Mobile data from arrested JeM terrorists extracted, being analysed: UP police

LUCKNOW: A senior Uttar Pradesh ATS official on Monday that the police have managed to extract data from the mobile phones of the two suspected Jaish terrorists arrested from Saharanpur district in UP. The official added that the investigators are analysing the data for leads.

The Anti-Terrorist Squad official also said the police have questioned "some persons" linked to the two Jaish-e-Mohammad men. It is to be noted that JeM was involved in February 14's deadly Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

Talking to PTI, Director General of Police OP Singh had said that the two suspected terrorists were "using BBM, virtual numbers and an app not available on Google Play Store" to communicate. The two men also discussed the movement of weapons and were planning to carry out a major terror attack.

Uttar Police had arrested Shahnawaz Ahmad Teli, from Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir, and Aquib Ahmad Malik, from Pulwama, on February 22 from Deoband in Saharanpur. The police had seized .32 bore pistols and cartridges from the two, who were staying in Deoband posing as students. DGP Singh said that though the two Jaish men were posing as students, they had not taken admission in any institute in Deoband.

According to police, Shahnawaz and Aquib were trying to recruit for JeM. He added that the police were trying to find out whether the two men had come to Deoband before the Pulwama attack. Both Shahnawaz and Aquib are currently in 10-day police custody.

Singh told IANS that Shahnawaz is a grenade expert. The investigators are trying to find out when the two came to Uttar Pradesh from Kashmir and who is funding them. 

The operation to nab Shahnawaz and Aquib was headed by IG Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Asim Arun. Singh said that the operation was launched after the ATS got a tip-off about the two from an alert student. The two men were nabbed following round-the-clock surveillance.

Sources said that Shahnawaz is suspected to be directly involved in February 14's suicide terror attack on the CRPF convoy.

(with PTI and IANS inputs)