Mobile towers on list of Lashker-e-Taiba group, says arrested terrorist

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: After being involved in burning down some shrines in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group made attempts to disrupt the communication system in the state by destroying the mobile towers.

The LeT's plan was revealed during interrogation of six terrorists of the group who were arrested by J and K Police last month for setting ablaze shrines and a mosque in Budgam district of central Kashmir, official sources said today.

The interrogation report of Zahoor Ahmed Khan alias Zubair, alleged mastermind behind burning down of Jama Masjid at Narbal and Baba Hanifuddin shirine on July 15 this year, gave a deep insight to the nefarious designs of LeT's plan to instigate protests on one pretext or the other, the sources said.

Khan, who has travelled to Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on two occasions in the last one year through Wagah border to meet his brother Wahid Ahmed Rather living at Gashi pur at Muzzafarabad, said he had met one Abdul Wahi Geelani alias Sariya, a recruiter for Lashker, the sources said.

After reportedly brainwashing him, he met top brass of Lashker, including Furqan and Waleed last year who asked him about the reasons behind the failed agitation of 2008 and 2010 and expressed their desire to motivate more Kashmiris boys to fulfil a sinister three-pronged strategy of the terror outfit.

The tasks included damaging of mobile towers, arranging SIM cards on fake identity and destroy shrines and mosques and make attempts to trigger an agitation, Khan is reported to have told his interrogators.

In July this year, Khan claimed that he had damaged a mobile tower in central Kashmir and added that Lashker wanted to push back the economy of the state, the sources said.

The accused said that Waleed, who is now handling the Kashmir affairs of Lashker after the death of Furqan in an avalanche earlier this year, had told him that burning down of shrines would serve a dual purpose of the terror outfit -- one it would provide a base of starting off an agitation and second, the cause of Ahlehadees sect, followed by them, would be fulfilled.

The Ahlehadees sect of Muslims do not believe in shrine tradition and Sufism. Besides Khan, other arrested included Farooq Ahmed Mir, Barkat alias Abu Talah, Ejaj Ahmed alias Imran, Abdullah Dar alias Assad and Rauf Dar alias Rafiq.

Mir, whose arrest led to busting of the entire LeT module, has recorded a confessional statement before a Chief Judicial Magistrate.