Chilling Pak ISI Terror Plot: Lashkar Terrorist Reveals Delhi Temples, Connaught Place, Paharganj On Target; LeT Proxy In Making In Bangladesh

In another huge breakthrough, a day after the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Shabir Ahmed Lone, a larger conspiracy has come to light during the interrogation. Arrested Shabir Ahmed Lone is a key handler of the recently busted terror module linked to the Delhi Metro anti-India poster case. He was apprehended from the Ghazipur area by a Special Cell team led by DCP Praveen Tripathi of the New Delhi Range, along with Inspector Sunil and Inspector Dheeraj Mehlawat.

Temple Recce Videos Sent to Pakistan

During interrogation, Lone revealed a shocking terror plot to target religious and crowded public places in the national capital. He confessed to doing a detailed recce at prominent religious sites in Delhi, including Kalkaji Temple, Lotus Temple, and Chhatarpur Temple. After surveying these locations, videos were recorded and sent to Lashkar handlers based in Pakistan.

He also disclosed that crowded areas such as Connaught Place and Paharganj markets were surveyed too as potential targets, pointing to a wider plan to strike high-footfall locations.

Lashkar Planning Bangladesh-Based New Terror Outfit 

In another huge revelation, Lone told investigating officials that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, along with Lashkar operatives, is planning to set up a new terror outfit in Bangladesh on the lines of The Resistance Front (TRF). He further revealed that preparations were underway to begin fresh inspection and recruitment activities in the Delhi-NCR region as part of this larger conspiracy.

Who Is Shabir Ahmed Lone?

As per the police officials Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Shabir Ahmed Lone was the handler of the same module in which eight accused had earlier been arrested (seven Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian citizen). Later, six more Bangladeshi nationals linked to the module were arrested from Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.

Police also informed that Lone and his teammates carried out terror trial runs by putting up anti-India posters at multiple locations in Kolkata and Delhi. They also conducted recce of temples and other sensitive sites and sent the video footage to Pakistan.

Cash, Foreign Currency and SIM Card Recovered

At the time of his arrest, Delhi Police Special Cell recovered 2,300 Bangladeshi Taka, 1,400 Nepali currency, 5,000 Pakistani currency, Rs 3,000 in Indian cash, and a Nepali SIM card from the possession of LeT terrorist Shabir Ahmed Lone. Shabir was being handled by ISI-linked operatives using the code names Abu Hufaza and Sumama Babar. 

As per the police sources, Shabir Lone is a highly trained terrorist with a long history. He was earlier arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in 2007, when an AK-47 rifle and hand grenades were recovered from him. He remained lodged in Tihar Jail till 2018.

At the time, he had direct links with Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and his deputy Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. He was also arrested in Srinagar in 2015.

After being released on bail, Lone fled to Bangladesh, where he allegedly set up a new terror module. The recently arrested individuals are believed to be part of this same network.

Shabir Ahmed Lone is a trained operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba and had been operating from Bangladesh ever since his release from the jail. He was appointed to handle LeT activities in India. He received both basic (‘Daura-e-Aam’) and advanced (‘Daura-e-Khaas’) terror training at a Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad.

With support and funding from Pakistan’s ISI, he was actively recruiting illegal Bangladeshi migrants in India and hatching terror conspiracies.

Shabir Ahmed Lone was produced before the Patiala House Court on Monday, which sent him to five days of police custody.