Top terrorist linked to 26/11 Mumbai attack killed in Pakistan
What's the story
Abu Qatal, a top operative of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been eliminated in Pakistan. Qatal, who had orchestrated several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, was a close aide of Hafiz Saeed, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks' mastermind. Commanded by Saeed as LeT's Chief Operational Commander, Qatal carried out several key operations in Kashmir. His death is considered a massive blow to Lashkar-e-Taiba's operational framework.
Terror operations
Qatal's involvement in terror attacks
Qatal was involved in several terror attacks, including the June 9, 2023 attack on a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Shiv Khori temple in J&K's Reasi district. That attack killed nine people and injured 41 others. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also named him in its chargesheet for his involvement in the deadly Rajouri attack of January 1, 2023.
Chargesheet details
NIA's chargesheet and Qatal's role
In the Rajouri attack case, the NIA charged five people including three Pakistan-based handlers of LeT. They had recruited and sent terrorists from Pakistan to attack civilians, especially from the minority communities in J&K. Qatal was one of the key masterminds behind the operation. His influence went beyond direct attacks; he also established proxy terror outfits like the People's Anti-Fascist Force (PAFF) and The Resistance Force (TRF).
Monitoring efforts
Security agencies' surveillance and operational network
Qatal was being monitored by several security agencies for his role in several terror attacks. He was a member of a coordinated network along with fellow Lashkar operatives Sajid Jutt and Qasim, who planned attacks in India. While Qatal and Jutt were both Pakistani nationals, Qasim had infiltrated into Pakistan in 2002 and subsequently joined LeT. The trio was instrumental in infiltrating and deploying terrorists in J&K based on orders from their handlers across the border.