Government was expecting a big split in ULFA ranks after the arrest of its `chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa in Bangladesh. In a boost to India's campaign against ULFA, cops in Bangladesh arrested Rajkhowa, in a development which can potentially deepen the division in the rank of the outfit over whether to hold negotiations with India.
Backroom parleys are on to get Rajkhowa back to India from Bangladesh which under Sheikh Haseena Wajed has been more appreciative of India's worries about the insurgent and terrorist groups targeting India from its soil.
In fact, the Bangladesh authorities also arrested Biswa Mohan Deb Barman, president of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), another outlawed secessionist outfit active in the northeast, from Chittagong on Monday.
Rajkhowa's arrest comes at a time when a section of ULFA leadership has responded to Centre's feelers for "unconditional" talks in teeth of opposition from Paresh Baruah, the `commander-in-chief' who is determined to carry on with the insurgency that involves deliberate attacks on innocent civilians.
The `chairman' of ULFA is said to be among those who favoured talks and has sent peace feelers to the government. He does not command the loyalty of ULFA's armed units. Yet, the fact that he, one of the founding-members of ULFA, is the `chairman' of the group makes him a big catch.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha just after the news of Rajkhowa's detention came in, home minister P Chidambaram said that he expected a big statement from ULFA. The home minister, without mentioning Rajkhowa or his arrest said: "ULFA is in disarray today. In next few days, the ULFA leadership will make a political statement. Our government is prepared to talk to ULFA provided they abjure violence and there is no demand for sovereignty."
Besides enhancing the chances of talks with a section of ULFA, the arrest of Rajkhowa, as well as that of Barman, are a good augury for India for another important reason. They mark a desire on the part of Bangladesh to heed India's security concerns. The neighbouring country has become a safe haven as well as launch pad for jehadi groups as well as secessionist outfits from India's northeast.
Just a few days ago, Bangladesh Police had arrested two other top leaders of ULFA leaders -- Sashadhar Choudhary (outfit's `foreign secretary') and Chitrabhan Hazarika. T Nasir, a Lashkar jehadi, was also arrested and handed over to the Indian authorities.
Nasir, one of the accused in the Bangalore serial blasts of last year who hails from Kerala, was quietly handed over to Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along the Indo-Bangla border late Tuesday night. He was arrested in the wake of FBI's input to Bangladesh about LeT's plan to carry out attacks on the US embassy and the Indian high commission in Dhaka last month. FBI had unearthed the LeT plan after interrogating the terror duo -- David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana -- in Chicago for plotting attacks on India and Denmark.
It is learnt that the Indian agencies have now been trying to get Rajkhowa, Deb Barman and others back just as they got hold of Nasir and others, without getting into the nitty-gritty of long deportation/extradition procedures.
Another ULFA activist Bhaity Barua was also picked up along with Rajkhowa.
Fifty-three-year-old Rajkhowa was among a few top leaders who had founded the outfit in April 1979. With Rajkhowa's arrest, ULFA is only left with Paresh Baruah and his deputy Raju Baruah who are learnt to be shuttling from one place to another in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh. Another top leader Anup Chetia is currently in Bangladesh jail and is awaiting extradition to India.
Sources said Rajkhowa's wife Kaberi Kachari and their two sons were placed under house arrest in Dhaka. The detained ULFA `chairman' is the son of a freedom fighter, Umakanta Rajkonwar, who died a few years ago. Accused in several cases, including that of waging war against India, Rajkhowa has an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him. He has been out of India since 1992 and is said to have lived in places like Myanmar, Thailand and Bhutan apart from Bangladesh.
Days after these arrests, India and Bangladesh on Wednesday finalised drafts of three key treaties which will be signed when Sheikh Hasina arrives here later this month.
Drafts of the agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Transfer of Sentenced Persons (like Chetia) and bilateral agreement on Combating International Terrorism, organised crime and illicit drug trafficking were finalised during the three-day meeting of home secretaries of India and Bangladesh.
"Both sides agreed to develop mechanisms to further hasten the process of verification of nationality status of prisoners lodged in jails of either country, particularly of those who have completed their sentence, to enable their early repatriation," Bangladesh home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told reporters here.
Indian home secretary G K Pillai: "Both sides condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed their commitment not to allow the use of territory of either country for any activity inimical to each other's interests."
Both Pillai and Sikder, however, pleaded ignorance about the detention of Rajkhowa. Pillai said: "We also have no official information of arrest of Arabinda Rajkhowa in Bangladesh or anywhere else."
The home secretary, however, thanked the Bangladesh government for its cooperation on different issues specially for timely action to prevent the attack on the Indian mission in Bangladesh.
Asked about reports of militants setting up bases in Bangladesh, Sikder said his country did not harbour any elements which were inimical to India.
He said: "Bangladesh's position is clear. It does not support or harbour any terrorist or organisation. We do not allow any elements to use our soil. We have arrested a number of militants belonging to different outfits in the past."
On the possibility of launching joint operations against militants, Pillai said: "No such discussion has taken place during the talks".
Both India and Bangladesh reaffirmed their resolve to take immediate action on the basis of real time and actionable information and agreed to redouble efforts to locate subjects of Red Corner Notices in either country.
ULFA `chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa held in Bangladesh - India - The Times of India
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