NIA arrests Lashkar man who arranged trip for Naved

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday arrested another over-ground operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba - identified as Showkat Ahmed Bhat, who had arranged transportation for the four Pakistani terrorists including captured Mohammad Naved Yakub within Kashmir soon after they infiltrated from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir on June 2 this year.
The LeT terrorists - Naved Yakub and his associate Mohammad Noman (now dead) - had attacked a BSF convoy on August 5, while two others who came with them from Pakistan - Zhargham alias Mohammed Bhai and Abu Okasa are still suspected to be hiding in the Valley.
Bhat, a resident of Khadermoh area in Pulwama district, is allegedly an old operative who worked for LeT. He was detained by Jammu and Kashmir police after which he was handed over to the federal probe agency.
Officials say that 36-year-old Bhat had been arrested by agencies earlier as well in June in another case.
During their two-month stay in the Valley, Bhat assisted the four LeT trained Pakistani terrorists in travelling from one place to another. Officials suspect that he was directed by Abu Qasim to arrange the travel, as desired by Lashkar bosses based in Pakistan.