Lashkar threat in UP could be a hoax: Maulana Ambu Sheikh could be fictitious

There seems to be no breakthrough as yet in the case relating to the threat letter sent by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba threatening to blow up places in Uttar Pradesh. The UP ATS and Special Task Force are working in tandem to trace the origins of the letter said to be sent out by Jammu and Kashmir area commander Maulana Ambu Sheikh.

An Intelligence Bureau official told OneIndia that this could be a hoax. Our data base for Kashmir does not suggest the present the existence of any terrorist by the name Ambu Sheikh. However all aspects are being ascertained before we can finally declare the letter a hoax, the officer said.

The letter threatened to carry out attacks at the Krishna Janmabhoomi, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanai and also at the Hapur and Sahranpur railways stations. The letter states that it would carry out a series of attacks between June 6 and 10. The letter was sent to the Northern Railways last month. The Intelligence Bureau says that the authenticity of the letter is being ascertained. It has been signed by one Maulana Ambu Sheikh who claims to be an area commander in Jammu and Kashmir. It could also be a ploy to distract as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba could be plotting something big in Kashmir also, the IB official informed OneIndia.

It may be recalled that in the year 2010, the Indian Mujahideen had targeted Varanasi in which two people were killed. UP has been under the radar of terrorists for long. Recently a person from the state had been arrested for his links with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in Kashmir.