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Top Lashkar terrorist Saifullah Khalid planning new front in Bangladesh: Report cites intel sources
Saifullah Khalid, a high-ranking Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and a key figure behind the Pahalgam terror attack, appeared at a public rally in Punjab, Pakistan, on Wednesday. According to top Intelligence sources, Khalid's speech at the event is being seen as a blueprint for destabilisation in the region. Intelligence sources indicate that by leveraging Lashkar-e-Taiba's state-supported infrastructure and the presence of Talha Saeed (Hafiz Saeed's son), Khalid aims to exploit political gaps in Bangladesh to initiate a new jihadist front.
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In his address, Saifullah Khalid portrayed Bangladesh as a land of oppressed Muslims and called for jihad against Hindus. His speech at the Milli Muslim League rally is considered a significant threat to Bangladesh. This threat combines ideological provocation with operational directives, as Khalid provided specific targets and advocated for jihad against India, Bangladesh, and Hindus. Intelligence sources confirm that Khalid also plans to establish terror infrastructure and a hospital in Allahabad in Pakistan's Kasur, aiming to recruit Bangladeshi youth by exploiting their socioeconomic grievances.
Saifullah Khalid's support for Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadres in Bangladesh was evident in his speech. Recent arrests of JMB handlers in Pakistan have revealed their involvement in operations against Bangladesh. JMB has already demonstrated readiness for cross-border collaboration by organising pro-Hamas rallies in Dhaka. Intelligence sources note that Lashkar-e-Taiba supports JMB with training, funding, and logistical aid, facilitated by the ISI.
As LeT's deputy chief, Khalid provides JMB with resources for attacks within Bangladesh and against Indian interests in the region. Sources say his speech indicates that Lashkar-e-Taiba aims to position itself as a defender of Islamic identity against secular oppression. This indicates that, as ISI's auxiliary team, they are prepared to establish a new front in Bangladesh with local terror groups.
In the video widely shared on the internet, Khalid could be heard spewing venom against India, Hindus, and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also referred to the Pakistani terrorists killed in India's 'Operation Sindoor' as 'martyrs". 'I was informed that there was a terrorist attack in India on April 22, and later I came to know that India had referred to me as the mastermind of the attack," Khalid said at the rally, adding, 'We are not going to be scared by bullet shots and firing, and we aspire to die as martyrs."
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Khalid is the deputy chief of LeT and is known to be close to Hafiz Saeed. reports say Khalid had reached Kanganpur in Punjab, Pakistan, two months before the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which, 26 non-Muslim tourists were shot dead by armed terrorists after being enquired about their religion.
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