LeT Terrorists in Pahalgam Attack: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two locals on suspicion of harboring the terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. An NIA spokesperson said, “Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Hill Park, Pahalgam, identified the three armed terrorists involved in the attack. They also confirmed that the attackers were Pakistani nationals linked to the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).”
Operation Sindoor:
The incident claimed the lives of 26 people and injured 16. Following three days of armed combat between the two nations, India launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation on May 7 and targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“The two men had provided food, shelter, and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists based on their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever,” the spokesperson added, adding that Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harbored the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, as per the probe.
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After arresting the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the NIA launched a deeper investigation into the high-impact incident. The spokeswoman confirmed, “We are continuing to investigate the situation.” Earlier this month, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international watchdog on money laundering and terror financing, strongly condemned the “brutal terrorist attack” in Pahalgam. The group emphasized that such attacks are not possible “without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters.”
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