Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) on Saturday claimed that Ahmed Raza, arrested in Lucknow on August 3 for his connection with proscribed terror group Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), had planned attacks at important places in UP on the Independence Day. Earlier, ATS had recovered an American automatic pistol from his residence in Moradabad.
Special DG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said that the accused was in contact with Pakistani terrorist Waleed of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), on whose advice he purchased the automatic pistol.
Senior ATS officials said that the accused was inspired by HM’s poster boys Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa and considered them his role models.
“Videos, photos, messages from WhatsApp/Facebook messenger of the accused show that he was in touch with listed handlers of HM,” the ATS claimed.
According to ATS, Raza had received arms training in Anantnag and wanted to join the Badri 313 Commando branch, a special force of the Taliban army.
An ATS officer said that a chat and photo for arranging weapons for ‘jihad’ have been found on his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, ATS officials added that another accused, the uncle of Firdaus Ahmad Dar, who was arrested on August 6 and is in ATS custody, was killed in an Army encounter in 1994.
“Firdaus, who was in touch with HM and JeM commanders, had provided arms training to Raza,” said ATS officials.
ATS said that they were trying to find other aides and associates of the arrested terror suspects.
