Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday arrested five people, including a Pakistani terrorist who was wanted for 16 years, as it busted a “deep-rooted” interstate Lashkar-e-Taiba module.According to officials, Pakistani terrorist Abdullah alias Abu Hureira was captured on Monday along with another Pakistani national in an operation that comes six months after the dismantling of a “white-collar” terror cell centred at Faridabad’s Al-Falah University.Officials said that Srinagar Police, in a joint operation with police forces of other states and central agencies, carried out searches at 19 locations across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Haryana. The raids led to the recovery of a large cache of weapons, including four AK assault rifles, pistols, hand grenades, and electronic gadgets.The operation, which began on March 31 and was monitored by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, who camped in Srinagar, has unveiled the funding and financial pattern of the LeT, officials said.Officials said that three Srinagar residents identified as Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama were among the five arrested. They are accused of providing shelter, food, and logistical support to the terrorists.The elaborate network began to unravel on March 31 when the first of the three Srinagar residents, Naqeeb Bhat, was arrested from the Pandach area along with a pistol and other incriminating material.During his questioning, he said that he was part of the LeT and procured the arms and ammunition from another associate, Adil Rashid of Zakoora. He also provided support to foreign terrorists, the officials said.Who are the two Pakistani terroristsAccording to officials, the two Pakistani terrorists are categorised as “A+” grade militants. They infiltrated India approximately 16 years ago and remained active across various districts of the Kashmir Valley, commanding around 40 foreign terrorists over the years, most of whom have since been neutralised, the officials said.Officials said that Abdullah and Usman may have used false identities to move outside the Valley. Probe findings also suggest that one foreign terrorist managed to travel outside the country on a valid passport made from forged documents.More arrests could be in the offing, with the investigation in progress to identify additional associates, financiers, facilitators, safe houses, and inter-state linkages, they said.Incriminating material has been seized from several hideouts in various parts of Srinagar and other cities. These include three AK-47 rifles, one AK-Krinkov rifle, pistols, hand grenades, electronic equipment, and gadgets, the officials said.
