Bin Laden provides support to terrorists in J-K -- CIA

Bin Laden provides support to terrorists in J-K -- CIA
CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA

WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 2: Compounding a horrible snub to its long-time ally Islamabad by holding back even a Presidential stopover, the Clinton administration has said the exiled Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden is cultivating surrogates in Pakistan among other countries, and providing "substantial support" to extremist groups in Kashmir.

The US accusation, contained in a forthcoming Congressional testimony by CIA Director George Tenet, comes on the heels of a White House move to defer a Pakistan stopover during the President's visit to South Asia next month. In fact, in announcing the trip, a White House spokesman clearly outlined the three steps Islamabad needed to take to make a visit possible. At the top of this list was a crackdown on terrorism, followed by compliance with non-proliferation goals and a timetable for the return of democracy.

But more startling was the revelations of CIA Director Tenet in his Congressional testimony to be delivered later on Tuesday, but which was first reported by Reuters with the caveat that it could undergo changes. In remarks prepared for reading before the Senate Intelligence Committee, American's chief spymaster says Bin Laden and other terrorist groups continue to develop surrogates to carry out attacks in order to avoid detection.

"An important development over the past year is that Bin Laden has identified new extremists who previously had few ties to his organisation and little interest in targeting us," says Tenet. Reuters reports that he cites a web of alliances among Sunni extremists including groups in North Africa, radical Palestinians, and groups in Pakistan and parts of central Asia.

Bin Laden also provides "substantial support" to extremist groups based in Kashmir who were believed to be involved in the hijacking of an Indian airliner last year, the agency quotes Tenet as testifying.

The new revelations substantiate New Delhi's argument that independent of the insurrection in Kashmir, the fount of terrorism flourishing in Afghanistan and Pakistan affect the US and the world as much as it does India. Previous Indian charges that Bin Laden backed terrorists were operating in Kashmir had not been taken seriously by many US officials and analysts, but that has now been reported by the CIA itself. Similarly, New Delhi's contention that terrorist groups like Harkat-ul-Mujaheddin are in cahoots with Pakistani intelligence agencies has also been confirmed by the Clinton administration.

According to Tenet, Bin Laden is determined to strike further blows against America and appears to be widening his web of connections to anti-US groups. He is also trying to acquire chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

"Despite some well-publicised disruptions, we believe he could still strike without additional warning," Tenet said in a draft of the testimony obtained and reported by Reuters.

It now appears that given the overwhelming sense of Pakistan's nexus with terrorism in various branches of the US executive, the White House had little choice but to nix a Presidential visit to Islamabad. The toughening of Washington's stand has been evident over the past fortnight, but administration mandarins were particularly forthright on Tuesday as they announced the visit. "For a Presidential visit to take place, we look forward to a significant movement on terrorism, non-proliferation, and a return to democracy," officials said twice on Tuesday. Most analysts don't believe this can happen in six weeks. Washington is not impressed either by the visit to Islamabad of a top Taliban leader and the joint Afghan-Pakistan protestations about terrorism.

But the Pakistani lobby is still hopeful of at least a stopover. Maleeha Lodhi, Islamabad's envoy to Washington, on Tuesday rallied prominent community activists and lobbyists - including a former White House insider - to discuss how to swing a Presidential visit. The Indian lobby, meanwhile, celebrated the announcement of a visit that excluded Pakistan. Some analysts though warned against what they described as "cheap triumphalism" and argued that it might be better if the President stopped over in Pakistan and gave General Musharraf a good talking to. In fact, one Pakistani activist pointed out that the language used by US officials in forestalling a Presidential visit to Pakistan was unusual to the extent of being insulting.

"The White House says there has been no decision about any other stops in the region. Stops? Stops?? That is insulting. Islamabad should ask him not to come," the distressed activist said. US lawmakers who are prominent members of the India caucus also kept up their pressure to dissuade the administration from even scheduling a stopover. While welcoming the President's decision to travel to India, Congressmen Gary Ackerman and Frank Pallone reiterated their opposition to a Pakistan stopover. "I don't think the President should go to Pakistan.

It is important that the administration continue to send the message to Islamabad that we are very concerned about Pakistan's role in fomenting instability in Kashmir, about the links between Pakistan and terrorist organisations, and the crushing of civilian government by the military junta now in power," Pallone said.

Ackerman, who co-chairs the India caucus, said it was time to re-examine the basic premise regarding US policy in South Asia and look beyond the simplistic prism of India-Pakistan rivalry. "We should abandon old paradigms and Cold War hangups and see that India, a robust democracy, is our natural ally in the region," he said.

Congressman Sam Gedjenson, who only last month led a 15-company trade delegation to India, urged the leadership of both countries to "lay the foundation for a strong and lasting partnership for the 21st century." All three lawmakers are expected to be on Air Force One when it lands in India on March 20.