New Delhi: Arrested Pakistani national Mohammed Asraf has revealed in interrogation that he had been keeping extensive tabs on the movements of the Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir and that he had also surveyed around 11 sites in Delhi for the purpose of conducting terrorist activities.
Asraf, 40, was arrested from the Laxmi Nagar in Delhi yesterday. A weapons cache has also allegedly been seized from his house. He had been living in India for over ten years and had numerous fake ID's and aliases, the Delhi Police revealed, the most recent of which was "Peer Maulana". He had also married a woman from Ghaziabad in order to get documentation. The Delhi Police believes they have averted a major terrorist strike that would have taken place during the festive season.
"Initial probe revealed his involvement as sleeper cell, orchestrating subversive activities," said DCP Special Cell officer Pramod Kushwaha at a press conference yesterday. The suspect had admitted to orchestrating terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir as well, he added. Asraf was extensively trained by the Pakistani ISI and was in touch with a handler according to the police.
"He was sent through the Siliguri border via Bangladesh. His handler from Pakistan had tasked him (to carry out terror operations)," the DCP alleged. In September, another sleeper cell linked to the ISI and the terrorist training camp that produced Ajmal Kasab was also busted in Delhi.