Masood Azhar among 12 chargesheeted by NIA in Sunjwan terror attack case

On April 22, two days ahead of PM Modi’s Jammu visit, two fidayeen (suicide) terrorists affiliated with JeM had attacked a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) bus

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against 12 accused, including Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, in the Sunjwan terror attack case.

A spokesperson of the probe agency said that a chargesheet was filed in NIA Special Court, against 12 accused persons for hatching a conspiracy by Kashmir based militant operatives and their Pakistan based leadership/handlers.

“Two JeM terrorists were infiltrated into India territory through a tunnel. This tunnel had been excavated on the International Border in the area falling under border out post Chack Faqira in Samba sector of Jammu with the intention of disrupting the scheduled visit of Prime Minister,” the NIA investigation revealed.

Also Read | J&K: 'Hybrid militant' involved in labourers' killing dies in anti-terror operation

On April 22, two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu, two fidayeen (suicide) terrorists affiliated with the JeM had attacked a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) bus, killing an officer while injuring at least nine security personnel. Both the terrorists were neutralised in the retaliatory action by the security forces.

The investigation into the terror attack was handed over to the NIA by Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of JeM, who was released by India in December 1999 in exchange of the passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines plane, has been named as one of the accused in the Sunjwan terror attack.

Shafeeq Ahmad Sheikh and Abid Mushtaq Mir, Asif Ahmad Sheikh all residents of Pulwama, Bilal Ahmad Wagay, Mohammad Ishaq Chopan residents of Anantnag, Rouf Asgar Alvi, Mohammad Mussdaiq alias Doctor alias Abdul Manan alias Wahid Khan, Shahid Latif alias Chotta Shahid alias Noor Al Din (all residents of Pakistan) and Masood Ilyas Kashmiri alias Abu Mohammad of Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been named in the chargesheet.

The chargesheet against two slain militants of the JeM has been abated.

The NIA investigation has revealed that the accused Shafeeq Sheikh, Bilal Wagay, Ishaq Chopan, Abid Mir and Asif Sheikh, entered into a criminal conspiracy with two Pakistani militants and JeM leadership “in the furtherance of which they received, transported and provided logistic support to two terrorists who entered into Indian territory to execute a suicidal attack on the security forces and other vital installations in Jammu region with a view to disrupt the scheduled visit of the Prime Minister.”