E-Paper
NIA seizes house used in bomb-making for Pulwama attack
The house reportedly belongs to Shakir Bashir Magray, a local JeM operative who played a crucial role in the Pulwama attack
A two-storey house in Hajibal, Kakapora used by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists to store explosives and assemble two bombs used in the February 14, 2019 terror attack in Pulwama, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed, is being seized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), people familiar with the development said.
The house, according to one of the people cited above, an NIA officer who did not want to be named, belongs to Shakir Bashir Magray, a local JeM operative who played a crucial role in Pulwama attack: providing his residence; checking the convoy’s route; helping assemble and fit the bombs in a van; even driving the car to some distance before handing it over to the suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, on the national highway on the day of attack.
Magray was arrested by NIA on February 28, 2020 -- he was the first one to be arrested in the case -- and was charged along with 18 others including JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, Azhar’s nephew Mohammad Umar Farooq , who masterminded and executed the attack was killed in an encounter a month later.
“The two-storey house at Hajibal, Kakapora, which is registered in the name of Magray’s grandfather, was used by Umar Farooq, his deputy for the Pulwama attack Sameer Ahmed Dar, suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar and Magray for storing over 200 kg of explosives, detonators, and then two bombs were assembled and fitted in a Maruti Eeco van there. Since it was used in terrorism, we are in the process of seizing it under section 25 (3) of UAPA,” said a second NIA officer, who didn’t want to be named.
A Honda Activa scooter, “which was used by Shakir Magray for several days before the attack for reconnaissance of convoy route, deployment of forces in the area on the directions of Umar Farooq, is also being seized under the anti-terror law”, this person added.
The NIA probe in the Pulwama attack has revealed that Shakir Magray, Umar Farooq, another Pakistani IED expert Kamran Ali (killed with Farooq in the encounter), and Sameer Ahmad Dar prepared the car-borne IED at Magray’s house on the intervening night of February 5 and 6 with two jerry cans having explosives weighing 160 kg and 40 kg respectively, comprising gelatin sticks, calcium-ammonium nitrate, ammonium powder and RDX. Magray was the one who modified the car for the bomb and changed its number plates, according to the first officer.
He was the first person to be arrested, based on his photo recovered from Umar Farooq’s phone, and he revealed the entire Pulwama conspiracy to the NIA sleuths. He disclosed that an attack on a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway was first discussed in June 2018 and its actual preparation began in October that year when, upon receiving directions from Pakistan, the JeM leadership started collecting material.
Throughout January 2019, Magray (now aged around 29 years), monitored the convoys passing through the national highway from his small sawmill located on Lethpora bridge, just 200m away from the blast site.
Magray informed the NIA, according to the second officer, that the attack on the CRPF convoy was actually supposed to take place in the first week of February. “However, due to weather conditions, the convoy movement suddenly stopped forcing JeM to wait till the next convoy passed from the Jammu-Srinagar highway.”
The first convoy to pass that month was on February 14, the day of the attack. Magray saw the road opening party that was being deployed to assist the convoy and the terrorists then decided to carry out the attack, the officer said, adding that “Magray drove the car till 500-600 meters before handing it over to Adil Dar”
After the attack, Magray never left Pulwama and routinely went to his furniture shop.
NIA recovered hundreds of video clips, voice notes and WhatsApp messages from Farooq’s phone in which JeM terrorists are seen celebrating, training and practicing before they are launched into India or discussing plans, transfer of funds, etc.
In a conversation with Pakistan based JeM leadership, found on the phone, Farooq even praised Shakir Magray saying he did “ what Afzal Guru did for the outfit in the Parliament attack in 2001,” said the second officer.
Magray is currently lodged in a prison in J&K.
