JeM plotted series of strikes in New Delhi using virtual numbers

New Delhi, Dec 02: The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) had planned on carrying out strikes in New Delhi post the Pulwama attack, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in its charge sheet.

The module of the JeM had tasked one of its members to carry out a reconnaissance in Delhi, the charge sheet filed by the NIA against four members of the outfit also stated.

The NIA says that Mudasir Ahmed was sent to various places in Delhi and asked to find targets that the JeM could hit. He stayed in touch with Sajjad Ahmad, Tanvir Ahmad, Bilal Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad, the NIA said while filing charges.

One of the key points that the NIA makes is with regard to the virtual mobile numbers that the operatives used to plan the attacks. The numbers were generated in the US and through these directions were given.

Ahmad used two virtual numbers to stay in touch with the other members. These numbers work through a server. The user has to sign up by downloading an application on their phone, following which it can be used to sign up for services such as WhatsApp and other social media accounts.

The NIA says that the mastermind of this operation was Mufti Yaseer who had infiltrated into India from Pakistan. He had come to India a few months before the Pulwama attack and had trained several members of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. This group had also identified other targets to strike following the attack at Pulwama in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred.

Following the attack at Pulwama, these members sent congratulatory messages among each other and called it Kashmir ki Eid. The NIA also noted that Bilal had told Muddasir that the next suicide attack would be carried out by him.