Captured Lashkar militant reveals Pak terror plot: Probe

NEW DELHI: A suspected Pakistani national arrested from Kashmir and described by the government as a “big terror catch” had crossed over to India to attack security forces and fuel more unrest in the valley, counterterror officials said on Thursday.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been asked to take up the case against the terror suspect, Bahadur Ali, who was arrested on Tuesday following an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district. Four other terrorists were gunned down.

“The NIA registered a case on Wednesday and Ali was brought to Delhi late last night. A multiagency interrogation of Ali is on at a safe house in the national capital,” said an NIA official who spoke on the condition of anonymity given.

The terror suspect was on a fidayeen or suicide mission in Kashmir which has witnessed a wave of violence after security forces gunned down Burhan Wani, a poster boy of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen in the valley. Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju termed Ali a “big terror catch” and hinted at using his confession to nail Pakistan.

A counter-terror official said the suspect was trained by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at its Baitul camp.