LeT operative’s grilling bares Pak infiltration techniques

Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali's interrogation has revealed how Pakistan-based terrorists, after in filtrating into India through the line of control, manage to dodge security forces for days, sometimes months.

Based on Ali's interrogation, Indian agencies – the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau - have identified several `infiltration routes' used by LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul-Mujahideen cadres in north Kashmir. Besides, Ali's interrogation has thrown light on the modus operandi used by terrorists.

The 21-year-old Ali, who was directed by Hafiz Saeed's son-in law Khalid Waleed to attack crowds in Kashmir with grenades, started for India on 11-12 June this year along with two others, Saad and Darda, after receiving full-fledged military training in LeT camps, identified as K2 in Manshera, Aksa (Muzaffarabad) and Tabbok in Muzaffarabad.

The interrogation report of Ali, accessed by The Times of India, states that they left LeT detachment in Mandaukli village near Muzaffarabad on 8 June, accompanied by the amir (head) of the camp, Abu Haider. Haider made Saad head of the group of three who were to `wage jihad' on India.

"Each of us were given a backpack consisting of 20 rotis, dates, almonds, compass, night vision device, GPS, map, matrix sheets (with coded targets), unicode sheets, wireless sets, two sets of salwar kameez, medicines, AK-47 with 5 magazines having 30 rounds of ammunition each and extra ammunition. Haider gave Rs30,000 each to Saad and Darda and Rs23,000 to me for meeting our expenses," Ali claimed.

They cut the barbed wire near the border at Handwara and entered Indian territory. "We typically travelled from the wee hours till 9-10 am in the morning, rested during the day and resumed our journey between 5-6 pm and travelled till midnight. We reached a village - Vadar around 20-21 June," Ali said.

On 22 June, Ali got separated from Saad and Darda when they went to the village to collect food. Ali remained in the jungle for almost one month and was continuously being assisted by suspected workers of LeT and other outfits. "I spent three days near GR point 8 given by control room in Muzaffarabad.I got food from one Bakarwal (tribe on mountains) and then shifted to jungle near village Mokam. There one person provided me food," he said.

On directions from the PoK-based LeT control room, Ali met four other trained terrorists at a nearby location communicated to him.

 A shepherd from Zairat village in the valley continued giving Ali food and also informed him that the two other terrorists had come and left for the jungle before him. After a few days, another local met Ali and made him talk to Khalid Waleed using his mobile phone. Ali was arrested on 25 July.

The government on Thursday informed Parliament that 611 incidents of infiltration have taken place during the first six months of 2016.

Module busted
Punjab police claims to have busted a Khalistani terror module having links with international terrorists who were allegedly trying to carry out disruptive activities in the state and revive militancy. Inspector general, counter intelligence at Amritsar, M F Farooqui said on Thursday that they had arrested Gurpal Singh alias Pala of Jalandhar, Major Singh of Amritsar and Rachhpal Singh who has roots in Fazilka. They were held near Chandigarh. Police claimed to have recovered two pistols and some ammunition from the men.

They are believed to have been in touch with alleged terrorists in Belgium, the UK and Pakistan. "The arrested men had instructions to carry out anything anywhere, especially to target known personalities," Farooqui said, adding that they had smuggled in a large quantity of arms and ammunition.