VIF News Digest: National Security- Defence Studies & Terrorism, 01-15 April, 2019

Defence:

• COAS’s visit to USA;
• 3rd Bilateral Maritime Exercise between Australia and India- AUSINDEX-19;
• Indian Navy signed MoU with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research;
• Army Commanders’ Conference: April 2019;
• Bold Kurukshetra 2019: Indo-Singapore Joint Training Exercise.

International Terrorism:

• Afghanistan -Tax fraud by British-Asians in UK ‘funded’ al-Qa’ida.
• Yemen - Three ‘high-rank’ al-Qa’ida commanders killed in drone strike in Al-Sawma’ah.

Domestic Terrorism:

Jammu and Kashmir

• Police arrested HM terrorist for plotting Pulwama style attack;
• ‘Most Wanted’ JeM terrorist arrested in Srinagar;
• Four LeT terrorists killed in CT operation in Pulwama;
• NIA arrested JeM terrorist from Delhi Airport;
• NIA arrested JeM terrorist for 2017 CRPF Centre attack.

Left-Wing Extremism

• IED recovered in Jharkhand;
• Four BSF personnels martyred in ambush attack in Chhattisgarh;
• BJP politician killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh.

Islamist Extremism in India (including Islamic State):

• NIA arrested an IS propagator in Kerala.

Khalistan-Inspired Extremism

• Five pro-Khalistan youths were arrested in Chandigarh.

Cyber & Artificial Intelligence (Security Perspective):

• Hackers could modify medical investigation results.

DEFENCE

COAS’s visit to USA

Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat paid an official visit to the United States of America (USA) from 02 April to 05 April 2019. During the visit, General Rawat interacted with the senior military hierarchy of the US Armed Forces, focusing on military to military cooperation. Being an alumnus of Command and General Staff College, the COAS also visited the US Military Academy at West Point, and the Command and General Staff College at Ford Leavenworth, Kansas. Click here to read.... [2]

3rd Bilateral Maritime Exercise between Australia and India- AUSINDEX-19

The third edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise between the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Indian Navy (IN) was held on 02 April 2019 at Visakhapatnam. The aim of the exercise was to ‘strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the IN and RAN, providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel of the two navies’. The bilateral and defence cooperation between India and Australia was envisaged in the Framework of Security Cooperation (FSC) announced by the Indian and Australian Prime Ministers in 2014. For the maritime exercise, Australian Navy’s HMAS Canberra (L02), a Landing Helicopter Dock, HMAS New Castle (06) and HMAS Paramatta (154), both frigates; HMAS Collins, a conventional submarine and HMAS Success (OR 304), a Durance-class multi-product replenishment oiler, had arrived at Visakhapatnam. Click here to read.... [3]

Indian Navy signs MoU with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

On 05 April 2019, the Indian Navy (IN) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to undertake joint R&D of advanced technologies in diverse fields of Mechanical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion systems, Metallurgy and Nanotechnology, for the IN. The MoU was signed by Vice Admiral GS Pabby PVSM, AVSM, VSM Chief of Materiel of Indian Navy and Shri Shekhar C Mande, Secretary DSIR and Director General, CSIR. The event was attended by Directors of Seven CSIR Labs, Flag Officers and Heads of Directorates of Indian Navy and eminent scientists from distinguished CSIR Labs. Click here to read.... [3]

Army Commanders’ Conference: April 2019

The biannual Army Commanders’ Conference was held on 08 April 2019, with the opening address delivered by Raksha Mantri Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. The conference was chaired by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bipin Rawat. Important issues discussed at the conference included management of the extant security dynamics, mitigation of future security threats and enhancement of combat edge over potential adversaries. Click here to read.... [3]

Bold Kurukshetra 2019: Indo-Singapore Joint Training Exercise

On 11 April 2019, the 12th edition of Indo-Singapore Joint Training Exercise (JTE) Kurukshetra-2019, was concluded at Babina Military Station. The four day long exercise focused on developing interoperability and conduct of joint tactical operations in mechanised warfare. Click here to read.... [4]

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Afghanistan: Tax fraud by British-Asians in UK ‘funded’ Al-Qa’ida

A Media investigation has revealed that a network of British-Asians stole billions of British Pounds (GBP) of public money through VAT (Value Added Tax) and benefit fraud, to fund terrorists. According to the report, tens of millions of GBP were used to fund terrorist attacks including the July 7 London bombings and financial support to Al-Qa’ida’s Osama Bin Laden via a UK-based financial scam. According to the report, a per cent on the network’s gains i.e. GBP 80 million, was allegedly channelled to al-Qa’ida in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Click here to read.... [5]

Yemen: Three ‘high-rank’ al-Qa’ida commanders killed in drone strike in Al-Sawma’ah

According to news report, a US predator drone strike killed three ‘high-rank’ commanders of Al-Qa’ida in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) group in Al-Sawma’ah district in Yemen. Those killed included Abu Ammar al-Hadrami, Abu Abdullah al-Monzari, and Abu al-Fahtani. In Al-Sawma’ah district, al-Qa’ida has a large presence. Click here to read.... [6]

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir:

