Fai’s arrest exposes ISI-terror links: India Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, July 23
Reacting to the arrest of Kashmiri separatist Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai in Virginia, India today said this had clearly exposed the link between state agencies of Pakistan and those promoting militancy and separatism.
People like Fai were still actively working in Britain and Brussels. However, with the arrest of Fai, it was going to become increasingly difficult for such individuals and groups to operate, government sources said. Fai has been charged with funnelling four million dollars from Pakistan’s spy agency ISI for benefiting political leaders with the aim of influencing the US policy on Kashmir.
Describing the arrest of Fai as a ‘significant development’, the sources said the nexus between state agencies of Pakistan and individual like Fai ought to be broken.
They said New Delhi had been aware of the anti-India activities of Fai since the early nineties. “We were pretty enlightened about his activities… other countries are slowly getting enlightened. Those days, Fai used to indulge in ‘fax terrorism’ sending fax messages to human rights activists and others. We had pointed out to the US how this individual was espousing the cause of militancy and separatism.”
Asked if India had sought more details from the US on the activities of Fai, who headed the Kashmiri American Centre, the sources said the Indian Embassy in Washington was in touch with the US authorities. However, his activities were still being investigated by the US Justice Department. As a consequence of Fai’s arrest, the sources were confident that people like him in London and Brussels would be running for cover.
When asked about Indian academicians, human rights activities and journalists who had enjoyed the hospitality of Fai, the sources said they obviously were facing embarrassment now. “If I were in their place, I would have avoided associating myself with Fai or his group, knowing his antecedents,” a senior official said.

Pak downplays involvement

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday sought to play down reports of the alleged links between the ISI and Fai, saying he would comment on the issue only after the facts are established.