Two terrorists arrested by police after arms training in Pakistan had been given valid visas by Pakistan
Highlights
- 2 Kashmiri youth got arms training at Lashkar facility in Islamabad
- They had crossed the border on valid Pakistani visas: J&K police chief
- Those imparting training in collusion with those giving visas, he says
Two Kashmiri youth arrested for receiving arms training at a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Islamabad had crossed the border on valid Pakistani visas, SP Vaid, the Jammu and Kashmir police chief said on Saturday. The two had crossed over through the Wagah border in Punjab.
"Those imparting training are in collusion with those giving visas," Mr Vaid said in a sharp attack at the Pakistan High Commission.
They were arrested in a joint operation by the police, army and central forces before they could join the ranks of the terror group. The two were identified by the Kashmir police as Abdul Majeed Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Mir. They are from two towns of north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Kreeri and Pattan.
Mr Vaid said the two men had detailed how training was being imparted at these terror camps.
During questioning, the two men told the police that they were located at a camp in Islamabad. A large number of other inmates at the camp were Pakistani teens, most of them from the restive Balochistan province. Some of the boys roped in for training were as young as 10 years old.
"The camp is located near Burma Town in Islamabad and being run by a terrorist commander operating under code names Hanzala, Adanan and Omar. Other terrorists imparting training to young boys are operating with code names Osama, Naveed and Hataf," a police officer said.
The officer said security agencies had come across instances in the past as well that indicated some people going to Pakistan on a valid visa for terror training.
For instance, two terrorists Azharuddin and Sajad Ahmad killed in a gunfight in Sopore in February last year had travelled to Pakistan on valid visas to get arms training, according to news agency IANS.
"Suhaib Farooq Akhoon of Baramulla also visited Pakistan in August last year, acquired terrorist training in LeT terrorist camp, subsequently went underground and joined their ranks and is currently active," a police officer said.
Abdul Rashid Bhat from Sopore who was arrested on July 17 last year by Baramulla police had also undergone training in Pakistan under similar circumstances, he said.