel raids along the Indo-Bangla border. During 2014, the Indian and Bangladeshi governments continued their cooperation under their bilateral Coordinated Border Management Plan to control illegal cross-border activities and announced the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of security and border management through additional cooperation agreements. Also during 2014, India and Nepal continued cooperation along their shared border. India is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
On August 18, the Border Security Force (BSF) provided Bangladeshi counterparts a list of 66 camps located in Bangladesh used by insurgents to launch militant activities into northeast India.
Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: India’s efforts to counter radicalization and violent extremism were generally directed by state and local authorities. While there was no comprehensive national policy for countering radicalization or violent extremism, the government has implemented some initiatives to counter violent extremism such as initiatives to provide “quality and modern education” in madrassas. In addition, the government operates programs to rehabilitate and reintegrate former militants and insurgents into mainstream society. These programs target disaffected sectors of Indian society that have been sources of separatism and violent insurgency.
Indian government officials have raised concerns over the use of social media and the internet to recruit, radicalize, and foment inter-religious tensions. In particular, officials expressed concern about the ability of ISIL to recruit online, following prominent incidents in which Indians were attracted to join or support the group. On December 16, India banned ISIL under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a step that may deter public declarations of support for ISIL and facilitate prosecutions of individuals who assist the group.
PAKISTAN
Overview: Pakistan remains a critical counterterrorism partner that is plagued with numerous violent extremist groups, many of which target Pakistani government or members of other religious sects. Counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan during 2014 was mixed, and Pakistan continued to deny visas for trainers focused on law enforcement and civilian counterterrorism assistance. In 2014, Pakistan launched a military operation in North Waziristan (later expanded to Khyber Agency) aimed at eliminating terrorist safe havens. The government’s counterterrorism efforts included providing support to the military operation and countering terrorist retaliation in urban areas. Pakistan also confronted terrorist groups that attacked Pakistani civilians, law enforcement agencies, and military and paramilitary troops. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for a December 16 attack on an Army-run school in Peshawar, one of the country’s deadliest acts of terrorism, which it termed as retaliation for the North Waziristan military operation.
In 2014, terrorists used remote-controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and rickshaws; suicide bombers; targeted assassinations; rocket-propelled grenades; and other combat tactics to attack schools, markets, government institutions, mosques, and other places of worship. Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) and its alias organizations continued to operate freely in Pakistan, and there were no indications that Pakistan took significant enforcement actions against the group. Attacks by sectarian groups against minorities continued. However, the Shia commemoration of Ashura, which was a focal point of violence in 2013, passed without major attacks or rioting.
Karachi, in particular, continued to suffer from political and ethnic violence by different groups, including militant organizations, fundamentalist religious groups, and the militant wings of political parties. Some militant groups worked to assert control over political parties and criminal gangs operating in the city and surrounding areas of southern Sindh. The security situation in Karachi remained a priority concern for Pakistan’s leadership, which launched an operation against terrorists and criminals operating in the city.
In February, Pakistan promulgated a National Internal Security Plan (NISP) aimed at combating terrorism and addressing the drivers of violent extremism. By December, most of the policies laid out in the NISP had not been implemented. For example, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), which was to be the centerpiece of the plan focused on coordinating counterterrorism efforts across the government, remained ineffectual due to lack of a budget and bureaucratic disputes over personnel and chain of command. After the Peshawar school attack, the government formed a committee of political party, military, and intelligence representatives to produce a national plan of action against terrorism.
2014 Terrorist Incidents: Representative terrorist attacks in Pakistan included:
- On January 21, a bomb attack on a bus of pilgrims killed at least 24 Hazara and injured 40 others in Mastung District, Balochistan.
- On February 13, a suicide bomber targeted a bus of police officers, killing at least 13 and injuring 58 others near Razzakabad Police Training Center in Shah Latif Town, Karachi.
- On March 3, two suicide bombers and armed terrorists killed 11 people and injured 25 at the district court in Islamabad’s F-8 sector.
- On April 9, a bomb at an Islamabad vegetable market killed 24 people and injured 116.
- On May 25, a bomb attack on a security convoy in the Pandiyali tehsil of Mohmand Agency killed six security personnel and injured three others.
- On May 25, armed men attacked a check-post along the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Wadh tehsil of Khuzdar District, Balochistan, killing at least eight Balochistan law enforcement officials and injuring three others.
