E-Paper
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Qatal, mastermind of Rajouri attack, shot dead in Pakistan: Report
Abu Qatal, a close associate of Hafiz Saeed, and two other LeT handlers were charge-sheeted by the NIA in connection with the January 2023 Rajouri attacks.
Faisal Nadeem, alias Abu Qatal, a key Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and one of its most wanted terrorists, was killed in Pakistan on Saturday night, India Today reported.
Qatal, a close associate of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, along with two other Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handlers, was charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the January 2023 Rajouri attacks.
The charge-sheet was part of the agency’s efforts to dismantle the terrorist network in Jammu and Kashmir.
The case, registered as RC-01 & 02/2023/NIA/JMU, pertained to the terror attack on civilians in Dhangri, Rajouri, on January 1, 2023, followed by an IED blast the next day.
Seven people, including two children, had been killed, and several others had been seriously injured.
The three charge-sheeted LeT handlers had been identified as Abu Qatal, Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt—also known by multiple names, including Ali, Habibullah, and Nouman—and Mohd Qasim.
While Abu Qatal and Sajid Jutt had been Pakistani nationals, Qasim had crossed over to Pakistan around 2002 and had joined the LeT.
Investigations had revealed that the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and deployment of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security personnel. The attacks had been carried out under their directions.
