Left-wing extremist groups seeking to overthrow govt, says FATF
This is not a narrative of a layperson, it is an assessment of the world's premier body through research and field survey.
Now global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has also warned that the left-wing extremist groups are “seeking to overthrow” the government. While these groups have been successful in some places – either fully or partially, such misadventure is nearly impossible in India because of the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, this latest FATF report must be taken seriously by all democratic forces globally.
Let’s reproduce the paragraph for convenience. “India faces a disparate range of terrorism threats, categorised into six different theatres. These can be summarised as theatres associated with ISIL or AQ-linked extremist groups active in and around Jammu and Kashmir, whether directly or via proxies or affiliates, as well as other separatist movements in the region; other ISIL and AQ cells, their affiliates, or radicalised individuals in India; regional insurgencies in the Northeast and North of India; and left-wing extremist groups seeking to overthrow the government. The most significant terrorism threats appear to relate to ISIL or AQ-linked groups active in and around Jammu and Kashmir.”
This is not a narrative of a layperson, it is an assessment of the world's premier body through research and field survey. Established in 1989, the 40-member FATF is an inter-governmental body that sets international standards to prevent illegal activities and save global society. As a policy-making body, it works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas. Over 200 countries and jurisdictions have committed to implementing the FATF’s Standards as part of a coordinated global response to preventing organised crime, corruption and terrorism.
It is not just about India. Even a covert attack on India would harm the global community, create food insecurity and threaten democracy. Hence, the global community must take its latest report (released on September 19) seriously, particularly the 40 members such as Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Gulf Cooperation Council, Hong Kong, China, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia (membership suspended on February 24, 2023), Saudi Arabia Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Subversive elements, as mentioned in the second para are not just housed in India, but their tentacles are spread across the globe. Divisive and destructive forces are also concentrated in developed countries such as the US, Canada and certain European safehouses. In fact, they are flourishing there under the patronage of respective deep states under the garb of liberalism, freedom of expression and so-called persecution in their countries of birth. But, by harbouring such elements for narrow political gain such countries are harming their citizens and creating impossible situations for their future generation.
The report, which gave full marks to the Modi government for tackling money launderers and terror financiers, cites an example – the “Hurriyat case”.
“NIA registered a case in 2017 based on information that terrorist organisations, Lashkar-eTayyiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) with the support of members of the All Party Hurriyat Conference and other cross border support, were involved in terrorist activity in Jammu and Kashmir. Although 16 persons were arrested, the money trail relating to Mr Z uncovered funding from outside India from an overseas account, identified using EGMONT channels as well as information from FIU-IND. It was found that Mr Z floated several companies in India and abroad.”
The overseas account opened by Mr Z received money with the assistance of his business partner, Mr Y, from other off-shore locations through hawala as well as offshore shell companies. Mr Z acted as the main financial conduit and Mr X transferred money to Mr Z to be brought into India on the pretext of a fake land purchase. The money trail from documents seized from Mr Z’s chartered accountant showed that the money has been diverted to terrorists and proscribed terrorist groups as well as to Mr Y who was a leading figure in the Hurriyat Conference, having close connections with designated terrorists in the region and used funds to support their activity, it said.
“Mr Z, Mr X and Mr Y were arrested in August 2017, July 2018 and April 2019 respectively. Other suspects were also arrested. The first set of chargesheets were filed in January 2018 and supplementary chargesheets were filed in October 2019. Charges were framed against all three March 2022. Mr Y was convicted in May 2022 on TF and other charges and sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of INR 1 million. The trial against Mr X and Mr Z is ongoing. NIA has obtained attachment orders against the assets of the offenders, including property of Mr Z which included 20 plots of land, residential premises and offices, out of which attachment orders have been issued against 17 of them INR 60 million (EUR 630 000),” it said in the report.
There is zero tolerance against all such illegal and anti-national activities under the Modi government, It is because the Government has abandoned the erstwhile regimes’ policy of “Minority (the so-called minority which has the second largest population in the world) Appeasement”. But so-called liberals, left-leaning intellectuals and urban naxals are desperately working overtime to bring back the old regime. Global leaders must get warned after reading this report and work in unison to thwart the evil design of left-wing extremist groups seeking to overthrow the government.