JeM acquired vehicle used in Pulwama just 10 days before attack

Srinagar, feb 26: The Jaish-e-Mohammad conducted trial runs and pieced together a powerful car bomb in ten days before it carried out the Pulwama attack.

Bomb experts of the outfit were called in from Pakistan and with the help of the locals, a powerful car bomb was pieced.

The vehicle in question, a Maruti Eeco was purchased by Sajjad Bhat, a resident of Bijbehara, Anantnag just ten days before the attack. The National Investigation Agency, which identified the vehicle said that he was the seventh owner of the car that was sold first in 2011.

The agency said that as per the records available, Bhat, who is with the JeM had acquired the vehicle on February 4 2019. This was exactly ten days before the attack. The Pulwama attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohamamd terrorists, Adil Ahmed Dar on February 14 2019.

NIA officials tell Oneindia that while months of planning had gone into the attack, the JeM managed to piece together the bomb and also carry out trial runs with the car in question in the last ten days.

The vehicle was acquired with the specific purpose of using it in the attack. Moreover it was acquired at the last minute, with an intention of staying off the radar, officials also explained.

The lead that the NIA got after identifying the vehicle with the Chassis number MA3ERLF1SOO183735 Engine G12BN164140 is a crucial one. Finding the last owner of the vehicle Bhat is a crucial lead and it will help us understand the conspiracy and the extent of the local involvement better.

Investigations had revealed that the JeM had used both Pakistani and local terrorists for the attack. Investigations so far have found that the car bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and the owner of the vehicle are both locals.

The NIA says that getting Sajjad Bhat will be crucial. During the raids at his home on February 23, he was not found. Images of him holding sophisticated weapons have surfaced on the social media following which it was ascertained that he had joined the Jaish-e-Mohammad.