Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) Commando Asif Fauji alias Hashim Musa, one of the main perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, had been active in Jammu and Kashmir for the past year and is suspected to have been involved in at least three attacks on security forces and non-locals, according to NIA officials familiar with the investigation.
Sources in the investigation team revealed that the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) deployed operatives to join the banned terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and strengthen its operations in Kashmir. Musa later joined LeT and is believed to have infiltrated into India in September 2023.
Musa, a trained commando, is reportedly an expert in unconventional warfare and covert operations. Such commandos are typically skilled in handling sophisticated weapons, engaging in hand-to-hand combat, and demonstrating advanced navigation and survival skills, sources said. His SSG background was reportedly revealed during the interrogation of one of the 14 Kashmiri Over Ground Workers (OGWs) apprehended during the investigation.
Musa is believed to have been hiding in the higher reaches of the Pir Panjal range along with four other terrorists who carried out the attack on tourists at Baisaran meadow on Tuesday.
It is also suspected that Musa may be working with other Pakistan-backed terror outfits operating in the Valley in addition to Lashkar-e-Taiba. The police have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the terrorists.
As part of the ongoing probe, security agencies are investigating potential links, including OGWs who may have helped Pakistani terrorists travel from near the border to various districts of Kashmir over the past year, an officer said on condition of anonymity.
Another official stated that local residents and overground workers are currently being questioned to gather more information about the attackers, particularly Musa.
These developments, the report noted, point to the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the Pahalgam terror attack. The officer added that Pakistan has also been behind similar attacks in the Valley.
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