Central intelligence agencies in a specific advisory sent last week to intelligence units and special branches of the state police in southern India has warned that Pakistan had now set up a formidable network of operatives in Sri Lanka with the specific purpose of getting information on key defence and strategic installations in the southern region.
According to this latest advisory, details of which are available with this newspaper, the state Police along with other security and intelligence agencies in southern India have been directed to launch, “a special drive to target ISI backed espionage networks in the area”.
While quoting some of the recent terror and espionage related arrests in the region the advisory goes on to state, “there is specific credible information which suggests that Pakistan’s ISI was now focusing in a big way in expanding its network in southern India. This is reflected in some of the recent incidents like spreading rumours to foment communal trouble in the wake of Assam violence, busting of a terror module in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra as well as the arrest of Tameem Ansari in Tamil Nadu who was spying for the ISI. Recent information also reveals that a good network of ISI operatives were working out of Sri Lanka now”.
Thus, the confidential note adds, “it has become imperative for the special branches with assistance from zonal offices of Central intelligence agencies should launch a special drive to crackdown on this ISI-backed espionage network in the south.”