Pak trained LeT militant arrested on Republic Day eve

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) In the final act of the 2005 Uttam Nagar encounter in which two Pakistani terrorists planning to attack the IMA at Dehra Dun were shot dead, police today arrested a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, out to carry blasts on Republic Day in Delhi, close to Seelampur Metro station in East Delhi along with large quantity of explosives.

Iftikhar Alam (28), a Pakistan trained LeT operative, was arrested from the bus stand close to Seelampur Metro station in East Delhi at about 1345 hrs following specific intelligence tip-off, Jt Commissioner (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told mediapersons.

''Alam, who was the last 'missing link' in the 'IMA Dehra Dun' attack plan, had come from Patna on Sampoorna Kranti Express in the morning. Two-and-a-half kilogram of deadly RDX and two detonators were seized from his possession.'' Hailing from Nalanda in Bihar, Alam was on a mission to sabotage Republic Day celebrations along with his associate whom he was to meet with the consignment he had brought. he said.

''The Republic Day ''operation'' plan was with his colleague, for whom search is on, while he was sent from Patna with the explosives.'' The explosives were delivered to Iftikhar, whose name had cropped up during the 2005 Uttam Nagar encounter investigations, at his Nalanda residence from someone who had come from Nepal.

Three terrorists, including two hailing from Pakistan, planning to carrying attack at the Dehra Dun Military Academy were shot dead in a police encounter at Uttam Nagar in West Delhi in 2005. Six others were arrested later while the seventh -- Iftikhar -- of that 'ring' had managed to elude the police.

Meanwhile, in another development a 35-year-old man was arrested from Old Delhi Railway Station with a smoke grenade.

The arrest of Mohammad Sheikh Hussein was done by an alert duty Constable in the morning during routine checking, the Jt CP added.

UNI