- On June 8, armed men attacked Karachi airport, killing 13 people. An Army spokesman said security forces killed all 10 of the gunmen.
- On September 6, naval security thwarted a terrorist attack on Karachi Naval Dockyard. One sailor and two attackers died in a firefight, while security forces captured four attackers. The terrorists reportedly planned to hijack a naval frigate.
- On November 2, a suicide bomber killed at least 60 people at the Wagah border crossing with India. TTP splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahraar claimed responsibility.
- On December 16, armed militants wearing paramilitary uniforms and suicide vests attacked an Army-run school in Peshawar, killing at least 144, mostly children. TTP claimed responsibility for what local media termed the deadliest attack in Pakistan’s history.
Pakistan promulgated new legislation in 2014 that supported the investigation and prosecution of terrorism offenses. The PPA augmented the ATA and established a federally empowered infrastructure with special federal courts, prosecutors, police stations, and investigation teams for the enforcement of 20 specially delineated categories of offenses. The 2014 amendments to the ATA placed additional limitations on the use of lethal force, and attempted to increase the efficiency of terrorism courts and improve court security.
Pakistan’s law enforcement and national security structure needs improvement. Although the various security agencies attempt to detect, deter, and respond to terrorist incidents, the government’s institutional framework is not conducive to interagency cooperation and coordination. There is only sporadic interagency information sharing, no comprehensive integrated database capability, and specialized law enforcement units lack the technical equipment and training needed to implement the enhanced investigative powers provided in the 2012 Fair Trial Act. Prosecutors have a limited or inadequate role during the investigation phases of terrorism cases. Jurisdictional divisions among and between military and civilian security agencies continued to hamper effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases. Intimidation by terrorists against witnesses, police, victims, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges contributed both to the slow progress of cases in Anti-Terrorism Courts, and a high acquittal rate.
Pakistan continued to work toward structural reforms on counterterrorism designed to centralize coordination and information sharing. Due to constitutional requirements on the devolution of law and order responsibilities to provincial levels, counterterrorism command and control at the national level had been ad hoc and limited until the 2012-2014 legislative changes to empower federal entities. NACTA has been incorporated into the Ministry of Interior and remains in the process of establishing its mission, staffing, and responsibilities. The Intelligence Bureau has nationwide jurisdiction as a civilian agency, is fully empowered under the PPA to coordinate with provincial and territorial counterterrorism units, and is taking more of an active role in counterterrorism. The Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate has broad intelligence powers and fulfills a de facto border security role along with tribal militias, provincial police, and the Frontier Corps. The Ministry of Interior has over 20 law enforcement-related entities under its control.
Pakistan is implementing biometric collection in national databases and screening at border land crossings with the International Border Management Security system. The National Automated Database Registration Authority maintains a national biometric database of citizens, residents, and overseas Pakistanis, and is continually subject to upgrades. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s customs and tax authority, continues to maintain currency-detection units at 12 international airports to counter bulk cash smuggling. The FBR has improved information-sharing protocols on arrests and seizures to overcome bureaucratic hurdles. Information on arrests and seizures is now sent to a central intelligence and investigations directorate, which then disseminates the information throughout the country so customs agents have current information on trends, patterns, methods of operation, entities, and individuals. Pakistan collects advance passenger name records on commercial flights. In November, Pakistan Customs launched the End Use Verification (EUV) project, which will facilitate the entry of dual-use chemicals for legitimate purposes, while also investigating and preventing the entry of chemicals intended for use in IEDs. The EUV project consists of 80 Pakistani teams that will conduct countrywide verification checks.
The military conducted significant counterterrorism operations in North Waziristan and Khyber agencies in the tribal areas, and civilian forces conducted operations in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. In Karachi, security forces continued an operation against organized crime and terrorist groups. Security forces intercepted large stockpiles of weapons and explosives, and discovered bomb-making facilities and sophisticated telecommunication networks. Pakistan continued to arrest terrorists and initiate prosecutions throughout 2014. However, the enhanced tools provided by the Fair Trial Act of 2012 and the NACTA law are still in the process of being implemented by the government. These laws are designed to equip intelligence agencies, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors with the necessary legal tools to detect, disrupt, and dismantle terrorist activities and organizations. If fully activated, NACTA could facilitate increased coordination and collection of counterterrorism intelligence among security agencies and provincial police, and provide a vehicle for national policy and strategy formulation for all aspects of counterterrorism.
