The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed, was a "closely guarded conspiracy" by Pakistan's ISI and terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on the directions of the country’s political and military brass, The Times of India reported on Tuesday, citing security sources.
The sources said the Inter-Services Intelligence gave specific directions to Pakistan-based Lashkar commander Sajid Jutt to deploy only foreign terrorists and to ensure complete secrecy, no Kashmiri terrorists were taken on board.
They also said foreign terrorists of the LeT, operating in J&K for some time, were told to execute the killings while ensuring minimal local involvement on a “need-to-know” basis, according to the newspaper.
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“No local terrorist had participated in the gruesome killing or was in the loop on exact details of the terror plot,” a senior official told the Times of India.
The Resistance Front, a proxy group for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation, claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Indian agencies say the group is a front used by Pakistan to avoid international sanctions.
{{/usCountry}}The Resistance Front, a proxy group for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation, claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Indian agencies say the group is a front used by Pakistan to avoid international sanctions.
{{/usCountry}}Authorities have identified the suspected attackers as Hashim Musa, also known as Suleiman, and Ali Bhai, also called Talha Bhai — both Pakistani nationals — and local operative Adil Hussain Thokker.
Two other local men – Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar-- have been arrested for allegedly harbouring the terrorists.
The National Investigation Agency, which is probing the attack, said that Parvaiz and Bashir knew about the terror affiliations of the three gunmen and, despite that, they provided them with shelter, food and logistical support in the days leading up to the April 22 attack.
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India responded to the terror attack with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 terrorists.
The operation triggered four days of strikes and counterstrikes with drones, missiles and long-range weapons before the two sides reached an understanding on stopping all military action on May 10.