Popular Front linked to LeT, Hizbul, says govt

The Kerala government informed the state high court that investigators have obtained evidence regarding the connection of radical outfit Popular Front of India, which allegedly launched a brutal attack on a college lecturer in July, with the Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e Tayiba and Al Qaeda.

The submission in this regard was made by by R Rajashekharan Nair, Deputy Secretary (Home) in a counter affdaivit filed in a PIL by Gireesh Babu seeking a ban on PFI and to handover the investigation on the attack of the lecturer to National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The government assured that a proper and detailed investigation shall be conducted by the state into the PFI's activities. Some of the materials seized by invesitgators indicate that this organisation was trying to propogate an extremist idealogy among its cadres, it was stated. The state government also claimed that terrorism is not deep rooted in the state.

The government said that there had been no major terrorist attack in the state.

Pointing that the power to ban PFI rests with the union government, the government said that PFI's linkages with organsiations like SIMI are under investigation. In Kerala, the National Democratic Front (NDF)and PFI activists have been involved in several crime cases including murder. Allegations regarding the inflow of foreign funds to extremists are being looked into by police and state intelligence. The allegation that terrorists were getting weaponry, financial and political support from Pakistan is under enquiry by the central government agency, the affidavit stated.

The investigation into the attack on college lecturer, Professor T J Joseph, was progressing and this cannot be transferred to the National Investigation Agency. The allegations regarding PFI and STPI, Popular Front's sister organisation, are propogating extreme idealogy was under enquiry.