India ranked among the world's most terror-afflicted countries

The United States’ Department of State annual congressionally mandated Country Report on Terrorism 2007 released on Wednesday, April 30 put India as the most terror affected nation in the world. It also brings up South Asia region on the count where terrorism remains a serious problem.

As world’s most terror afflicted countries the report highlights the attacks in trouble-torn region of Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states where attacks led by radical extremist groups have recorded 2,300 lives in 2007.

The sate department report points out attacks on Samjhauta Express in February last year, Mecca Masjid blast and other blasts in Ludhiana, Lucknow and Varanasi thereby communicating the spread of terror activities in all across India.

The report though cites decline of terror activities along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir but says that the Pakistan based terror outfit such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Harkatul-Jihad Islami are still active at large in the region.

The report, which will be placed before the US Congress, has also singled out the outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems of India. It also questions the ill-equipped and poorly staffed Indian state police force.

‘Although clearly committed to combating violent extremism, the Indian government's counterterrorism efforts were hampered by its slow legal process and law enforcement structure’, report cites.

The state department also mentions about the left extremists in terms of Maoists or Naxalism in eastern and northeast Indian states, which has been recognised as one of the single most internal crisis by the Indian government.

On a world perspective, it reports about 22,685 deaths in 2007 and has found that a total of 72,066 civilians were targeted in various attacks.

The US state department report also shows concern about the serious problem South Asian nations are facing with various insurgency and internal violence in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Afghanistan. Report talks about terrorist activities by many separatists or radical extremist groups in these countries, who are engaged in armed struggle with government or with each other causing serious problem to respective administration.

To another concern the US annual terror report says that the single biggest terror outfit Al-Qaida is gaining strength that continues to plot attack in various parts of world including Middle East, North America and Europe.