ISI’S NEW PLAN REVEALED:TERRORIST COMMAND STRUCTURE SHIFTS

ISI’S NEW PLAN REVEALED:TERRORIST COMMAND STRUCTURE SHIFTS

13-AUG-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI----------------------------A significant shift has been observed in the operational methods of Pakistan-based terror networks. According to intelligence officials, the old leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammed no longer maintains direct, tight control over their respective activities. An IANS report indicates that Pakistan's ISI has intensified its oversight of these three organizations. Officials state that the ISI's new strategy focuses on fostering greater coordination among these groups to conduct operations. [1]

Intelligence inputs reveal that a Brigadier and a Colonel are now overseeing the operations of all three terrorist organizations; the report identifies them as Brigadier Iqbal and Colonel Owais. Previously, each organization maintained its own command center and operational chief. Now, a system requiring higher-level approval for infiltration-related decisions has been implemented. Officials explain that the objective of this change is to enhance coordination between the various groups and provide centralized operational direction.

The report notes a shift from earlier patterns, where groups of five to six terrorists would attempt to cross the border simultaneously; the new strategy involves sending groups of three individuals drawn from different organizations. Officials state that the ISI's new plan aims to prevent the exposure of any single organization's identity while maintaining operational synergy. Intelligence agencies have previously reported that over 500 terrorists are waiting across the border for an opportunity to infiltrate India.

Experts observe that terrorist organizations are recalibrating their strategies in light of the current security environment. Dr. Abhinav Pandya, founder of the Usanas Foundation, notes that several organizations appear less active at present as they devise new strategies. He adds that the ISI's new plan is significant because it may be an attempt to keep the identities and direct roles of terror group leaders out of the spotlight, thereby increasing the risk of creating confusion regarding the responsibility for and origins of attacks. According to Dr. Pandya, Pakistan may be attempting to conceal its direct involvement in such activities. The report also notes that, following a shift in India's security policy, any terrorist act could be viewed as an act of war rather than merely a cross-border attack. In such a climate, any direct link to an attack could prove damaging for Pakistan on the international stage; hence, the reported emphasis on a strategy of operating from behind the scenes.

Officials state that this strategy is not limited to the Line of Control (LoC). The ISI is attempting to reach out to local youth in Jammu and Kashmir and ramp up recruitment. The report claims that this outreach is being facilitated through religious networks present in Afghanistan and Africa. Intelligence agencies believe that, following recruitment, these youths could be groomed for various types of terrorist activities. However, the available facts do not include independent verification of these claims.

According to intelligence officials, one objective of this strategy is to prevent a direct link to Pakistan from being exposed in the event of an attack. The ISI's new plan is a cause for concern among security agencies because it involves more centralized oversight rather than the traditional organizational structures. Agencies are now intensifying their monitoring of potential infiltration, local networks, and suspicious activities in light of this shift. The situation will become clearer as investigations and intelligence gathering progress.