NEW DELHI: The Government has decided to send an officer from the Intelligence Bureau along with the Indian contingent to Barcelona for the Olympics beginning soon, Sources in the IB said a senior officer of Assistant Director-level was being sent.
The IB man’s major responsibility will be to guard the team against the risk of threats or infiltration by either Sikh or Tamil militants. The IB considers Spain to be onc of the highly sensitive areas in terms of terrorist and militant activity, and fears the possibility of a link between anti-India militants and those of the ETA Basque movement. The Basque separatists might attempt to disrupt the Games.
The IB man’s other job will be to ensure the safety of the team, The brief for the officer is to keep a watch on team members and ensure that no “unwanted persons” mingle with them or vice-versa.
An IB source said this was not the first time an intelligence official was accompanying an Indian sports team. But he was unable to state when and in what capacity such an official had been sent earlier.
The move to send an intelligence man stems from past experience, when some sportspersons, who went with the India contingent on international tours, did not return with the team, Some simply stayed back as illegal immigrants, causing grave embarrassment to the Indian Government.
One of the more celebrated cases of ‘defection’ was of javelin thrower Gurtej Singh, who feigned ill-health and stayed back in US after the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He later became associated with Khalistan advocate Ganga Singh Dhillon.
Two recent cases are those of an equestrian participant Dalveer Singh, who disappeared after a completion in the US last year and of two athletes, one of whom was returned to India after staying on in the US for more than five months after his competition got over. The other athlete a woman, has still not been traced,
The IB officer will go in the guise of a member of the Government delegation to the Games. Initially it was decided that he would accompany the Indian Olympic Association contingent, which includes other participants and officials. But since most players and officials are familiar with each other, it was feared that the IB official would be very easy to spot and the purpose of sending him would be defeated.
The officer is being given an access card, which will enable him to enter all the venues and the participant village. However, since the Government delegation may not stay for the entire duration of — the Games, he may well have to be accommodated with the participants in the later stages.
The IB man will be carrying a regular athletic kit and is likely to accompany some of the officials and players to the practice areas.
Confirming the presence of the intelligence man in the contingent, a highly placed IB officer said most countries where sportspersons face threats place their intelligence men at strategic points to ensured the security of the team. “We will be no exception,” he added,
The Chief-of-mission of athletic contingent; A shock Ghost was tight-lipped, but it is learnt that the IOA is aware of the presence of the IB officer.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992
