3 terrorists on the run may attack on Independence Day

New Delhi: At least three terrorists are on the run and may carry out fresh attacks in Jammu and Kashmir or neighbouring states before August 15, bringing fresh worry to the security brass a day after the arrest of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba terrorist Mohammed Naved Yaqub.

The lone arrested terrorist has told his interrogators that he had met three LeT operatives who had infiltrated in June when he was hiding at Khrew after sneaking in from Pakistan on May 27. He said most LeT cadre usually visit Khrew during the month of Ramzan. According to Naved’s confessions, on July 23, while Naved set off on his terror mission towards Udhampur, the driver of the truck picked up five terrorists — Dujana, Shoqat Lone, Shahin Gulzar and Ukasha. Dujana and Usman went to Kakapora while the driver took the remaining three towards Pulwama. The three terrorists managed to flee when the J&K police intercepted them.

The worried security brass are now wondering about the possible location of these three terrorists and the subversive activities they may be planning in the next few days.

It is also learnt that Naved had undergone training at a Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad in PoK where he was trained in the use of firearms. The camp doubled up as a motivational camp where the jihadi instructors spoke of the Kashmir mission of the Laskhar recruits and trained them in fidayeen attack techniques, intelligence sources said.

Naved also confessed that the two terrorists who were dropped at Kakapora met a person with the alias “Mantri” who ran a bakery shop and arranged a vehicle for them. It is in this vehicle that Dujana went to the crowded Lal Chowk area of Srinagar to receive money from a shopkeeper, according to Naved’s interrogation details.

From here the terrorists returned to meet certain locals who ran a welding shop where the south divisional commander and alleged mastermind of the Udhampur attack, Abu Qasim, was already present. The terror conspiracy was hatched here by Qasim and his associates, according to Naved.

While a massive hunt is on to nab the absconding terrorists, two persons were arrested on Saturday and three others detained for allegedly helping Naved. Sources said the arrests followed Naved’s interrogation by Central security agencies. Nearly a dozen people were being examined by the agencies based on details provided by Naved, a 23-year-old Pakistani national from Faisalabad in Pakistan. Naved had been captured alive by villagers after Wednesday’s attack in which two BSF constables were killed.

So far two people have been arrested, official sources said, adding the first was the truck driver who drove them to Samroli in Udhampur from Kulgam, and the other one was a bakery owner at Pulwama who is alleged to be an overground LeT worker.

The three others were being questioned at the highly-fortified interrogation centres and there was a possibility of their being arrested, sources said.

The NIA, which is investigating the case as per directions from the Union ministry of home affairs, has placed a team of its officers, led by IG S.K. Singh in Srinagar. A case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Naved and his accomplice who has been identified by him as Noman, alias Momin.

Naved was brought to Srinagar late Friday night by road because bad weather prevented the use of a helicopter. The sources said Naved was being taken to all the places that he had mentioned during interrogation after he was overpowered by two of the three villagers he had taken hostage.