Vicky Nanjappa
The United States believes that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba is no longer a force that focuses only on India, but also has under its hit-list the country's troops stationed in Afghanistan and Europe.
While it is a known fact that the Lashkar has been looking to expand and take its fight global, Indian Intelligence agencies point out that this sort of change is always a danger for India.
For three years now, Lashkar cadres have been pressurising their higher ups in Pakistani intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence to battle American troops, but they have always been pulled back.
The reason? The ISI does not want the only outfit that it has complete control over to go out of hand.
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ISI planning attacks in India to avoid LeT split?
The last time around when the Lashkar forces had expressed their desire to battle the US troops in Afghanistan, the ISI had to plan a 26/11 (Mumbai terror attacks) in order to keep them quiet.
Around five years ago, the Lashkar was on the verge of a split with several cadres threatening to leave the outfit and join hands with the Taliban. The ISI had a tough time coaxing these cadres to stick together.
Around the same time, the Al Qaeda's 313 brigade was planning the 26/11 attack. The ISI hijacked the plan and used the Lashkar to stage this attack. This kept the cadres quiet.
However, the ISI is today facing a similar situation again. This time around the Lashkar cadres are even more aggressive in their demands.
ISI planning attacks in India to avoid LeT split?
The ISI continues to believe that the Lashkar should stay as one unit and battle only India.
The worry for India, however, is that the ISI may be planning something on a similar scale as the 26/11 attack to keep the Lashkar united.
Intelligence agencies have picked up movements by ISI agents. Intelligence reports trickling in would suggest that attacks are being planned on a large scale.
The immediate threat India faces is to the ongoing cricket world cup. There have been very specific alerts regarding an attack on this event and Indian security agencies are working round the clock to prevent any such attack.
ISI planning attacks in India to avoid LeT split?
The Americans though think otherwise. They feel that the next attack on their soil would be from the Lashkar itself.
Indian intelligence believes that the ISI will do its best to keep the Lashkar out of any attack other than in India. It would want the Al Qaeda to focus on that job.
The ISI realises that its most important battle is in Kashmir and if the Lashkar starts to deviate into the US or into Afghanistan then the primary objective would suffer.
And the ISI's efforts are evident. It has been trying to get the Students of Islamic Movement of India and the Indian Mujahideen to re-group. Not only is it enhancing their bases in Kerala but has also shifted the counterfeit currency market down South.
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