Latest Intelligence inputs suggest the Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) had dispatched a module of four to five fidayeen to attack security installations in Jammu & Kashmir before the suicide bombing on a CRPF convoy on February 14 that took a toll of 44 paramilitary men.
Three to four fidayeen of this module are suspected to be now waiting for an opportune time to hit again on one of the security installations.
In addition, eight to nine more foreign terrorists of the JeM, who had infiltrated as part of a 14 to 15 group in December, could be alive and hiding in the Pulwama-Tral belt. Most of these foreign terrorists are suspected to be potential fidayeens. The command of this module has been assigned by JeM to another foreign terrorist Mufti Yasir.
Inputs suggest Yasir is planning use of these fidayeens for suicide bombing on installations of the security forces.
“Keeping in view the recent setbacks suffered by JeM in Pulwama, Sopore and Kulgam in encounters besides the humiliation faced by Pakistan the airstrikes on JeM targets inside Pakistan, the JEM revenge attack looks quite imminent in coming days,” an official said.
“Pakistan is also likely to retaliate unconventionally by using militant organisations to avenge air strikes at Balakot. All the security Installations should be kept on high alert, keeping in view the imminent fidayeen attacks by JeM,” reads an alert sent to all the agencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the inputs, the identified targets of JeM include 182 Battalion, CRPF Headquarters on Shopian-Pulwama road, 44 Rahstriya Rifles camp Shadimarg, Army Camp Chillipora, Shopian and Awantipora airbase.
Meanwhile, NIA teams conducted simultaneous searches at 11 locations in South Kashmir in the ongoing investigation in the case relating to the Pulwama suicide bombing and in another case relating to ‘terror funding’ of separatists.
The locations searched include the houses of Mudassir Ahmad Khan and Sajjad Bhat (both active terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad and key accused persons in the recent terror attack at Pulwama).
Searches were also conducted in the houses of active OGWs (Over Ground Workers) of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Tral, Awantipora and Pulwama areas of South Kashmir. Incriminating materials, including diaries containing coded writings were seized, the NIA said in a statement.
Searches were also carried out in the houses of three separatist leaders of South Kashmir namely Mohammad Shaban Dar, Shawkat Maulvi and Yasmine Raza, in the terror funding case.
Documents related to terror funding, coded messages and Jehadi literature have been seized. During searches, NIA teams also recovered lot of incriminating documents including property details, documents relating to financial and monetary transactions, electronic devices, mobile phones, SIM cards, the NIA added.
