A special NIA court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Sajid Jatt, a self-styled commander of the proscribed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit. Also known in terror circles by the aliases Saifullah, Ali Bhai, Habibullah Malik, Langda, Noomi, Numan, Usman Habib and Shani, he is said to be the mastermind of several terror attacks, including the one in Pahalgam on April 22 that left 25 tourists dead and several others injured.
Saifullah is a resident of Changa Manga village in Pakistan’s Kasur district. Currently hiding in Pakistan, he is a designated terrorist under the Fourth Schedule, read with Section 35 of the UA(P) Act.
The warrant was issued on September 8 under Section 75 of the BNSS. The NIA stated that the case pertained to the arrest of a bike-borne LeT terrorist, Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, during a checkpoint on the outskirts of Srinagar on March 31. A Chinese grenade and 15 live cartridges were seized from his possession. An FIR under Section 23 of the UAPA, Section 7/25 of the Arms Act and Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, was registered at Zakoora police station. During the course of the investigation, the involvement of Saifullah alias Sajid Jatt came to light.
He is alleged to have provided weapons, money and directions to terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley, the NIA stated. “His Telegram IDs were retrieved from the arrested Pakistani terrorist in the present case. They were allegedly used by the terrorists to communicate with him. He has also allegedly provided directions to carry out attacks on security forces, civilians and government establishments in J&K,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}He is alleged to have provided weapons, money and directions to terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley, the NIA stated. “His Telegram IDs were retrieved from the arrested Pakistani terrorist in the present case. They were allegedly used by the terrorists to communicate with him. He has also allegedly provided directions to carry out attacks on security forces, civilians and government establishments in J&K,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}Sajid Jatt is also alleged to have acted as a terrorist commander of the LeT from 2005 to 2007 in Kulgam district before exfiltrating to Pakistan.
The warrant was forwarded to the Kulgam SSP because the last known address of the accused was Yamrach village in Kulgam, for execution in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
The same court has issued a fresh non-bailable warrant against Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in the case. Hafiz Saeed was also the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that left 166 people dead and several others injured.
On August 18, the same court had issued non-bailable warrants against Pakistan-based handler Mohammad Yaqoob alias Abu Sumama and two others in the same case.
Mohammad Yaqoob alias Abu Sumama, a designated terrorist under the UAPA and a close aide of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, was allegedly assigned the task of carrying out attacks on security forces and civilians in Kashmir.