Anti-Terrorism Courts have limited procedures for the admission of foreign evidence. The trial of seven suspects accused in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack was ongoing at year’s end, with prosecution witnesses recording statements before the court. Security concerns and procedural issues resulted in a slow pace of trial proceedings. On December 18, the court granted bail to the lead defendant, alleged Mumbai attack planner and LeT operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. On December 19, the government detained Lakhvi for at least four months under the Maintenance of Public Order Act.
Pakistan’s cooperation with the United States on information sharing and law enforcement continues, but needs improvement with respect to kidnapped U.S. citizens. Law enforcement cooperation continued with respect to terrorist attacks and plots against U.S. personnel, and the Embassy and Consulates General in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. Pakistani law-enforcement officials have pledged to assist in the apprehension of U.S. citizen fugitives in Pakistan. Practical implementation of this pledge has been lacking, however.
Delays in obtaining Pakistani visas for training personnel have been an obstacle to counterterrorism assistance for security forces and prosecutors, including assistance planned through the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance program, most of which was redirected to other regional partners.
Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Pakistan is an active member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with FATF and the APG in 2010 to address its strategic anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies. In June, Pakistan approved and enacted amendments to the ATA to rectify deficiencies identified by the FATF in its authority for freezing terrorist assets in accordance with international standards and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1373. Since then, the government has had the ability to freeze and confiscate terrorist assets. However, Pakistan had not yet implemented that legislation at year’s end.
UN-designated terrorist organizations continued to skirt sanctions by reconstituting themselves under different names, often with little effort to hide their connections to previously banned groups, and the government does not prosecute CFT cases. Although Pakistan added some named groups to its proscribed organizations list, implementation of UNSCRs 1267 and 1988 remained weak. Pakistan issued a UNSC Enforcement Order in 2012 setting out a range of sanctions for non-compliance in the implementation of UNSCR 1267, but has not used this authority. The FATF has determined that Pakistan needs to increase the administrative monetary penalty available or legislate for additional criminal sanctions.
For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: Narcotics Control Reports.
Regional and International Cooperation: Pakistan participated in counterterrorism efforts in both regional and international forums. As a member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), Pakistan attended GCTF meetings and supported GCTF initiatives. Pakistan is a partner in the UK’s Counterterrorism Prosecution Reform Initiative, and provincial governments contributed to related rule-of-law programs in Malakand and Punjab. Pakistan participated in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation meetings on counterterrorism; is a member of Interpol; and participated in multilateral groups where counterterrorism cooperation was discussed, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (as an observer) and the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. Pakistan participated in UNSC meetings on sanctions and counterterrorism, and in a UN Counterterrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate regional workshop for South Asian judges, prosecutors, and investigators in the Maldives in November.
Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United States held high-level meetings to discuss regional security, including efforts to counter extremism and violence in the border region, and reconciliation efforts. Pakistan also held bilateral and multilateral meetings on security cooperation and counterterrorism with other countries, including Afghanistan, China, Germany, India, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.
Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations employed strategic communications strategies to counter radicalism and build support for counterterrorism initiatives. However, overall policy coordination had yet to be implemented under NACTA. Integration of reformed militants into society remains a major priority for the government; to that end, the military joined civil-society leaders to operate the Sabaoon Rehabilitation Center, a de-radicalization program that attempts to rehabilitate youth exposed to militancy through education and counseling.
@Akheilos@al-Hasani@Chinese-Dragon@Nihonjin1051@Hakan@RescueRanger@levina@Slav Defence@Armstrong@XenoEnsi-14@Sinan@SvenSvensonov@Yizhi@Horus@Zarvan@Hyperion@Salman Arif@Developereo@syedali73@opruh@xenon54@Fattyacids@jaibi@Oscar@Pakistani shaheens@rockstar08@Jungibaaz@BDforever@waz@DRaisinHerald @waz @WAJsal @syedali73 @TankMan @Atanz @Irfan Baloch
Donatello, AUSTERLITZ, krash, ghazi52,
Now comparing it to the blasting Indian journalists used this seems quite mellow and after the low in relationships seems quite okay. Comments, mature and no trolling. Took me a lot of Google time to find these, since ISIS is the only thing the American media is really looking at or caring about.
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