Delhi asks Dhaka to hand over Assam rebel

New Delhi: India's central paramilitary force yesterday gave a list of 117 northeast militant camps operating on Bangladesh soil to its Bangladeshi counterpart and also asked them to hand over United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) chief Paresh Barua.

India claims Barua is hiding in Bangladesh. But Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) chief Major General Shakil Ahmad emphatically stated that Barua is "no longer staying" in his country.

"Paresh Barua is no longer staying in Bangladesh. We don't harbour any Indian terrorist or criminal in our territory," Ahmad said at a joint press conference here with the Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) A.K. Mitra.

"If we find Indian criminals staying in Bangladesh, we are ready to hand them over to Indian authorities," Ahmad added.

India had consistently maintained that Barua, 51, against whom Interpol issued a red corner notice in 1997, has been operating from Bangladesh.

Barua is believed to be spearheading the Ulfa fight for a separate homeland in India's northeastern state Assam.

Ahmad said insurgency in India's northeast was a "threat" to Bangladesh and his country did not harbour terror outfits groups or provide any support to its leaders.

"Terrorists and insurgency in the northeast is a threat to Bangladesh. We don't want insurgency in the region because it spills over to Bangladesh. There is no question of any camp being set up and run in Bangladesh," he stressed.

However, BSF chief Mitra said that 117 camps of northeastern militant groups are still operating on Bangladeshi land.