New Delhi concerned about insurgent threat

NEW DELHI, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Information suggests that Pakistani-based militants may be preparing for a new round of attacks against India, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Singh said that he had information that suggested the rise in the number of insurgents trying to cross the volatile border with Pakistan suggested new attacks were on the way, the Times of London reports.

"There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," he told authorities at a recent security conference.

More than 30 people were killed in recent fighting along the de facto border dividing Kashmir from India and Pakistan. New Delhi reported at least 14 attempts at illegal border crossing in the past month, twice the number recorded during the same period in 2008.

"The infiltrators appear more battled hardened, better equipped and in possession of sophisticated communications," the prime minister added.

New Delhi claims the government in Pakistan is training Islamic insurgents in the Kashmir region, where two decades of conflict have claimed close to 50,000 lives.

Lashkar-e-Toiba and its affiliate Jaish-e-Mohammed attacked the Indian Parliament on Dec. 13, 2001, killing dozens in the raid. Rebels believed to be with the Pakistani-based LeT seized several high-profile buildings in Mumbai in November 2008, killing at least 188 people.

In June, Richard Barrett, a U.N. coordinator on al-Qaida and Taliban activity, blamed LeT for trying "to increase tensions between India and Pakistan."