Pakistan’s LeT plans to disrupt Indian Elections

Swati Chaturvedi

Five specific intercepts of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) are a pointer to the targeting of the general elections by Pakistan. The intercepts of the LeT`s “chatter” made available are a clear indicator of the looming threat. Sample this “Janaab public meeting sei accha koi mauka nahi hoga. Aap waha ja kei kaam kariye. Sara make-up (code for explosives) aap ko diya jaye ga” (Their will be no better opportunity than a public meeting. Go and do the work there). The Intelligence Bureau has already briefed the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram and has also deputed the DIB, P C Haldar to brief the Election Commission. Says a senior official, “It is now obvious that Pakistan will go to any extent to ensure that our elections will be disrupted. It will be naive to expect anything else.`` Contrary to Pakistan`s oft repeated claims of pulling the plug on the LeT, sources say it is alive and kicking and plotting mayhem against India. Sources say that strategic financing of the LeT undertaken by the ISI has almost increased 50 percent in the last two months in order to target elections 2009 in India. The LeT has also been given a list of high-profile leaders such as Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh BJP leader, L K Advani, Narendra Modi to target. Two of the intercepts are specific in nature and refer to these leaders. Sources say that the techint (technical intelligence) has ensured that we are wise to the danger, but the agencies lack the humint (human intelligence) as there is simply not enough infiltration and information available on the LeT on the ground. The IB has repeatedly pointed this out to Home Minister Chidambaram and now plans are on the anvil to recruit more “assets`”. Says a senior official “We have shared the intercepts with the FBI and apart from taking our own precautions we hope the Americans whisper some words of wisdom into Pakistan`s ears.” Analysts say that with public anger, boiling over after the Mumbai outrage, will be hard to contain if Pakistan does not rein in the LeT.