By Sanjay Suri appeared in "The Tribune" on June 2, 1999

Western intelligence has information that Pakistan is behind the “loose network of international terrorists - backed by Pakistani troops - that is responsible for the incursion into Kargil, according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph.

The preparation of a mixed force of Afghan, Kashmiri, Pakistani and even British Muslim guerrillas, trained to fight at high altitudes, reinforces India’s contention that the current conflict was well-planned, says the report. It also further confirms long-standing reports that Pakistan employs a loose network of international terrorists, as well as Pakistani regulars and Kashmiri militants, not only for operations in Afghanistan but also for incursions into Indian Kashmir.

The report quotes a western intelligence source as saying: This current operation has all the hallmarks of the ISI (Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence). The ISI is a great tinkerer in the business of surrounding countries and this is part of its agenda of creating instability in Afghanistan and Kashmir. The report says that a group of British Islamic fundamentalists are reported to be among the insurgents responsible for provoking the latest conflict between India and Pakistan. It quoted western intelligence sources as saying that six Britons are reported to have recently received training in mountain techniques and high-altitude warfare.

The British Muslims, the report says, “are among a number of Islamic guerrillas being trained in remote valleys near Skardu in Pakistani Kashmir, just north of the Line of Control (LoC) from Kargil. Their instructor was being paid probably by Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, the ISI Directorate which is known to train, arm and fund Islamic terrorist groups,” the report says. It says that western intelligence has long believed that various Muslim dissident groups in Britain are front organisations for Islamic extremism, funded by an international network of wealthy Muslims and often sponsored by Pakistani and Arab intelligence agencies.

Western intelligence also believes that it is likely that British Muslims, acting individually or together, are prepared to take part in international ‘jihads’(holy wars), the report says. The report cited Indian intelligence as saying that 400 more guerrillas are preparing to infiltrate from Gilgit across the ceasefire line. It quotes Indian intelligence sources as saying that these are Pakistani army regulars in disguise.” According to western intelligence reports, however, many are Afghan, Pakistani and even international Muslim militants backed by Pakistan’s ISI. Principal among these groups is Al Badr, a terrorist group linked to Osama bin Laden, the report says.