ISI outsourcing terror strikes to crime gangs: Reports

Reports say Pakistan's spy service ISI is reaching out to local gangsters in India to carry out terror strikes. Indian intelligence says the new trend comes after enemy sleeper cells have been smashed in security operations.

New Delhi: There has been a recent trend which has attracted the attention of intelligence agencies as well as security agencies in India. Pakistan' ISI and its terror outfits who are unable to execute any attacks in the country to disturb law and order situation due to the alertness of forces and intelligence agencies are now giving the task to local gangsters.

Recently, Chandigarh intelligence unit alerted all intelligence agency units regarding such tie-up between terrorists and gangsters who have clout and local connections.

While giving names of some gangsters, the intelligence wing alerted other units that ISI and terrorist organisations are in touch with these gangsters and giving them tasks to execute attacks in India. Some of the gangsters are absconding while some are locked up in jails.

A senior government official claimed that there is a possibility that the ISI might try to contact or is already in touch with these local but highly influential gangsters.

In an alert issued a few days back, the Punjab unit of the Central intelligence agency had alerted that the ISI and other terror organisations had tasked five gangsters to target few leaders. Two of five gangsters are absconding and cops are looking for them while three others are lodged in different jails in Punjab.

These gangsters are involved in dozens of murders, robbery, narcotics cases and running racket from the jails. Local police have been asked to keep a track of such local gangsters and keep an eye on their movement even if they are in jail.

According to an official, reasons behind this latest strategy are that ISI's backbone which is local sleeper cells have been almost eliminated or refusing to work as they fear being killed by security forces.

Also, there is hardly any top-level commander to control local sleeper cells. As local gangsters can easily collect material and execute attacks in states, terror organisations are turning to them to execute their mischievous tasks.

(ANI report)