Bomb plot: Geelani link to LeT man's Pak visa

The Delhi Police will question Syed Ali Shah Geelani for having recommended a visa for the Pakistan travel of one of the alleged LeT operatives arrested for planning a terror attack on Delhi. Rajesh Ahuja reports.'LeT wanted to target crowded locality'

The Delhi Police will question Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for having recommended a visa for the Pakistan travel of Ehtesaan Malik, one of the alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives arrested for planning a terror attack on Delhi.

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"Ehtesaan went to Pakistan through Wagah in December 2011 on a valid passport. We want to know under what circumstances Geelani recommended his name and how he knows him," said a police source.

Ehtesham was arrested by the Delhi Police on Wednesday along with another LeT operative for planning and attempting to fire-bomb Chandni Chownk's cloth market in Delhi and the State Bank of India branch in Srinagar.

According to sources, Ehtesham was motivated by a Lashkar commander in the Valley, who is known as Usman.

Usman asked him to get a passport in last quarter of 2011. He was asked to get in touch with a Lashkar commander Javed, likely to be a code name, in Lahore.

"He was trained alone in a house and not a camp," the source said.

Usman asked him to get a passport in last quarter of 2011. He was asked to get in touch with a Lashkar commander Javed, likely to be a code name, in Lahore.

The source said Javed arranged for Ehtesaan's training in arms and bombs.

"Javed arranged for Ehtesham's training in arms, ammunition and bomb making. Interestingly, rather than being taken to a camp, his training took place in a house. He was the lone recruit getting training there."

"Ehtesham's training shows that Lashkar's jehadi infrastructure is intact and Pakistan will never walk the talk as far as dismantling of jehadi machine is concerned," said a source.

Geelani's spokesperson Ayaz Akbar defended the leader, saying: "He may have done the recommendation as he does for many Kashmiris wanting to visit Pakistan. How could he know the real purpose of the visit?"

The Delhi Police on Thursday announced a third arrest in the foiled terror plot — Ehtesaan's cousin Tauseef Ahmad Pir.
He was arrested in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on Tuesday.

The module was tasked with surveying old Delhi markets, such as Daryaganj, Sadar Bazar and Chandni Chowk, by March 1 and striking on March 3.

Sources said Ehtesaan's father had sent him to Hazaribagh to keep him away from Kashmir Valley militants.