Police arrested HM terrorist for plotting Pulwama style attack

Jammu and Kashmir police, on March 30, 2019, arrested Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist Owais Amin, for his alleged attempt to repeat Pulwama-style terrorist attack on a (Central Reserve Police Force) CRPF convoy near Banihal on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. In total, two blasts were planned in the car attack. In the first blast, terrorist got minor injuries and ran away, leaving the car. The second explosion did not occur as the LPG cylinders and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) did not explode. The CRPF vehicle received minor damage when one of LPG cylinder placed in the car exploded. According to police, the car contained explosive and inflammable substances including more than 50 gelatine sticks (Super power 90), urea, sulphur, ammonium nitrate, two bottles petrol, two LPG cylinders and one live fabricated IED in a tiffin carrier. Click here to read.... [7]

‘Most Wanted’ JeM terrorist arrested in Srinagar

On March 31, 2019, a team of Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested ‘most wanted’ Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Faiyaz Ahmed Lone from Srinagar. Faiyaz had been evading arrest since 2015. Click here to read.... [8]

Four LeT terrorists killed in Counter-Terrorist (CT) operation in Pulwama

On April 02, a joint team of Indian Army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG), and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) conducted counter-terrorism operation in Lassipora area of Pulwama district and killed four terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Acting on information, the security forces cordoned off the village area. During search operation, terrorists opened fire on the security forces which further led to exchange of fire. The four LeT terrorists were identified as Zaffar Paul aka Abu Manzil, Tauseef Ahmad Yattoo aka Azim, Aqib Ahmad Kumar, and Mohammad Shafi Bhat. During the operation, four members of security forces (three Army personnel, and a policeman) were injured. Reportedly, their condition was stable. Click here to read.... [9]

NIA arrested JeM terrorist from Delhi Airport

On April 02, 2019, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an absconding terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Nisar Ahmed Tantray upon his arrival at Delhi Airport after being deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Nisar was reportedly involved in fidayeen attack on CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) group centre at Lethpura on 30-31 December 2017. Click here to read.... [10]

NIA arrested JeM terrorist for 2017 CRPF Centre attack

On 06 April, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested the fourth accused, a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist, Syed Hilal Andrabi who was a key conspirator in the 2017 terror attack at the CRPF Centre and had also provided logistic support for the operation. Click here to read.... [11]

Left-Wing Extremism:

IED recovered in Jharkhand

On April 02, 2019, security forces recovered 15 kg of IED (Improvised Explosive Device), and other explosive substances in Giridih district of Jharkhand. In a joint search operation by State police and the CRPF personnel in Mohanpur forest area of Giridih district, 15 kg of IED, hundreds of cartridges, Maoist literature, and other explosive substances were recovered. Click here to read.... [12]

Four BSF personnel martyred in ambush attack in Chhattisgarh

On April 04, 2019, a group of Maoists ambushed a patrolling team of Border Security Force (BSF) during an area domination exercise near Pakhanjur of Kanker district in Chhattisgarh. Four BSF personnel were martyred and two others injured. Maoists attacked the patrolling party by IED followed by heavy firing. In retaliatory fire, security forces engaged the Maoists and reportedly injured some of them. Click here to read.... [13]

BJP politician killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh

On April 09, 2019, a BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party) legislator, Bhima Mandavi, and his private security officers, along with driver of his vehicle were killed in a landmine IED blast triggered by Maoists in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh. The Maoists who triggered the blast were following Mandavi in another vehicle. The explosion was so powerful that it ripped apart the bullet-proof vehicle. After the explosion, there was exchange of fire between the security personnel and Maoists that last for another 30 minutes. By the time police team reached the location, Maoists had fled from the location. Click here to read.... [14]

Islamist Extremism in India (including Islamic State):

NIA arrested an IS propagator in Kerala

On April 09, 2019, National Investigation Agency (NIA), arrested Shaibu Nihar, (39 year), an Islamic State (IS) activist wanted for propagating the IS ideology. The arrest was made at Calicut International Airport upon his arrival from Qatar. According to the statement released by the NIA, Shaibu had planned to travel to Syria, via Bahrain to join IS in December 2016. He was then operating an advertising agency. Nihar was produced before the Special NIA Court at Erankulum and was remanded to judicial custody up to 22 April 2019. Click here to read.... [15]

Khalistan-Inspired Extremism:

Five pro-Khalistan youths were arrested in Chandigarh

On March 31, 2019, Punjab Police Special Operation Cell arrested five ‘pro-Khalistan’ youths - Gurpreet Singh (29), Harvinder Singh (24), Sultan Singh (29), Karamjeet Singh (28), and Lovepreet Singh (22) - from Mohali in Chandigarh, for conspiring the revival of terrorism in Punjab. According to SSC’s Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police Varinder Paul Singh, the accused held a meeting in Mohali, and a militant module was created to assassinate Hindu leaders and members of Dera Saccha Sauda. Around 45 members of Dera Saccha Sauda were on their ‘hit-list’. The accused were planning to go to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and later cross over to Pakistan for weapon training. Pro-Khalistan militant Paramjit Singh Pamma was funding weapon training for the accused. The accused were in constant contact with Ranjit Singh Pakhoke—a Germany-based active Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative. Click here to read.... [16]

CYBER & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Security Perspective)

Hackers could modify medical investigation results

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in Israel have warned that hackers could easily gain access to patient’s CT Scan and MRI investigations by deceiving radiologists and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms which diagnose malignant tumours. The researchers showed how a hacker could gain access to add or remove medical conditions from a lung cancer scan result for the purposes of insurance fraud, ransom or even murder. Click here to read.... [17]