The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two more persons for their alleged role in the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed . A total of five persons have been arrested in connection with the case so far.
The suspects were identified as Waiz ul Islam (19), a resident of Srinagar and Mohammad Abbas Rather (32), a resident of Pulwama.
The NIA asserted in a statement that Mr. Islam had disclosed that he had used his Amazon online shopping account to procure batteries, accessories and chemicals for making the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) used by the car borne suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar.
The NIA alleged that Mr. Islam had procured the items on the directions of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad operatives.
Also read: Pulwama terror attack | NIA arrests man, daughter
The NIA had earlier said in a statement that the explosives were “ammonium nitrate, nitro-glycerine and RDX”. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said many items used in the IED had been purchased online but did not specify the source of the high grade explosives like RDX.
“Islam also personally delivered the items to the JeM terrorists after procuring the incriminating material online as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the Pulwama attack,” the NIA asserted.
The other accused, Mr. Rather, was a known overground worker of the JeM, the NIA alleged. “He has disclosed that he gave shelter to another terrorist Mohd Umar (IED expert) when he came to Kashmir in April-May 2018. He also harboured JeM terrorists... Adil Ahmad Dar, Sameer Ahmed Dar and Kamran (Pakistani) at his house a number of times in the run up to the Pulwama attack,” the NIA asserted.
Mr. Rather also allegedly arranged safe shelter for the JeM militants at the house of another accused Tariq Ahmed Shah in Pulwama. Mr. Shah and his daughter Insha Jan were arrested on March 3.
The NIA made its first arrest in the case on February 28, when it arrested Shakir Bashir Magrey (22), a furniture shop owner in Pulwama.
The two accused will be produced before the NIA’s Special Court at Jammu on Saturday.
According to the police and the Army, most of the militants involved in the planning and execution of the attack, including Pakistan-based militants, were killed in encounters in the past one year
( With inputs by Peerzada Ashiq in Srinagar )
