JAMMU, June 22: When the Jammu and Kashmir Police laid its hands on Mohammad Tariq, a resident of the remote Dhimsa village in the border Poonch district, little did it know that it was taking the lid off a new strategy of the Pak Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), to ensure safe passage to foreign mercenaries from across the border up to their hideouts in the state.The police have so far arrested four ``relay guides'' on the revelations of Tariq since June 17 last. They included Sheikh Mohammad Bashir, Gani Seth and Taj Mohammad (all residents of Satha), besides Jamal Din (Gali Pindi).Taj Mohammad was arrested when he was accompanying a group of militants who were, however, killed in an encounter with the police about three days ago at Satha.One of them had worked as an informer for the Army for sometime and was well versed with the deployment of troops, as also their style of functioning and the naka points. Another arrested guide was a local fisherman, who was also acquainted with the topography of the area.Mohammad Tariq, who was the first to be arrested by the police, had attracted the attention after he constructed a house and purchased costly house-hold items in the village within a short span. Besides, he had been spending Indian currency notes of Rs 500 denomination, sources said.All the arrested persons were operating on the Kerni-Shahpur corridor. Describing the busted racket as only a tip of the iceberg, sources said a number of such groups have been created by the ISI at various places in the State.Sources said till now, the security forces and the State Police were baffled over the sudden increase in the number of foreign mercenaries into the State despite intensified vigil on the borders during the recent past. Besides, these mercenaries were much more successful that the local militants in stepping up the militancy, despite their not being well versed with the topography of the area including the mountainous routes.The arrested guides have revealed during interrogation that the ISI has created similar rackets at various places from near the border upto deep inside the State. These comprised of local people, including fishermen and even those having worked for Army in the past as informers and potters etc.Giving details, a senior police official said ``the concept of relay guides for ensuring safe passage to foreign mercenaries from near the border upto their hideouts in the State have come of our notice for the first time''. Earlier, there used to only one guide accompanying a militant group right from the border upto their hideouts in depth areas of the State, he added.Pointing out the present ISI network was more successful than the previous one, sources said these relay guides were responsible for the safe passage of mercenaries in their respective areas only.Giving an instance, sources said the foreign mercenaries used to come in contact with about half a dozen guides right from the Line of Control (LOC) in Kerni sector upto their sanctuary in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district. Same was the system on various other routes, including the Balakote corridor, being used by them for infiltrating into the district, they added.Each relay guide was paid a minimum of about Rs 5,000 for ensuring safe passage to mercenaries from his area, a senior police official said. About the local fishermen in the racket, he said they were helping mercenaries to cross the snow fed mountainous streams falling enroute.
