2 JeM terrorists, 4 of their associates held in J&K

Srinagar, Jan 31: Two newly recruited terrorists and four terrorist associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and its offshoot Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM) were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

Acting on specific inputs regarding terrorist attacks being planned in Anantnag and Bijbehara towns by the LeM, the police along with the Army established special checking points at multiple locations and conducted intensive checking, a police spokesperson said.

At one of the checkpoints at Donipora in Bijbehera, officers intercepted a car with two persons onboard. The two tried to flee but were apprehended tactfully by the alert forces, he said.

"They have been identified as Imran Ahmed Hajam, a resident of Nathpora Khanabal, and Irfan Ahmed Ahanger, a resident of Nandpora Khanabal. Both had recently joined terrorist ranks and were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeM/JeM," the spokesperson said.

Incriminating material, arms and ammunition including two pistols, three magazines and 116 rounds were recovered from their possession, he said.

The spokesperson said during the questioning, the arrested persons revealed that the LeM was recently floated to give an impression that terrorism in Kashmir is home-grown and not sponsored by Pakistan.

"They further revealed that they are close associates of Hidayat Malik alias Hasnain, a resident of Sharafpora Shopian and the self-styled chief of LeM; Umer alias Wahid Khan, a resident of Shopian; and Aftab alias Ali Bhai, a resident of Dachipora.

"They said they were conducting recce of the area to plant an IED in order to target security forces and the police," he said.

During the course of investigation, four terrorist associates of JeM were arrested from different locations, the spokesperson said.

They have been identified as Bilal Ahmed Kumar, Tawfeeq Ahmed Lawey, Muzamil Ahmed Wani and Aadil Ahmed Rather.

Incriminating material, ammunition including two grenades, 30 AK-47 rounds and 1 kg of explosive material were recovered from their possession, he said.