By Agencies
New Delhi, Aug 2: A senior Pakistani SSG commando and close associate of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir.
The militant, identified as Noman Ziaullah, was gunned down on July 27 while attempting to infiltrate India in the Machil area. Details of the operation
Indian security agencies reported that Ziaullah, a 45-year-old unarmed infiltrator, crossed into Indian territory from Pakistan’s Tugalialpur post late Wednesday night. He was neutralised near the Khorra post in the Mangucheck area. The BSF’s Jammu Frontier IG, D.K. Bura, confirmed that the infiltrator’s activities were monitored and challenged as he crossed the border. Implications and investigation.
Photographs and videos of Ziaullah, including one with Hafiz Saeed, have surfaced, highlighting his connections and the ongoing threat posed by such militant. The BSF and local authorities are investigating whether Ziaullah was part of a larger infiltration plan designed to test security measures. The deceased infiltrator’s body has been recovered and handed over to the police for further legal proceedings.
Hafiz Saeed: UN-designated militant and 26/11 mastermind.
Muhammad Hafiz Saeed, founder of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, remains a prominent figure in global counterterrorism efforts. Saeed, who has been in prison since July 17, 2019, was sentenced to 33 years in April 2022 by a special anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Pakistan, for “financing terrorism.”
Despite his designation as a UN-proscribed militant in December 2008 and similar listings by the European Union, Saeed evaded formal charges and extradition for nearly two decades. His long history of terrorism and the delay in legal consequences have been significant concerns for international and Indian authorities.