LeT terror module: Roles of Bangladeshi handlers in India plot clarified

Delhi Police Special Cell busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba terror module handled from Bangladesh. The plot involved using undocumented Bangladeshis and pasting anti-national posters in Delhi. Key handlers were identified, with arrests made in Kolkata and Tamil Nadu.

Bangladeshi Handlers' Role in LeT Plot

The role of two Bangladeshi handlers, Saidul Islam and Shabbir Ahmed Lone, has been clarified in the LeT-linked terror module busted by Delhi Police Special Cell. Shaidul reportedly facilitated Shabbir's illegal entry into Bangladesh and arranged hideouts. He also shared details about a Tamil Nadu-based LeT-linked group.

Investigators believe Shabbir was operating from Bangladesh while coordinating India-bound operations. The target was to use undocumented Bangladeshi nationals and procure local arms to evade border scrutiny. Propaganda was used as a precursor to operational escalation, enabling cross-border coordination between Bangladesh-based handlers and India-based operatives.

Terror Plot Uncovered in Delhi

This follows the Delhi Police Special Cell's bust of a terror module handled by a Lashkar handler in Bangladesh, preventing a major untoward incident. Additional CP, Special Cell, Pramod Kumar Kushwaha, revealed that the plot involved pasting anti-national posters at metro stations in Delhi, including Kashmiri Gate, echoing terrorist slogans. The CISF alerted the Metro unit of the Delhi Police, leading to the arrest of two suspects, Umar Farooq and Robil Ul Islam, in Kolkata.

In a press conference, Kushwaha said, "A team from the Special Cell busted a module that was being handled by a Lashkar handler based in Bangladesh. A major untoward incident has been prevented. On February 7th, anti-national posters were pasted on pillars at the Kashmiri Gate Metro station and some nearby metro stations in Delhi. The CISF noticed this and brought it to the attention of the Metro unit of the Delhi Police. The Special Cell team went to Kolkata.

Profile of Key Handler Shabbir Ahmed Lone

"The suspects revealed that they were directed by Shabbir Ahmed Lone, a Kashmiri terrorist based in Bangladesh, who has a history of terrorist activities. Lone was arrested in 2007 with an AK-47 and grenades, and had escaped to Bangladesh after his release from jail in 2019.

"In 2007, Shabbir Ahmed Lone was arrested, and AK-47, grenades were found on him, and he had come for 'fidayeen' to kill a senior political leader...He remained in jail for many years and was released in 2019. After his release, he again fled to Bangladesh. He is a resident of Ganderbal, Kashmir. Initial investigations have revealed that he reconnected with the LeT leadership and re-established his organisation to carry out terrorist activities," Kushwaha added.

Further Arrests and Investigation

Further investigation led to the arrest of six more Bangladeshi nationals in Tamil Nadu, who were allegedly part of the plot. The police stated that Lone had reassembled his men and conducted dry runs, planning to carry out terrorist activities in India. (ANI)

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