Week after Pulwama attack, two Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists nabbed from Uttar Pradesh
LUCKNOW: In
a major breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on
Friday arrested two alleged members of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed
(JeM) from Deoband, Saharanpur. A shopkeeper, 12 students including
two from Kashmir were also detained in the ATS operation in
Saharanpur.
Two
weapons and live cartridges were also seized from their possession.
The
terrorists have been identified as Shahnawaz Ahmad of Kulgam and Aqib
Ahmad Malik of Pulwama. Confirming the reports, DGP OP Singh told
PTI, "ATS arrested active Jaish-e-Mohammed member Shahnawaz
Ahmad Teli, one other from Deoband, Saharanpur. However, it is
difficult to say whether two alleged JeM members arrested from UP
came before Pulwama attack or after that."
"Of
the two Shahnawaz is said to be a grenade expert. We will seek
transit remand and investigate when they came here from Kashmir and
who is funding them and what was their target. We are in touch with
Jammu and Kashmir Police," he added. "Police is seeking
their transit remand and has begun investigations," news agency
IANS quoted Singh as saying.
"The
operation was headed by IG Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Asim Arun. Teli
and Malik, aged between 20-25 years, were living in Deoband and
posing as students without taking admission anywhere," Singh
said. Giving details of the operation, Singh said the ATS got a
tip-off about the two from an alert student after which a probe was
started. The two men were arrested following surveillance.
"ATS
recovered a .32 bore pistol from each of them with cartridges. Jehadi
chats, videos and photos were also recovered. These are being
investigated," the DGP said, adding that they will be brought to
Lucknow on transit remand. "Both are being interrogated on
when they arrived from Kashmir... How many other members are
involved, have they succeeded in recruiting anyone in JeM, from where
did they get funding and how much, what was their target after
recruitment," the DGP said.
Shahnawaz
Ahmad was responsible for recruiting terrorists on the order of
Jaish-e-Mohammed.
As
per sources, Teli is suspected to be directly involved in the suicide
terror attack on the CRPF convoy on February 14. Primary reports
suggest that he played a key role in recruiting terrorists on Jaish's
order, to carry out terror activities against India.
On
Thursday, Indian Intelligence agencies issued warning that
Pakistan-backed terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is planning
to carry out more Pulwama-like attacks in the near future.
Intelligence
agencies have alerted the security forces about fresh intercepts on
JeM planning more attacks in the days to come.
According
to the specific inputs gathered by the intelligence agencies,
Pakistan-backed terror outfits like JeM and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen are
planning to carry out an IED attack targeting security forces and
military vehicles plying on the Chowkibal and Tangdhar routes in
Jammu and Kashmir.
About
50 to 60 local Kashmiri youths have been recruited by the JeM in last
few months, the intelligence sources said.
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