ULFA in U.S. terrorist list

Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has been added to the list of ``other selected terrorist organisations (OSTO)’’ by the American State Department in its 2004 country report.

A U.S. statement here said the ULFA continued to target civilians. Referring to it as the most prominent group in India’s northeast, the report noted the "ULFA use of extortion to finance military training and weapons’ purchases, that it reportedly procures and trades in arms with other northeast Indian groups, it may have linkages with other ethnic insurgent groups active in neighbouring States, and it receives aid from unknown external sources.

``The report reflected the merger of the primary naxalite groups into the Communist Party of India (Maoist), added this group to the OSTO list and expanded the description of the Lashkar-e-Taiba to include its operation under various fronts and names of convenience.’’