Udhampur attack- Lie detector test confirms Lashkar's deep network in Kashmir

New delhi, Sept 9: Showkat Ahmed Bhat is an alleged overground operative of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in Kashmir. He was recently arrested in connection with the Udhampur attack and even subject to a lie detector test.

The National Investigating Agency which is probing him has picked up important leads and the details available with OneIndia suggest how deeply infested the local network of the Lashkar is in Kashmir.

NIA officials say that various details have come out during the investigation and several of them have been confirmed during the polygraph test which was conducted on Bhat.

While the role of Bhat is being probed after it was found that he had transported the terrorists who staged the Udhampur attack.

Questions that Bhat answered:

Bhat had a lengthy questionnaire to answer during the polygraph test. The NIA says that he has confirmed that he was the one who had transported, Mohammad Naved, Abu Okasha, Noman and Zargham from the Noori post in the Gulmarg sector of North Kashmir to Tral in South Kashmir.

He says that he was tasked with this job specifically and his job was to ensure that there were no hiccups during the transportation of these terrorists from Pakistan.

Bhat's role ended with the transportation and from there the handlers of the Udhampur strike took over. What Bhat has indicated is that the Lashkar has a man for every little task.

Right from the time of the infiltration to the attack there is a different person in charge.

However, the entire process is overseen by one handler and in this case it was Abu Qasim a Pakistani national currently settled in Kashmir.

If the terrorist finish an operation and are able to escape there are dedicated persons to oversee that and ensure that they reach a safe place, he also says.

A need to know basis:

The NIA is fully aware that terrorist organizations work on a need to know basis. One person is not aware of what the other is doing and hence there are different persons to carry out different tasks.

For instance the role of Showkat Bhat was to ensure the safe passage of the terrorists from the border into Kashmir.

Khurshid Bhat another operative of Kashmir origin was tasked with ferrying the terrorists from their hideout to the attack spot in Udhampur.

The NIA says that Bhat has also given out some more details about the other two terrorists who are missing.

While Noman and Naved were involved in the Udhampur attack, Zargham and Okasha who had infiltrated with them are still missing. We have picked up vital clues and would keep it under wraps in the interest of the investigation, the NIA official also informed.

However, the NIA confirmed that the two absconding terrorists are still in India.

Details on Abu Qasim:

Abu Qasim is the man who the NIA would like to lay their hands on. He is a commander for the Lashkar and has handled several attacks in the Valley since the past four years.

According to the account given to the NIA by Bhat, Qasim is the key man for the Lashkar's local network in Kashmir

Abu Qasim alias Abdur Rehman is a self styled commander of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba currently in South Kashmir.

He hails from Bhawalpur in Pakistan and is the one who arranged for the logistics, accommodation and food for four Pakistani terrorists who infiltrated into India.

While Naved and Noman carried out the Udhampur attack, the other two Zargham and Abu Okasha are still absconding.

Bhat says that Qasim was also responsible for arranging resources and also identifying the targets. He also arranged for the transport for the terrorists and planned the Udhampur attack, Bhat also told the NIA.

Oneindia News