November 30, 2002	Saturday	Ramazan 24, 1423

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BANGALORE, Nov 29: Top Indian officials said on Friday they had proof that Al Qaeda extremists were operating in neighbouring Bangladesh, seeking to substantiate allegations that have been vigorously denied by Dhaka.

Defence Minister George Fernandes said the government not only had intelligence information but also actual proof from Border Security Force troops operating on the frontier and journalists who work in the area.

He also claimed that Pakistan was active in Bangladesh and that the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka had become a “nerve centre” for activities of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Bangladesh has vigorously rejected the charges but said it would investigate.

“Nobody expects anyone to say that ‘Yes, yes we have them in our territory.’ They are contradicting it. It was expected they would contradict,” Fernandes said. Indian intelligence agencies have reported an increased presence of the ISI and Islamic fundamentalists, he said.

Dhaka has alleged that criminals fleeing its month-and-a-half army-led crackdown on crime have taken refuge in India.

India also suspects that tribal guerillas and ethnic separatists from its northeastern states have entrenched bases in the rugged Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh and return to their hideouts after launching strikes here.—AFP