Terrorists spent 24 hours in Pathankot airbase shed before carrying out strike

New Delhi: The terrorists who struck the Pathankot airbase earlier this month, had spent the last 24 hours before the attack inside an unused Military Engineer Services shed, biding time until they could find an opportune moment to carry out the strike, according to a report in The Indian Express.

“From the evidence we’ve gathered, it’s pretty clear that the men broke open the lock on one of the MES buildings in a junkyard where disused equipment was stored, and made themselves at home,” the report quoted a highly placed source in the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

An official who is familiar with the investigation said the NIA has found evidence indicating that the terrorists had spent a substantial amount of time in the disused shed and even had a meal there. Investigators studied the site which showed signs that the terrorists had moved furniture around to make space for themselves to sleep in the old abandoned building.

“The best guess we can make is that the men rested, waiting for dark to fall, and then moved at a time when they knew the guards would be tired, just as a shift of the guard was due to take place,” the official was quoted in the report.

Investigators believe the terrorists must have carried out a reconnaissance earlier or it would have been impossible for them to go undetected with such ease for so long.

According to officials, the terrorists would have found out beforehand that the Military Engineer Services yard was unguarded and the base staff rarely visited, for them to have taken the extended rest at the shed with such confidence.

The heavily armed terrorists finally came out of hiding early Saturday morning on January 2 to carry out a pre-dawn attack, opening fire and killing unarmed personnel.

Seven military men were martyred and 20 injured in the attack, the base was secured nearly 80 hours later.