Arrested militant reveals 26/11 attackers were trained in Pakistan

SRINAGAR - A Pakistani guerrilla arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police has made startling revelations not only about the strong terror infrastructure that is still intact in Pakistan, but also that the 26/11 attackers were trained there.

A police press statement released here late Friday evening said: Mohammad Saleem Rehmani alias Abu Saad son of Mohammad Hanif Rehmani, resident of Nawab Shah (Sindh) Pakistan, who was arrested by the local police recently revealed he was motivated by one Abu Hamad Masool (Masool means a person who identifies the potential jihadis) to work in Kashmir.

He was also motivated by a number of Gazis (Gazis are persons who had worked in Kashmir as jihadis and then returned to Pakistan).

He disclosed that in every district there is a Masool and for 8 to 10 districts there is a zonal Masool, while at the state level there is a state Masool.

For Nawab Shah, Abu Hamad was the Masool, Faisal Nadeem was the zonal Masool and Saifullah Mansur was the state Masool.

The arrested guerrilla disclosed he was indoctrinated at Masjid Ibrahim Khalil at Nawab Shah, Sindh.

He disclosed that Masjid Ibrahim Khalil was sealed in the aftermath of 26/11, as the Mumbai attackers were motivated and indoctrinated there. This camp was reopened after two days of the closure.

The militant has further revealed that he like other potential jihadis was imparted training at Mansara district of Sarhad state of Pakistan. The basic training course runs for one month, which is known as Dor-e-Aam, during which basic training about the handling of weapons is provided besides religious indoctrination.

Every week 40 to 50 potential jihadis are imparted training at this camp. Nasar Javaid and Abu Saad were at the helm of affairs at the Mansara camp.

The arrested guerrilla also disclosed that he along with other potential jihadis were then shifted to Muzaffarabad for further rigorous training.

This training period is known as Duri-e-Khas which runs for 3 months during which field craft, battle tactics and shooting tactics are imparted. 250 to 300 militants are present at this camp at any time.

He further disclosed that the camp was located in the jungles near Muzaffarabad. He disclosed that Syed Bhai was the head of the camp and Saifur Rehman was the trainer.

He along with other potential jihadis had to undergo Dori-e-Lashkar, during which period the previous lessons were revised, tactics of receeing were imparted, jungle survival tactics besides fire of LMG is imparted. He disclosed that after passing all these stages he along with other potential jihadis was ready for infiltration and selection of potential jihadis was conducted by a Ghazi (in his case Huzaifa Bhai was the selector).

He revealed that as per his knowledge, 4 to 5 launching pads (LPs) are operating along the LOC at Chamb, Keel, Athmuqam and Lepa Valley in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

He disclosed that at each LP 50 militants are present to infiltrate at any point of time.

He said that he infiltrated through Keel and the Pakistan army allowed their group to cross the bridge after contacting their seniors. The militant disclosed that the Pakistan army helps the militants in infiltration by giving covering fire.

He also disclosed that potential jihadis of different conflict-ridden regions of the world converge at Muzaffarabad and after assessing the linguistic familiarity of the potential jihadis, they are sent to different conflict ridden regions of the world like Kashmir, Chechneya, Afghanistan etc.

The militant disclosed that they were indoctrinated by the narration of the tales of atrocities committed in Kashmir, and added that Pakistani newspapers like Daily Jung and Jurrat used to give space to such propaganda pieces.