Pakistan-based terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) plot to carry out fidayeen attacks in the national capital during Holi was foiled on Friday with the arrest of HM module Liyaqat Shah in a joint operation by the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police.
Kupwara resident Liyaqat joined HM training camp in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 1997 and was supervising recruitment of terror modules for fidayeen squad. According to Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Special Cell) S N Srivastava, Liyaqat was selected for the fidayeen attack after a meeting of the Muttahida Jihad Council in PoK in January.
During interrogation, Liyaqat said his handler Ghazi Nasiruddin, a senior commander of HM, had briefed him about the terror plan and he was asked to supervise young fidayeen recruits who would carry out terrorist strikes in Delhi. Liyaqat was told that after the strikes, he should return to the valley and start talent spotting and facilitate their cross-border travel into PoK.
“A Pakistani passport was issued to Liyaqat. However, he was asked to destroy it immediately after reaching Kathmandu,” Srivastava said. Sources said ammunitions to carry out terror strike were already smuggled into Jammu and Kashmir by another HM module. Liyaqat was told that members of fidayeen squad would meet him at a designated location in Delhi. “His task was to draw up a workable plan by selecting the best possible target where maximum casualties could be inflicted,” sources said.
Liyaqat took a flight from Karachi and reached Kathmandu. Later, he crossed Sunauli border post and reached Gorakhpur, where he was apprehended by the special cell.
Sources said Liyaqat is part of the modules with eight militants that recently landed in Nepal from PoK. ,Indian intelligence agencies managed to extract over hundred hardcore terror modules from Kathmandu and bordering areas of Nepal. “Another hardcore militant Nuruddin of Kupwara reached Nepalganj on India-Nepal border on March 16 along with his wife and kids and had contacted his father Sabaruddin who runs Kashmiri shawl business in Eastern UP. Nuruddin destroyed his Pak passports and handed over all his belongings to his father before surrendering to Indian agencies,” sources said.