India on Monday said that the terror boat, which exploded and sank in the Arabian Sea last week during an Indian Coast Guard operation, carried suspected terrorists. Reacting three days after the incident, Pakistan rejected the claim that the boat belonged to it, and said the boat never left from its port — a rebuttal that is both delayed and unconvincing going by the evidence gathered by Indian Intelligence.
“Circumstantial evidence indicated that the occupants of the vessel were suspected or possible terrorists and that they were in touch with Pakistani maritime officials and Army,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said, dismissing the contention that the four people on board were smugglers.
Parrikar based his claim on substantial circumstantial evidence and Intelligence inputs. This included the route taken by the boat, the act of setting the boat on fire, and intercepts showing that the boatmen were in touch with Pakistani maritime officials.
However, in a belated response Pakistan clarified that the boat did not belong to them. “I think this is a very silly allegation. We have checked with our authorities. No boat from Pakistan left for the place,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said in Islamabad.
Disclosing that Intelligence inputs suggested that the boatmen were in touch with Pakistani maritime officials, Parrikar said that the boatmen’s suicidal act of setting the boat on fire showed that they were “committed” and indicated a suspected terror link. Replying to questions by reporters about the veracity of this assessment Parrikar said: “Circumstantial evidence indicates what I am saying.”
His remarks came as questions were being raised on the veracity of claims that a 2008 Mumbai attack-style operation had been foiled. There were also reports claiming that the boat was involved in smuggling.
The boat was neither in a fishing area nor on any busy route preferred by smugglers to sneak in, Parrikar said, adding that their actions indicate that they were there for “some other kind of activity”. At the same time, he said, “We are not sure what is that other kind”.
He said intercepted satellite communication showed they were interacting about passing of cargo and talking about families of some of the boatmen. “Smugglers don’t keep in touch with Pakistani maritime agency, or their army or international contacts,” he said. “Normally, smugglers, carrying drugs, can throw away their drugs and surrender. No one is going to kill himself unless he is motivated enough to do that,” he said.
The Defence Minister said the actions of the boatmen back what he has said.”(I am) Not speculating that it had explosives but it had some activity in mind that does not fit the description of a smuggling boat. Which smuggler would commit suicideIJ That much I can say,” Parrikar said.
The Congress has asked the Government to come clean on the matter, leading to a slugfest with the ruling BJP which accused the former of providing “ammunition to Pakistan” and speaking their language besides playing “petty politics” on terror.
Parrikar said: “There are speculations, but I don’t intend to be part of speculations except for pointing out one very important aspect that the location (where the boat was found) is not a normal route for fishing boats.”
Pointing out that there were no other boats in the vicinity and hence it was not a fishing area, Parrikar added that even smugglers of gold, drugs and other contraband normally take a busy route since it was easy to hide and mingle with other boats.
The Defence Minister said the boat was in an isolated location when spotted by surveillance aircraft which tracked it for about 12 hours.”It does not indicate any type of smuggling activity but some other kind of activity. We are not sure what is that other kind,” he said.