India worried over 'trans-regional module'

Indian officials say they are worried at discovering the existence of a 'trans-regional terror module' during investigations following the Oct 2 Burdwan blasts in West Bengal.

Altogether the investigators of the NIA, RAW and IB have identified the existence of 58 terror modules operating from West Bengal and other parts of India following the probe after the blasts.

But while 23 of these modules have been exclusively identified as belonging to JMB in Bangladesh and 34 are believed to combined modules of JMB and Indian Mujahideen, one is seen as a 'trans-regional module'.

"The two callers from West Bengal were regularly speaking to one in Kashmir, one in Peshwar and another in Pakistan's NWFP and sometimes to a few callers in Bangladesh, specially in Rohingya-dominated areas of Chittagong. This looks like a trans-regional module that would work the other JMB and JMB-IM modules," said a top Indian intelligence official.

He was unwilling to be named.

What he said was more worrying was that from analysis of 'extremist chatter' (a jargon for conversation between radicals), it appeared they were preparing to move some high quality explosives to Kolkata and Dhaka for hitting top-level targets, possibly some Western missions.

"Sixteen calls took place between these callers. Radicals avoid a chat unless absolutely necessary, so the frequency of these calls points to a possible operation."

The jihadi concentration in West Bengal, as had come to light after the Burdwan blasts, make Indian officials believe that a Western mission in Kolkata could be a possible target for this 'trans-regional terror module' which appears to be inspired by Al Jihad, an al-Qaeda front.

The Al Jihad is based primarily in North West Frontier Province in Pakistan.

Some analysts in Indian intelligence also do not rule out a possible attack that was planned on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in which JMB modules would be assisted by some from Pakistan.

It seems that Indian home ministry has laid 'highest priority' to track down this module not merely because of its trans-regional reach but also because of its possible objectives.