Bhopal: CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) Director General J K Sinha today (Oct 7, 2004) said, involvement of Pakistan's ISI (Inter State Intelligence) could not be ruled out in recent terrorist attacks in the north-east which aimed at creating tension and "embroiling people with war among themselves."

"Though there is no concrete evidence of a foreign role, the new kind of terrorism in the North East shows that a mastermind is behind the attacks trying to create tension and embroil people in war with each other. ISI involvement in these attacks could not be ruled out," Sinha told reporters in Bhopal on the eve of 12th Rapid Action Force (RAF) anniversary.

"People killed in the attacks in Dhubri and its neighbouring village were Muslims. Those killed in the attack at the railway station were Nagas," he said.

"It's an effort to create a divide - a dastardly act by desperate people who failed in achieving their objectives and were chased out of Bhutan and were now attacking the innocent," the CRPF DG said adding, "the attacks were also fanned out from Bangladesh where several terrorist camps are operating."

On reported intelligence failure, Sinha said, "I feel no shame in saying that we never got information that the attacks after Oct 2, 2004 would be so widespread and that too in Nagaland which was peaceful for last seven years."

"But, while terming it an 'intelligence failure', one should remember the successes achieved due to intelligence agencies in the past. For them, one incident can spoil their entire work and demoralise them," he said.

The attacks were unprecedented as the Bodos and Nagas have been happy and the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) were reduced to 700-800 from strength of 3000-4000, he added.