NO TERROR LINK TO 8 PAK BOATS SEIZED OFF GUJ COAST, SAY COPS

UNFOUNDED? Pak NSA had alerted India about terrorists sneaking into the country

PAKISTAN-BASED TERRORISTS HAD USED A FISHING BOAT TO SNEAK INTO MUMBAI IN 2008 TO LAUNCH ONE OF THE MOST BRAZEN ATTACKS ON INDIAN SOIL.

AHMEDABAD: Multiple Indian security agencies have ruled out any terrorist link to eight abandoned boats recovered off the Gujarat coast in the past five months that triggered a major security scare after a tip-off by Pakistan this month, a top police official said on Saturday.

On March 5, a day after the eighth boat was found near Koteshwar in Kutch district, Pakistan’s national security advisor Naseer Janjua said 10 terrorists have sneaked into India, leading to a multi-city alert and nationwide manhunt.

Investigations by several agencies, including Gujarat Police, Intelligence Bureau, Border Security Force (BSF) and Customs, found that the boats belonged to Pakistani fishermen who fled for fear of being caught.

Hundreds of fishermen from both countries are arrested every year for violating maritime boundary after they veer off course, sometimes intention- ally, in search of a better catch.

“No trace was found of anything indicating that these boats could have been used by terrorists or for terror activities,” said Gujarat Police’s border range inspector general AK Jadeja. “The agencies have come to the conclusion that the boats were abandoned by Pakistani fishermen fearing arrest by Indian security agencies .” Pakistan-based terrorists had used a fishing boat to sneak into Mumbai in 2008 to launch one of the most brazen attacks on Indian soil.

The security alert by Islamabad came weeks after t er rorists, believed t o be from Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, attacked an airforce base in Pathankot, leaving seven Indian security personnel dead. Six terrorists were also killed in the siege.

The police official said the investigations have also ruled out drug smuggling from the seized boats. “All the boats were carrying almost similar things like fishing nets, blankets, food and, in a couple of cases, fish. Nothing indicated that these boats could have been used for anything other than fishing,” said Jadeja.

He added that most of the seized boats were in a bad shape, i ndicating t hat t he fisher men were “probably prepared to leave the vessels behind, if required”. The boats are in the custody of the customs department in Kutch. IB sources said most of the times boats come drifting to the shores from several creeks and tidal water channels that flow out into the sea.

A BSF official said the fishermen are often alerted by the sound of patrolling speedboats. “The noise helps Pakistani fishermen spot us and flee. If the water level (in the creeks) is high, then they swim towards Pakistan till they find some boats in their waters.”