Author: S. Rajagopalan
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: May 1, 2004
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_724092,00050001.htm
Despite a drop in number of incidents
and casualties, India has continued to be the worst victim of terrorism
during 2003 as well, according to figures collated by the US's latest report
on global terrorism.
There were far more "significant
terrorist incidents" in India during the year than in any other country
-49 in India, compared to 10 in Colombia, nine in Israel, six in Saudi
Arabia and four in Pakistan. The list is a chronology of incidents that
have met the US Government's Incident Review Panel criteria. A terrorist
incident is deemed to be "significant" when it results in loss of life,
serious injury or major property damage.
But the list, published in the "Patterns
of Global Terrorism 2003", is by no means comprehensive. For instance,
it does not include the August 25 car bomb blasts in Mumbai that killed
53 persons and injured 160 others.
Nor does it include the two attacks
on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf last December.
The report is markedly soft on Pakistan.
Unlike the 2002 report, which stated that extremist violence in Kashmir
was being "fuelled by infiltration from Pakistan", the new volume does
not name Pakistan. Instead, it talks of "foreign-based" and Kashmiri groups.