New Delhi, Nov. 9: The Centre today brought under its scanner three other outfits who allegedly have links with Ulfa and extended the ban on them, too. The move is synchronised with full-scale army operations against the banned militant outfit.

The ban was extended for two more years against the Ulfa, Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

The decision to continue holding the outfits as unlawful was taken during a meeting of the cabinet committee on security chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The move signalled that not only will the government crack down on the Ulfa, it will also not spare those aiding and abetting it.

“They all have links,” said a senior home ministry official. Asked about the move to declare the ANVC and NDFB as unlawful despite ceasefire agreements with them, the official said the outfits still continued with violence and extortion and have compelled the government to take action.

Whereas the other outfits do not have overt links with the Ulfa, at least one of them, the ANVC, is believed to be involved in gun-running and providing transit facilities to other outfits in the Northeast to militant camps in Bangladesh.

The ANVC, fighting for an independent Garoland, is active in the South and East Garo Hills districts.

It was formed with the assistance of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah). However, while it distanced itself from the Naga outfit, it maintained links with the Ulfa, especially after the latter relocated its camps from Bhutan to the Garo hills.

The outfit is not considered strong in itself, but it does hold the key for other outfits for their transit to Bangladesh through the Garo Hills.

Similarly, the Khasi outfit, HNLC, is alleged to have tactical links with the Ulfa. However, the NDFB is not known to have any established links.

Union tribal affairs minister, P.R. Kyndiah, who is from Meghalaya, said the government needs to continue its dialogue with the ANVC and start one with the HNLC. “I will be taking this up with the home ministry,” he said.

The twin blasts in Guwahati this week, allegedly by Ulfa, have prompted the Centre to go all out against the outfit.

In Delhi today, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi was admitted to Apollo Hospital for “a routine check-up”.

He is expected to meet Union home minister Shivraj Patil tomorrow to discuss the security scenario in Assam, especially in view of the escalation of violence in the state.

Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh is also in the capital.