The Delhi Police on Friday claimed to have arrested a Hizb-ul Mujahideen member at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh while he was trying to sneak in through the Nepal border. The accused was part of a conspiracy to avenge the execution of Afzal Guru through fidayeen attacks in the capital. The police claim to have seized an AK-56 rifle, three hand-grenades and some other articles from a guesthouse in the walled city of Delhi at his instance.
Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) S.N. Srivastava said Sayyed Liyaqat, a resident of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested in coordination with the Sashastra Seema Bal after he crossed over to India via the Sonauali border post on Wednesday. On Friday afternoon, he broke down before the media, claiming that he was being framed by the police.
“During interrogation, he disclosed that he was asked to meet a contact putting up at a guesthouse near the Jama Masjid. We enquired from the guesthouse manager who disclosed that the occupants of the said room had gone out. When they did not return, in the presence of the guesthouse manager, we carried out a search, during which an AK-56 rifle, two magazines each containing 30 rounds, three hand-grenades, a memory card, a map and dry fruits were seized from the room,” said Mr. Srivastava.
During interrogation, Liyaqat disclosed that in January a meeting of the Muttahida Jihad Council was held wherein all participants decided to observe January 26 as ‘Black Day’ and to re-dedicate themselves to the cause of integration of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan
After the meeting, Ghazi Nasiruddin, a senior Hizb commander, and Farooq Qureshi told Liyaqat that he was chosen to supervise some recruits tasked with carrying out terror strikes in Delhi. “Liyaqat was told that thereafter, he should return to the Kashmir Valley, settle down and identify those who could be recruited. He was also told to help the new recruits cross over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” Mr. Srivastava said.
According to the police, Liyaqat took a flight from Pakistan to Kathmandu using a fake Pakistani passport. He then allegedly tore off the passport as instructed by his handlers.
“Liyaqat was told that all arrangements for the fidayeen attack was made and young cadres of the Hizb and Kashmir Freedom Force had crossed over to India. Liyaqat’s job was to draw up a workable plan by selecting the best possible target so that maximum casualties could be inflicted,” he said.
