Author: PTI
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 6, 2009.
The top leaders of ULFA have close links with
Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and have been enjoying patronage of Bangladeshi
spy agency DGFI, a former senior leader of the banned outfit claimed on Friday.
"The top ULFA leadership has close links
with ISI, DGFI and some Islamic organisations. Without their support, it is
not possible for anyone to have bases in Bangladesh," Mrinal Hazarika,
former chief of ULFA's 28th Battalion, who had come overground deserting the
organisation along with 150 other cadres, told reporters here.
The so-called battalion was one of the fierce
wings of the ULFA and was allegedly responsible for a number of killings,
abduction and extortion in Assam in the past.
Hazarika, who described his group as pro-talks,
said the ULFA has several camps, offices and shelter places in Bangladesh,
including some in cities.
"All these have been running with the
consent of the official agencies of that country," he claimed.
He said ULFA, which has been fighting for
a separate home land for the last three decades, has no camps in China but
a few offices and shelter places.
Hazarika, however, admitted that ULFA had
sent its cadres to Pakistan-Afghanistan borders for training till two years
ago.
