Pahalgam attackers entered India from Pakistan three years ago: officials
The three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, identified as Suleman, alias Faizal Jatt; Hamza Afghani; and Zibran,entered India from Pakistan around three years ago. Last year, they split into two groups, one led by Suleman, and the other by another Pakistani terrorist identified as Musa. 'Freshly infiltrated LeT cadres joined Suleman last year and they were operating in Kashmir Valley,' said a second government official.
The three terrorists were said to be hiding in the upper reaches of Dachigam forests, around 20 km from Srinagar, since the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed.
Also Read | Pahalgam terrorist attack: Terrorists mingled with crowd, herded them towards armed members who killed tourists at Baisaran
Suleman was also involved in the attack at a construction company site in Gagangir in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on October 20, 2024. Seven people were killed in the attack.
Since 2021, around 20 to 25 hardened militants are likely to have infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan. One group is currently active in the Jammu region, which had remained free of any major terror activity for the past two decades.
A Union Home Ministry official had informed an all-party meeting on April 25 that the Pahalgam attack was suspected to have been carried out by loose groups of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF), who are 'operating in the higher reaches.'
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The wireless sets, which have a range of 20 km to 25 km, need a clear line of sight and a unique frequency for communication between two devices. 'Though the calls could not be intercepted, the security forces, with the help of a direction finder, picked up the signals on multiple occasions in the forest area, the first signal being intercepted on May 22,' the first official said.
Following the interception, the security forces surrounded the Dachigam forests from all possible sides. 'Whenever a signal emanated, the particular area was combed. The areas where the terrorists could be present were eliminated one by one and on July 22, with the help of technical and human intelligence, the location of the three terrorists was narrowed down and the operation was planned in which they were killed,' the first official said.
Soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had released sketches of three suspects — Adil Hussain Thoker, a resident of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir; Ali Bhai, alias Talha Bhai; and Suleiman, both Pakistani nationals.
Also Read | The Resistance Front: The banned organisation behind Pahalgam terror attack
However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the three terrorists who had carried out the carnage at Pahalgam were all Pakistanis. Announcing their names, he said Pakistani voter identity cards had been found from two of the terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev on Monday, and Pakistani chocolates were recovered near the bodies. Mr. Shah said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Army personnel set out on foot for several days to track the devices used by the terrorists.
A senior government official said the initial sketches were done based on preliminary investigation and on a photograph that was recovered from the phone of a terrorist killed in December 2024 near Dachigam.
'There were conflicting reports on the number of terrorists at Baisaran meadow on the day of the incident. Eyewitnesses and victims said there were four to six terrorists. After detailed interviews, it was concluded that there were three terrorists and all of them were killed on July 28 during Operation Mahadev,' the second official said.
Also Read | Pahalgam attackers not locals; probably got shelter by 'coercion': CM Omar Abdullah
The Dachigam forest range has two flanks, one extending towards Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and another connecting Ganderbal district.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on June 22 arrested Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, two local people who allegedly harboured the terrorists at a dhok (hut), around two kilometres from the Baisaran meadow, around 8 p.m. on April 21
The Home Minister said that ballistic and forensic reports of the two AK-47 and M4 Carbine found on the killed terrorists were matched with the empty cartridges recovered at the Baisaran meadow, leading to the conclusion that the three terrorists were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack.
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