Dawood forges a tie-up with the Taliban

Dawood Ibrahim, India’s mostwanted, is learnt to have tied up with a powerful section of the Taliban. Sources in Indian security agencies say Dawood has worked out a “good equation” with Maulana Fazlullah aka Maulana Radio, commander of Tehrik Nifaz Shariate-Mohammadi (TNSM), an organisation active in areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, especially Swat. The changing political equations in Pakistan—the latest factor being the decision to impose sharia in strife-torn Swat—have apparently prompted Dawood to go for the “tie-up”. Also, this has reportedly been done with the full knowledge of Pakistan’s ISI. Sources say the Taliban is known to play a crucial role in the narcotics trade; the D-gang, too, has a major stake in this. “Apart from business interests, political compulsions have compelled Dawood to network closely with the Taliban,’’ a security official pointed out. What is worrying police agencies here is that the Taliban and al-Qaida have a close network with the Lashkar-e-Taiba as well as its front organisations, including the Indian Mujahideen. Dawood has already been designated by the US as a “global terrorist’’. His new link with the Taliban makes him even more dangerous for India, say officials. The activities of Dawood’s henchmen in Mumbai and other places are being closely monitored by security officials. The D-gang is also expected to back selected candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states.