Dangerous link between Maoists and LTTE

India’s top intelligence wing has acquired some key information about a dangerous alliance between the Maoists and the LTTE. Indian Central Intelligence Agencies have found fresh evidence of joint training camps and meetings conducted by the Red guerrillas with the LTTE in the forests of south and central India.

Indian Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram earlier asserted that Naxalites are acquiring arms from abroad. According to sources, a well-trained 12-member group of LTTE cadres recently sneaked into India to join hands with the Maoists.

“They entered north coastal Andhra via Kerala after splitting into three groups, one of which is suspected to have found a safe haven in Vizianagaram area,” sources said. This comes close on the heels of an intelligence alert to the coastal states on the East Coast about a possible LTTE cadre intrusion.

The central intelligence top brass has warned the States of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Orissa on the alleged intrusion of the LTTE into Indian territorial waters, reported The Times of India.

But what is bothering the security agencies is the prowess of Tigers in triggering explosives and suicide bombings. “Imagine the expertise of Tigers coupled with the Maoists’ jungle warfare.

It will be a deadly combination for the security agencies to tackle with,” Indian analysts said.

Asserting the strengths of the LTTE an Indian security analyst said, “The LTTE would pass on the expertise to the Maoists.”

Security wings suspect that the Maoists could take the help of the LTTE to prepare them to defend the all-out central forces’ attack codenamed ‘Operation Green Hunt’ on Abujmad, their strategic base and stronghold in the Dandakaranya in Chhattisgarh. With Minister Chidambaram insisting that the operation is aimed at defeating the top Maoist leadership, sources said the focus is on to nab or kill Andhra Maoist leaders, who constitute 80 percent of Maoist top brass.

“It will be again Andhra commandoes versus top Maoist leaders in Abujmad as and when the central forces corner the area. So, the chances of Maoists relying on the LTTE cannot be ruled out,” a source said.

Sources said the Maoists could take the help of the LTTE for training their military wing, People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army.

Analysts said the LTTE game plan is double-edged. On one hand, it would help the Maoists to take on Indian forces, while on the other it would try to regain the lost ground in Sri Lanka by making South India their new base to fight the Lankan Forces in the Northern parts of Sri Lanka.