JeM terrorists had planned to execute Pulwama attack in first week of Feb: Report

The February 14, 2019 terror attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pulwama, which killed 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), was supposed to take place in the first week of February.

The Pakistan-based terror outfit was reportedly prepared with explosives and arms to carry out the attacks on the slated date. But due to hostile weather conditions, the CRPF convoy was postponed, forcing JeM terrorists to defer their plans until movement of convoys began on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway.

The information was revealed by JeM overground worker (OGW) Shakir Bashir Magrey, who is now being grilled by sleuths from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Hindustan Times reported. He was the first arrest made by the agency in connection with the fidayeen attack that unfolded last year.

“The disclosures made by Magrey are important as he is the first person to be arrested who knew everything from planning to execution. He also provided shelter to main bomber Adeel Ahmad Dar. This piece of information revealed how the Pakistan-based terror group was specifically targeting convoys. We will now be able to file a chargesheet in the Pulwama attack,” the article quotes a NIA official as saying.

Notably, two more people were arrested by NIA on March 3. The investigative agency said the accused father-daughter duo -- Tariq Ahmad Shah (50) and Insha Jan (23) — had allegedly harboured terrorists in the run-up to the attack.

The investigating officers revealed to the paper that Magrey has told them that the convoy attack was being discussed since June 2018, and preparation for its execution began in October.

The OGW has told NIA that slain Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq was tasked with executing the attack, while JeM area commander Mudassir Khan, who was killed by security forces, was told to supervise it. Only Dar, the 20-year-old fidayeen attacker who blew himself up along with the explosive-laden car that rammed into the CRPF convoy, was a native of the Kashmir Valley.

Magrey also told the NIA that they had chosen the particular spot to carry out the attacks since the highway starts to get steep there, forcing convoys to reduce their speed, the report said.