Court extends NIA custody of alleged LET terrorist

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has allowed further custody of an alleged Pakistani Lashkar-e-taiba terrorist, arrested recently along the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir, to the National Investigation Agency till December 18.

The accused, identified as Mohammed Amir Awan, was arrested by the Army on November 24 from Handwara area of North Kashmir during an intensive search launched after an encounter in the area on November 21 that had left three alleged Lashkar militants dead. One soldier was also killed during the encounter.

District judge Poonam A Bamba allowed his further NIA custody after he was produced before the court on expiry of his earlier custody.

In its application, the probe agency told the court that the accused was needed for further custodial interrogation.

The matter was transferred to the NIA which had registered a case on November 26 and took custody of the alleged terrorist. During initial interrogation, he had identified himself as Mohammed Amir Awan whose code in the Lashkar terror group was Abu Haamaz, the NIA said.

The accused told his interrogators that he hailed from Bardiya town near the port city of Karachi and was recruited and trained by the terror group.

He was allegedly pushed into the Kashmir valley from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to carry out attacks on various important installations in the Valley, the agency said.