In 1993, the leading international expert on Islamist terrorism, Mr Yousuf Bodansky reported that ISI had passed on chemical missiles called SAQR to the terrorists in Kashmir. This February Army found for the first time 2 caches of poison-tipped bullets from the terrorists hideouts in Budgam district. In November 1998 SOG of J&K police seized two radio-controlled aircraft’s capable of hitting targets two kilometers away. Recent seizures include claymore mines having danger zone of 35 yards, in Kabarwali Deri in Kupwara and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) from Danna hamlet (Kotranka, Rajouri) and Kandi village in Kupwara. These recoveries indicated enrichment of terrorists? arsenal in J&K. ATGMs are used against static targets like bunkers, ammunition dumps and parked or low-flying helicopters. These weapons were frequently used by Talibans during Afghan war and are meant primarily for destroying tanks. Terrorists have also been given high quality upgraded communication system. These include night vision devices, satellite phones, high frequency radio sets with burst communication. Terrorists have often been jamming the Communication system of our security forces. Highways vulnerable Security forces had unearthed ISI game-plan to target main national highways, when a Kashmiri terrorist Azhar Shafi Mir, hailing from Bandipore was nabbed in December last. He had revealed how an ISI-operative Col. Shamas was training a group of eighty foreign mercenaries for these tasks.

He had disclosed that in the first phase Kargil-Leh highway was to be disrupted, followed by Kangan-Kargil road and in the last phase Jammu-Srinagar highway. The captured terrorist had also said that the infiltration of this group was planned for March end. During the month of May, on the Banihal-Qazigund part of the national highway close to Jawahar tunnel there were three attacks on security forces vehicles through IEDs detonated with a remote control device from top of a hill. In this six people were killed on the spot. Last year Drass-Zojila highway was targetted through IEDs. In Poonch-Rajouri sector, the terrorists have shifted their activities from interior to peripheral areas close to Jammu-Poonch highway. Terrorists are shifting the focus of their activities from media attention to disruption of supply lines. These strikes have been occurring even during daytime and in sanitized localities. Recently, security force vehicles were ambushed on Bindi-Jamala road in Rajouri, in Shiendra (Mendhar) and village Lassana, in which five jawans were killed. Mercenaries have been attacking police posts as well. There were attacks on police stations in Harni (Mendhar) and Surankote.
 

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