The recent uncovering of a terror plot targeting temples has exposed heightened activities by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba within India. Officials from the Delhi police’s Special Cell revealed that Lashkar-e-Taiba has been seeking illegal immigrants in South India for potential attacks in the North. Particularly, there has been a rise in suspicious activities around Bengali camps in Kerala, where operatives are recruiting individuals for terror missions.
In a similar vein, Tamil Nadu has also witnessed such activities, with the recent arrest of six Bangladeshi nationals pointing towards a larger plan involving temple attacks in and around Delhi. Intelligence sources disclosed that Lashkar-e-Taiba is enlisting the help of touts who facilitate the entry of illegal immigrants into India, providing them with fake documents like Aadhaar Cards and Voter IDs to carry out attacks.
The recruitment drive by Lashkar-e-Taiba aligns with recent warnings from the Intelligence Bureau about potential targeting of elections in West Bengal and Assam. Security concerns arise as these terror groups aim to exploit the distraction caused by elections. Notably, the recruitment strategy avoids using existing illegal immigrants in Northeast and West Bengal, opting instead for individuals from South India to carry out operations.
These recruited individuals are either coerced or incentivized to participate in terror activities, with promises of hefty payments and safe return to their home countries post-attack. Investigations have revealed that while the recruits are based in South India, the operational oversight is managed by individuals in Jammu and Kashmir, including Shabbir Ahmed Lone, who is currently in Bangladesh overseeing Lashkar-e-Taiba’s India operations.
Indian agencies are collaborating with Bangladeshi counterparts to apprehend Lone, who has conducted dry runs for terror attacks in Delhi and Kolkata. The focus remains on disrupting these networks and preventing potential attacks on Indian soil.
