Worrying case of Kerala's terror-politics cocktail

Is the political class in Kerala being used as a springboard by extremist elements aiming to establish base in the state? The Nadapuram blast shockingly points out this trend, writes Vicky Nanjappa

A month ago, five people were killed in a bomb blast at Nadapuram, a sensitive region in north Kerala known for political clashes.

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan claimed that it was the handiwork of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, which was planning to launch a series of violent attacks in the wake of the forthcoming elections, his party (the Communist Party of India-Marxist) hinted at the possibility of the Indian Union Muslim League targeting its own men.

The probe into the blast has not answered many questions

Preliminary investigations have shown that the bombs were being prepared to satisfy political gains and create communal disharmony during the elections. However, the worrying aspect of this entire exercise is the procurement of the explosive material, which the Intelligence Bureau feels is linked directly to extremist outfits.

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Over the past few years, groups such as the IUML and the Islamic Popular Front of India have been under the scanner of the Intelligence agencies.

Sources say that there is a dedicated probe by central and state agencies into the antecedents of these groups and at the moment it appears that a section of these outfits have decided to take up the extremist path.

Police sources say that some of these groups have intentionally turned a blind eye to some of their cadres taking the extremist route.

They believe that before each election there is a need to needle communal feelings and sentiments of the people so that it becomes a huge election issue.

Intelligence officials have always maintained that Kerala is notoriously sensitive where communal issues are concerned. Political battles are won on these issues and in the years to come such incidents would continue unless checked.

Security agencies say that such incidents are political in nature, but other extremist forces like the Indian Mujahideen and the Students Islamic Movement of India are taking advantage of the situation.

The arrest and the subsequent interrogation of both Abdul Nasser Madani and T Nasir have also proved this point as to how extremist groups are clinging on to political outfits to further their cause.

The IB says it does not matter for these groups whether the war is political or not; they are achieving their ultimate goal of dividing the community through extreme methods.

Another interesting aspect of the Nadapuram blast was that the police had found several Rs 500 currency notes and also a cheque for Rs 9 lakh. Although investigations into this aspect are being carried out, it has become clear that the entire operation was politically motivated and that some political party had paid off the attackers.

Kerala Police officials are, however, tight-lipped about this aspect and say that any revelation at this point of time would hamper investigations.

Meanwhile, the biggest gainers in this battle are the SIMI and the IM, which have spread its tentacles deep and wide into parts of Kerala.

A recent home ministry alert too had pointed out that there were 80 activists of SIMI's Safdar Nagori faction who were on the loose and were looking to re-group.

Based on this police agencies had stepped up operations across the country and were particularly focusing on Kerala. There has been specific information that the SIMI could set up headquarters in Kerala.

It is a known fact that SIMI operates under 12 different names in Kerala alone. The question that the police agencies would need to answer is if any of these front organisations are part of any political outfit.

The IB claims that some organisations have affiliations to major political parties.

A majority of these front organisations, however, operate under the guise of charity organisations. But the fact remains that all this has been set up to further the larger goal of creating an Islamist Kerala from where major operations across the country can be launched.

This, according to intelligence agencies, was the goal of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and unless quick measures are taken the scenario can get only worse.