Pak terrorist arrested in Delhi stayed undercover as a peer baba

New Delhi, Oct 13: A terrorist of Pakistan nationality associated with the ISI who was arrested in Delhi was planning terror attacks during the festive season, the preliminary investigation has shown. An AK-47 rifle and other firearms had been recovered from him.

The police said that Mohammad Ashraf alias Ali was living in Delhi as an Indian national with the name Ali Ahmed Noori. Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner (Special Cell) said that his team had recently received inputs that a Pakistani national, who lived in east Delhi was impersonating as an Indian citizen. He was then traced to Laxmi Nagar and later arrested.

He had taken cover as a peer baba. He also got married, the police have learnt.

His interrogation led to the recovery of the AK-47 rifle and several other arms and ammunition. He is not associated with an terror outfit, Kushwah also said while adding that he had obtained Indian identity cards with the help of forged documents.

The police said that the recovery of arms indicated that he was planning attacks during the festive season. He is said to have entered the border through the border touring Siliguri. He also had gone to Ajmer and made friends with a maulvi and came to Delhi with him.

He then stayed at an area close to where the milvi's relatives lived. Later he began receiving money from the ISI. He was being handled by one Naseer with whom he kept in touch through secure communication channels.

Kushwaha said that the had made a passport in 2014 and had changed at least 5 addresses. He also used several apps to stay in touch with his handler in Pakistan.

The Special Cell is now questioning him to find out about the purpose of his visit to India. The police is also trying to ascertain why Ahsraf had adopted an Indian identity and was in the possession of arms and ammunition. The source from where he procured the arms is also under investigation, the police said.