As the investigation into the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror module, which was behind the Red Fort blast, is progressing, shocking details are emerging, exposing a vicious web of terror activities.
According to a report by the Indian Express, the investigating agencies have discovered a “widespread network” that connects “foreign handlers” in Afghanistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to local operatives in India.
The agencies have reportedly frozen bank accounts having amounts over ₹2 lakh. They are also examining digital evidence, including call details, chats and money transfer routes. The agencies have identified three foreign handlers named Faisal Ishfaq Bhat, Hashim and Dr Ukasha, who are said to be operating from PoK and Afghanistan.
Hashim was in contact with Maulvi Irfan Ahmad Wagay, who was arrested on 27th October from Nadigam, Shopian, in connection with the terror module. Wagay, alias Imam Irfan, is the imam of a mosque in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian. He is said to be the one who radicalised others to expand the terror module.
Wagay disclosed some key details during his interrogation, which led to the unveiling of the inter-state terror network. He admitted that he knew that three foreign handlers and communicated with them via Telegram. He revealed that he once procured a pistol and a grenade for them from an Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind terrorist, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Chanapora. He added that he took the weapons back later.
According to investigators, the connection between the foreign handlers and the local operatives surfaced a month ago, on 19th October, when the authorities started an investigation into the threatening posters bearing Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) insignia, which were found pasted at several locations in Bunpora, Nowgam. The next day, the J&K Police arrested three men from Nowgam, named Yasir-ul-Ashraf, Arif Nisar and Maqsood Ahmad Dar, who admitted that they created and pasted the posters. They told the police that Yasir dictated the text of the poster, Arif created it on his phone using an Urdu-font app, and Maqsood printed it on a home device. Wagay was a common link between the three. Police said that Arif was active on a Telegram group operated by a Pakistan-based JeM-linked handler, Hanzulla alias Umer bin Khattab.
Wagay also told the investigators about how he met Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, another accused in the terror module case. He said that he met Ganai two years ago in a Faridabad hospital, which he visited for a relative’s medical appointment. The mention of Ganai’s name by Wagay widened the ambit of investigation and brought the investigators to Faridabad, Saharanpur and Nuh.
Another individual named Zameer Ahmad, alias Mutlasha, a resident of Ganderbal, was arrested by the police on 27th October, based on Wagay’s disclosures. Investigators said that Zameer was part of Telegram groups such as “Farzandan-e-Darul Uloom Deoband” and “Kafila-e-Ghurba”. Notably, Zameer was also in contact with Hashim, Ishfaq, and Dr Ukasha. Zameer is also said to have admitted to being involved in handling funds, weapon consignments, and terrorist facilitation in coordination with the Wagay.
Zameer’s and Wagay’s admissions led to several arrests in connection with the terror module, including several doctors working at the Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana. Ganai was arrested by the police on 29th October. An examination of his phone revealed a few other names, such as Musaib, Arshad, Jugnoo, and Mujtaba, with whom he used to communicate on Telegram. Ganai also used to communicate with Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, another arrestee in the terror module case, and Dr Umar un Nabi, who caused the Red Fort blast.
Ganai reportedly told the investigators that he and his associates were also in touch with foreign handlers Hashim, Ishfaq, and Dr Ukasha. He said that they “raised large funds for the cause through multiple channels”. Dr Rather was also subsequently arrested by the authorities from Saharanpur on 5th November. However, Dr Umar un Nabi could not be traced, and a lookout circular was issued against him. Teams of police kept looking for him in Delhi, Faridabad and Saharanpur, but he was not found until the Red Fort blast on 10th November. Nabi was driving the car that exploded near the Red Fort, killing around 15 people and injuring dozens.