CBI 'core group' to fight terrorism

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. Reacting to the situation arising out of the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to set up a high-level `core group' to assess and review the entire information available on the activities of various terrorist groups operating in the country.

The decision was taken at a meeting of senior Delhi- based CBI officers convened at the agency's headquarters by the CBI Chief, Mr. P.C. Sharma, here on Friday evening. According to the CBI spokesman, Mr. S.M. Khan, the entire gamut of issues relating to terrorism were discussed, especially the kind of cooperation which the U.S. would seek from India.

The country's premier investigating agency has gained experience over the past few years in probing terrorist crimes by conducting investigations into the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts that had claimed 253 lives, train bomb blasts and similar terrorist crimes in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, the North-Eastern States and elsewhere.

The proposed core group is likely to be headed either by the CBI Director or Additional Director. It would have at least half a dozen senior officers and experts, preferably drawn from the agency's Special Investigation Cell- II that had probed terrorist crimes in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

It was decided that the CBI would provide help to other law enforcement agencies in various ways to prevent terrorism-related incidents.

The CBI, representing the Interpol in India, is also in touch with the Interpol headquarters in Lyons, France, on a regular basis. The spokesman said that it was also decided to revive a DIG-level coordination meeting of senior officers from terrorism- affected States and their neighbouring States. It was felt that the mechanism would help in the exchange of information and ensure better coordination among the law enforcement agencies in tackling terrorist-related crimes.

The DIG-level meeting used to take place regularly at Chandigarh when Punjab was in the grip of terrorism.

The practice was given up about a year ago but it would be revived soon as it was found useful in gathering and coordinating information pertaining to terrorists and their activities. It would also help in taking timely action to put an effective check on such activities, the meeting felt. The CBI would enlist support from the States in this regard.

Gearing up to meet the threat posed by global terrorism, the CBI as the nodal agency to interact and coordinate with international crime fighting agencies would find itself assuming a more vigorous role in the days to come.

Apart from Interpol, the CBI also coordinates with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The latest example of CBI-FBI cooperation came to the fore when the agency took up the probe into the flight IC-814 hijacking case.

The CBI was able to get the Interpol to issue arrest warrants against the five Pakistani hijackers who had found shelter in Pakistan after securing the release of their three terrorist associates from a Jammu jail in exchange for the release of the hostages.

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