JeM Had Plans To Repeat Pulwama Attack, Abu Huzaifah Recced Other Attack Sites

Pulwama: The Pulwama IED attack on CRPF personnel in February 2019, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, was not the only attack the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had planned. 

However, it was the first major attack orchestrated by the terror outfit.

Muhammad Umar Farooq, an Afghan-trained JeM explosives expert, had even finalised the location for a second Fidayeen attack on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

Suicide bomber Abu Huzaifah was tasked with carrying out the attack, for which he had previously conducted reconnaissance of security force convoys at multiple locations.

An official from the NIA, which cracked the Pulwama IED attack case, informed Republic World that after the Pulwama attack, Farooq continued planning another suicide attack.

“Another terrorist, Shakir Bashir, started surveillance of security force deployments and movements. He was offered the role of ‘fidayeen’ for the next attack, but he wanted to become an active terrorist first before carrying out a suicide bombing.

Shakir Bashir was given the code name ‘Abu Huzaifah.’ They also continued ordering incriminating materials for JeM terrorists through an Amazon account and had them delivered,” the official said.

Officials further added that the JeM initially instructed Farooq and other JeM terrorists to postpone the planned attack due to the fierce reaction from Indian security forces after the VBIED attack on February 14, 2019.

“For their second attack, the terrorists had collected explosives, a vehicle, and other materials. The location for the VBIED attack on security forces was also finalised.

The surveillance of the route - to be taken by the suicide bomber from the hideout to the national highway - was completed with the assistance of Shakir Bashir and others,” they added.

The plan for a second Pulwama-like deadly attack, which was initially postponed, hit a deadlock when two Pakistani JeM terrorists, Muhammad Umar Farooq and Mohd Kamran Ali, were killed in an encounter with security forces at Susthoo Kalan, Nowgam, on March 29, 2019.

The mobile phone recovered from the site belonged to slain terrorist Mohd Umar Farooq, ultimately exposing the entire conspiracy to investigating agencies.