Terrorists using remote motorcycle keys to trigger IEDs in Kashmir: Report
New Delhi: The commonly used anti-theft remote alarms or keys used in motorcycles and vehicles are being increasingly used by terrorists to trigger IEDs in Jammu and Kashmir, a possibility suspected in the recent Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy that killed 40 personnel, a latest report has revealed.
According to the report, prepared by investigative and security agencies working in the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists "suddenly shifted their tactics" last year to deploy a remote control mechanism to blast improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using electronic tools such as mobile phones, walkie-talkie sets and anti-theft devices used to secure two- and four-wheelers.
The report accessed by PTI said these electronic gadgets are "easily available" in the market and terrorists operating in Kashmir Valley are using them to "fabricate" remote-controlled IEDs as they want to not only avoid one-to-one combat with the forces which are conducting operations almost every day against them but also to inflict maximum casualties.
"It is expected that the militants in J-K may use more anti-theft devices, similar to the devices used by Naxals in other states, in the future. Hence, the security forces deployed in J-K need to be more vigilant," the report on the history and emerging trends of IEDs in the state said.
Investigators probing the Pulwama attack suspect that the deadly blast on February 14 was executed by a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist by blowing off a strong combination of RDX-mix explosive, laden in a car, next to a troop-carrier bus plying as part of a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway.
The report stated that sometime back, an IED attack was engineered to target the personnel of the Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit in Shopian district and it was found that the explosive was trigerred using a remote key used to lock and unlock a two-wheeler.
"Use of anti-theft device in remote-controlled IEDs is common in the red corridor (Left Wing Extremism-affected states) and the use of these devices by militants in J-K reveals that there could be a nexus between the terrorists operating in the valley and the Naxals," it said.
However, senior security officials working in the counter-terrorism grid in the valley denied getting "solid proofs" of any direct links between the militants operating in J-K and the Maoists.
The report also analysed the recent history of IED blasts in Kashmir and found terrorists were using military-grade explosives such as RDX, PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate), TNT (Trinitrotoluene) and commercial explosives such as slurries and ammonium nitrate for fabricating IEDs.
"Recovery of incendiary chemicals (in J-K in the past) indicates the terrorists' intention to use these chemicals in sabotage activities in the state and against security forces," the report said, adding both military-use and commercial electric detonators are "commonly" being used by the terrorists to launch terror attacks or blasts.
It added that the terrorists continue to use the "rudimentary" command-wire mechanism (by joining wires) to blast IEDs, probably to "hit the targets precisely".
"Militants have been adopting different methods, technologies and strategies to detonate IEDs to inflict maximum casualties on the security forces in J-K. It is believed that the renewed tactics and modus operandi of the forces might have forced the militants to avoid direct confrontation with them (security forces) and instead use IEDs which offer the terrorists a scope to carry out attacks by staying behind the screens," it said.
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Trump administration says its war in Iran has been 'terminated' before 60-day deadline
Washington (AP): The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.
The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier Thursday, when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war. Under that rationale, the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days.
A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb 28 have terminated.” The official said the US military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7.
While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran's oil tankers from getting out to sea.
Under the War Powers Resolution, the law that sought to constrain a president's military powers, President Donald Trump had until Friday to seek congressional authorisation or cease fighting. The law also allows an administration to extend that deadline by 30 days.
Democrats have pushed the administration for formal approval of the Iran war, and the 60-day mark would likely have been a turning point for a swath of Republican lawmakers who backed temporary action against Tehran but insisted on congressional input for something longer.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” said Sen Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted Thursday in favour of a measure that would end military action in Iran since Congress hadn't given its approval. She added that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close."
Richard Goldberg, who served as director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction for the National Security Council during Trump's first term, said he has recommended to administration officials to simply transition to a new operation, which he suggested could be called “Epic Passage,” a sequel to Operation Epic Fury.
That new mission, he said, “would inherently be a mission of self-defence focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.”
“That to me solves it all,” added Goldberg, who is now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.
During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Hegseth said it was the administration's “understanding” that the 60-day clock was on pause while the two countries were in a ceasefire.
Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program and an expert on war powers, said that interpretation would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” related to the 1973 law.
“To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated,” she said.
Other presidents have argued that the military action they've taken was not intense enough or was too intermittent to qualify under the War Powers Resolution. But Trump's war in Iran would certainly not be such a case, Ebright said, adding that lawmakers need to push back against the administration on that kind of argument.
