New Delhi, October 25: Nearly all of the valley based underground organizations in Manipur have been branded as terrorists along with many others in other parts of the country under the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, POTO.

For some reason or the other, all hill based organizations have been spared the label.

The militant organizations from the northeast region which have been declared as terrorists under the new ordinance are: The United Liberation Front of Assam, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, People's Liberation Army, United National Liberation Front, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup, Manipur People's Liberation Front, All Tripura Tiger Force and National Liberation Front of Tripura, reports PTI.

According to the report, the new ordinance also brands the Deendar Anjuman, Students Islamic Movement of India, most Kashmiri and NE militant groups, and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and makes support to them an office.

Kashmiri Militant organizations listed include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Rasban-e-Ahle Hadis, Jaish-e-Mohammed/Tehril-e-Fuqran, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen/Harkat-ul-Ansar, Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islam, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Hib-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panal Regiment, Al-Umar Mujahideen and J7K Islamic Front.

The almost defunct militant outfits of Punjab also figure in the list of terrorist organizations.

They are Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan Zindabad Force and International Sikh Youth Federation.

Chapter III of the ordinance deals with the terrorist organizations and section 20 says a person commits an offence if he belongs or professes to belong to a terrorist organization.

A person guilty of an offence under Section 18 shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or with fine or with both, it said.

Section 21 of the ordinance goes even further and says that a person would be committing an offence if he invites support for a terrorist organization, organizes meeting to support such an organization or organizes a meeting to be addressed by persons who belong to terrorist organizations.

This act also would invite similar punishment as provided under section 20.Section 21 clarified that a meeting as given in this section need not necessarily by a public meeting.

Section 22 provides that a person commits an offence if he invites another to provide money or other property and intends that it should be used; or has reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used, for the purpose of terrorism.

An offence under this section would invite a maximum sentence of 14 years on conviction.

The ordinance further provided for constitution of special courts to deal with offences enumerated by it.

In the meantime, other reports said the government intends to seek passage of bills replacing three ordinances, including the POTO, in the winter session of Parliament beginning November 19.Parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan reportedly told mediapersons after a Cabinet meeting today which decided on the dates of the winter session that the government was confident of getting the support of the opposition parties to POTO despite�their severe reservations.

Mahajan felt that POTO has been opposed by several Opposition parties, including the Congress as they have not studied the ordinance.

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