US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI7777

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 007777 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT, SA, CA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, PTER, CASC, CJAN, IN, PK, NP, Counter-Terrorism, GOI 
SUBJECT: HOME SECRETARY UPBEAT ABOUT DECLINE IN TERRORISM, 
LOOKS FORWARD TO CT JOINT WORKING GROUP 
 
Classified By: Ambassador David C. Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (U) ACTION REQUEST FOR S/CT IN PARA 8. 
 
2.  (C) Summary: In an October 3 meeting with the Ambassador 
following an MLAT signing ceremony, Home Secretary VK Duggal 
was moderately upbeat over the security situation in Kashmir, 
noting that the situation was calm enough for the valley to 
welcome a record number of tourists last summer.  However, 
Duggal expressed concern that, although the number and 
intensity of incidents in Kashmir were down, the camps in 
Pakistan were still active.  He indicated that a number of 
infiltrators captured recently were from other parts of 
Pakistan, not Kashmir, and suggested that the Delhi cinema 
bomber may have trained in Lahore.  Duggal welcomed the 
appointment of the Department's new counter-terrorism 
coordinator and urged that the Joint Working Group on 
Terrorism be re-energized.  He also indicated that his staff 
would soon provide the Embassy with a new list of terrorist 
organizations that India felt were actually fronts for other 
organizations already on the UN's terrorism list.  Duggal 
expressed his sympathy for the victims of hurricane Katrina 
and stressed the importance of continuing to work together to 
develop our disaster response capability.  End Summary. 
 
MLAT Signing 
------------ 
 
3.  (U) Ambassador Mulford met October 3 with Duggal both 
before and after a brief signing ceremony to exchange 
Instruments of Ratification of the US - India Mutual Legal 
Assistance Treaty.  Also present were PV Bhide, Additional 
Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Sanjay 
 
SIPDIS 
Bhattacharyya, since-departed Director of the Americas 
Division at the Ministry of External Affairs, and William 
Bartlett, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs 
(notetaker). 
 
Kashmir Terrorist Infrastructure Still in Place 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
4.  (C) In response to the Ambassador's question about the 
situation in Kashmir, Secretary Duggal replied that his 
office was hard at work implementing the confidence building 
measures agreed between India and Pakistan.  He indicated 
that there had been some terrorist incidents, but that he did 
not see the CBMs as linked to these events.  Overall, Duggal 
said, the number of infiltrations and attacks were down, 
commenting that Kashmir had welcomed 400,000 tourists (a new 
record) and 370,000 pilgrims this year, largely without 
incident.  Duggal also said he anticipated there might be a 
further exchange of detainees soon. 
 
5.  (C) The Home Secretary noted that a number of the 
infiltrators captured recently were from other areas within 
Pakistan and not Pakistani Kashmir, and commented that the 
perpetrator of New Delhi's May 22 cinema bombings may have 
trained in Lahore.  He also observed that terrorist training 
camps were still operating and that the reduction in 
infiltration may have as much to do with India's increased 
effectiveness in patrolling the Line of Control, as with any 
Pakistani effort to reduce the flow.  According to Duggal, 
India also continues to see infiltration through other 
borders, including those with Nepal and Bangladesh.  The 
Ambassador assured Duggal that President Bush continues to 
push President Musharraf to close the training camps. 
 
Nepal Border Concerns 
--------------------- 
6.  (C) The Ambassador also asked about instability in Nepal 
and any possible spillover into India.  Duggal observed that 
India has historically had an open border with Nepal with a 
free flow of people in both directions, but that he had no 
evidence of Nepalese Maoist activity in India.  He expressed 
concern that Pakistan might use Nepal as a route for 
infiltration, but did not elaborate. 
 
Ready to Renew CT Coordination 
------------------------------ 
 
7.  (C) Duggal noted favorably the recent appointment of 
Henry Crumpton as the Department's new Counter-Terrorism 
Coordinator and said India was anxious to re-energize the 
Joint Counter-Terrorism Working Group.  The next meeting is 
due to be held in Washington, and India would like to begin 
planning for this event.  In this context, Duggal noted that 
the GOI had developed a list, which it has recently shared 
with the UK, of new cover organizations created by 
organizations already on the "Terrorism List."  He promised 
to provide the Embassy with a copy of these new names and 
sought the USG's support in adding them to the "formal" list. 
 (Note: We assume this refers to the UN 1267 Sanctions List 
of Taliban and al-Qaeda affiliates.  End Note) 
 
8.  (U) ACTION REQUEST FOR S/CT: Please give us a time frame 
for the next meeting of the JCTWG to share with the GOI. 
 
Disaster Preparation 
-------------------- 
 
9.  (SBU) Finally, Duggal expressed his condolences on the 
losses associated with hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and 
suggested this made cooperation between India and the US on 
disaster preparation and planning even more important than 
ever.  He said that India was close to enacting new 
legislation that would reorganize India's disaster response 
capability, clearly delegating responsibility down to the 
lowest local level.  The Home Secretary noted ongoing US - 
India cooperation on disaster planning and hoped that it 
would continue and increase. 
 
Comment: Welcome Optimism 
------------------------- 
 
10.  (C) Duggal's optimistic assessment of improving security 
in Kashmir and reduced terrorism reflects the confidence that 
is essential to New Delhi's continued engagement in the 
Indo-Pak peace process, but as Duggal observed to visiting US 
Ambassador to Pakistan Crocker on October 4, this confidence 
could still be shattered by acts like the July 5 Ayodhya 
attack.  Duggal's comment that MHA does not see evidence of 
Nepalese Maoist activity in India stands in stark contrast to 
security forces' public claims of joint Indian-Nepalese 
insurgent training camps and operations in the rural 
districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states.  Post plans to 
visit some of these districts in October to assess these 
claims. 
 
11.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) 
Mulford