Guwahati, Feb. 18 : Though the United Liberation Front of Assom (ULFA)''s influence in Assam is waning, people here fear that the organization has established close links with the Bangladesh-based terrorist outfit HUJI (Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami) and it is suspected to be involved in creating trouble in country's northeastern states.

The Government of India is taking steps to smash the ULFA-HUJI terror link for ensuring peace and normalcy to the area through regional co-operation.

Bangladesh had become a safe haven for ULFA''s top leadership.

During bomb blasts in Assam, the finger of suspicion went towards ULFA and HUJI.

Bangladesh based HUJI, as per sources, manages several of ULFA''s training camps, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where cadres of both outfits are trained.

The Government of India is making attempts to control this menace. Such a resolution reflected in the words of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently, when he said: "What is more important, is the sincerity to fight against the menace of terrorism, it can be achieved if we have bilateral mechanism, regional mechanism. We have global mechanism, but if there is, inability, incapability or unwillingness to tackle with the problem of terrorism and to fight against terrorism as a global issue, then the problem comes."

Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee''s during his recent visit to Dhaka raised issues concerning the security situation and Bangladesh providing a safe haven to militants.

Sources reveal there are about 110 militant camps in Bangladesh of which 31 are ULFA''s. The Bangaladesh government, in response to India's concerns, has assured not to allow its country''s soil to be used for carrying out attacks against India.

"Whoever tries to use our territories to harm anyone, we will put a stop to it with vigilance. I am reassuring not just the honorable foreign minister of India, but I would like to reassure all of us that we will be vigilant and we will not let use our territories for any kind of terror activities," said Dipu Moni Mukherjee, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.

ULFA''s links with HuJI and `sleeper cells'' operating in Assam from across the border are a cause of concern, which analysts believe can be tackled with regional cooperation.

Assam shares around 272-kilometers long border with Bangladesh. Being porous, it makes it easy for migrants from Bangladesh to infiltrate into Assam.

"It is very important that Bangladesh helps Indian government to eradicate, to crush out the militants from the location because they are hiding in Bangladesh and taking all the irrational activities in India. So it is security threat for India to the militants of Northeast India in Bangladesh or even in Myanmar. So it is important that the government takes some initiative and hopeful that the Indian foreign minister visit to Dhaka will keep good outcome result for the people of India," said Nava Thakuria, Political observer and Journalist in Assam.

When ULFA was set up in 1980s its main aim was to raise the issue of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. However, ULFA today is now targeting the Assamese under pressure from its Bangladeshi cohorts. (ANI)